Restoration Advise

Tuner · #1 10-13-2007, 08:18 AM

Hi,
I'm new to the board, although I have been reading postings for a few months. Recently I purchased a late 40's Epiphone B4. It has a great sound but is not in the best shape. The neck has never been broken. One of the previous oweners has used some type of filler around the outside edges that doesn't look like it belongs there. The endpin looks to be fabricated and had a table leg stuck in it. The tail piece is held on with wire. Being fairly new to the bass world I am unsure if I should have this bass restored or not. I would welcome any advise you have. I live in west Michigan, if anyone know a good bass luthier in the area please let me know and I will also seek their advise.

Thanks and I enjoy the board.
Tuner

Bob Branstetter · #2 10-13-2007, 12:14 PM

Steven Reiley is located in Grand Rapids. Steve is a well known doublebass and bow maker. Here is his website.

Martin Sheridan · #3 10-15-2007, 07:54 AM

Steve's son Aaron is also doing very good work. He left Sunday for China and will be back in a week or so.

MollyKay · #4 10-16-2007, 02:12 PM

Howdy…when you have a moment to look around on your bass see if you can find a serial number. I have a fond affection for old American plywood basses. I started a crude data bass on Epiphone basses so if you can find the serial number I will log your B-4 into my data bass.

Look under the scroll near the nut on the E side of the bass just below the tuners. You need to look “UP” to see it. The other possible location for the serial number is at the end pin where the two side seams come together at the bottom of the bass. The number will be die stamped into the wood…you might feel the number before you see it.

Good luck with the repairs! These old basses deserve some respect and TLC. They are a piece of Americana.

Tuner · #5 10-17-2007, 07:04 PM

Thank you all for the information.

Molly Kay
The Serial #1634. It is a Blonde B4. The best I could make out is was sometime around the late 40's. If you have the year it was made that would be great.
Thanks,
Tuner

wineaux · #6 10-17-2007, 09:39 PM

Tuner,

You might just have a diamond in the rough, especially since it already sounds good. I drove to Detoit and back (1,000 miles roundtrip) one day in the spring to look at an old (1934) Jaeger ply. It had more cracks and and dings than Ron Woods' face, used a piece of crutch tip for an endpin and had a fingerboard that looked like a roller coaster, but something in the sound said "take me home" so I did. My luthier did some great work on the fingerboard, added a bit of glue here and there, stuck in a real end pin and, $300 bucks later, I was in business. She's not a looker, but she sure can sing!

Keep us posted on what you decide. And remember, it's all about the music!

Tuner · #7 10-18-2007, 03:56 AM

wineaux,

As stange as it may seem, I sold a mint 1955 Kay M1 to buy this bass. The sound of the Epiphone was that much better. For the next couple of months I am going to play it and enjoy it. The bass is pretty sound as far as that goes, it could just use a little less character. Mostly around the edges. I will keep you in tune as I go, thanks for the interest.

BUD BOBBITT · #8 10-18-2007, 03:13 PM

I RECENTLY TRIED TO REPAIR A ROMA 3/4 DOUBLE BASS MODEL 393 THAT WAS DAMAGED IN A FREIGHT SHIPMENT AND THE STEM WAS BROKEN OFF. I TRIED TO GLUE IT BACK AND NOW THE STRINGS ARE TOO FAR ABOVE THE FINGERBOARD. THE STEM SLIPPED A LITTLE AND I DIDNT NOTICE UNTIL THE GLUE HAD DRIED. I DONT THINK I WAS THAT FAR OFF AND AM WONDERING IF SOMEONE COULD VERIFY THE HEIGHT OF THE HARP WHICH IS 6.5 INCHES AND IT APPEARS TO HOLD THE STRINGS HIGHER THAN NECESSARY AND IM WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE MY PROBLEM. AS YOU PROBABLY HAVE REALIZED I AM NOT A BASSIST AND DONT KNOW ONE END FROM THE OTHER. MY BASS IS WORTH AROUND $1000 SO I PROBABLY CANT AFFORD PROFESSIONAL REPAIR. I WILL APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE.

MollyKay · #9 10-18-2007, 04:52 PM

Hey Tuner...glad you found the serial number. Thanks for sharing! Was it at the scroll head or at the end pin?

I have no good educated guess as to the year. That is what makes old Epi's so great...it is still mysterious. I would think you have a NY made bass verse the Kalamazoo made bass so it would be a pre 1956. If I really went out on a limb I would say early to mid 1950's...but I really don't know. This makes the tenth B-4 in my data bass. Enjoy your bass, these old Epi's are great, great basses!

Tuner · #10 10-21-2007, 06:13 AM

MollyKay,
The information I got from Elderly Instruments - It was built in the 1940,s in New York. Their information is usually on. I don't know if that will help with you data base (should be
Data Bass) or not, but it is the best information I have. BTW- I found the serial numbers on the bottom side of the scroll.

Thanks,
Tuner

MollyKay · #11 10-21-2007, 11:32 AM

Thanks Tuner...I have #461 B-1 and #634 B-4 both are NY basses along with #392 B-5 which is Kalamazoo made confirmed by the paper label inside and the engraving on the tuners. When Gibson acquired Epi they re-started the serial numbers. This is why it is so important at to where the serial number is located on the bass. The scroll head and fingerboard say to me it is a NY bass, end pin says Kalamazoo made. If your #1634 is NY and is 1940's then all the better for us!

Again I am no expert...just very curious and persistent. I love these old American made plywood basses and will try to rescue and restore all that I (we) can. This is why I say these old basses deserve some respect...verse the "junk food" reputation they are given here at Talk bass. They are true pieces of American history…LOL!

sharlar · #12 01-06-2008, 03:14 AM

I have an Epiphone model B, made in New York. It is a reddish brown sunburst in color. It is in decent shape.

I also have a 1951 Kay that sounds good, but it is not in as good a condition as the Epiphone----

sharlar

MollyKay · #13 01-06-2008, 06:36 AM

…look for a serial number and I will record it for you. Also what B model is it, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5? My guess…if it is sunburst most likely a B-3 or B-4. Thanks for the post…this is a really old thread I had forgotten about.

All you Epi lovers keep the info flowing my way. I now have 20 basses recorded in my date base (or data bass). I still don’t know and more then I did before but it sure is nice making e-mail contact with bass players that share my affection for these great old Epi basses. Yawl is “good and nice people”…as Jimmy Martin said!

Happy New Year to all!

sharlar · #14 01-06-2008, 05:33 PM

...all of the info i posted is found on the tuner plate (g side)---the tuners and plates have a grape and grape leaf theme--i can find no serial number in the locations suggested----

thanks

sharlar · #15 01-08-2008, 01:31 AM

i found the serial number on the end of the fingerboard--it appears to be 3044

thanks

MollyKay · #16 01-08-2008, 09:31 AM

Great! Thanks for the second effort...I will add you to my data bass of Epiphone serial numbers...which has grown to 23 basses.

Jerry Fretwell · #17 01-08-2008, 02:05 PM

Molly
I currently have two:

B1 SN 405 Dark brown color

B4 SN 3050 Sunburst color

Jerry
www.fretwellbass.com

sharlar · #18 01-08-2008, 11:15 PM

Molly

on my #3044 I found the model # on the epiphone emblem (which is affixed to the tailpiece)---it is a B-5.

sharlar

MollyKay · #19 01-09-2008, 04:36 PM

Thanks Gentlemen…

Jerry I had your B-4 bass in the data base already from your website. The B-4 on your web site was listed as #3059, so I changed my information to #3050 as listed in your post. I am going to assume you found the serial number at the end of the fingerboard? All the New York made basses with serial numbers higher then #1841, the serial numbers were on the end of the fingerboard…just a pattern I see developing.

Again thanks for the great info!

Jerry Fretwell · #20 01-09-2008, 08:24 PM

Molly
You are correct. It was at the end of the finger board only this time I put my glasses on o read the number. Sorry for the mistake. I just sold another to Larry hunt in Roanoke Va. the SN was 267.
Thanks
Jerry
www.fretwellbass.com