Grr, I'm upset.

ChaosGwar · #1 02-22-2002, 09:37 PM

I got my bass body from ebay yesterday.
It's a P style body, routed for 1 Precision and 1 double coil pickups. It is string through body, and came with the bridge installed. For $20, I thought I was getting a hell of a deal.
First thing I did was clean it, it was rather dirty. Sitting on a shelf somewhere probably. Anyway, I get my neck and go to put it on. The bastard doesn't fit. The neck pocket is about a quarter inch too thin and too deep.

So, do I just say screw it, and get a new body, or try to route the neck pocket so the neck will fit?

The body is very light weight, and I have no clue what type of wood it is. It also isn't in the best condition. It has several scratches in the paint, one of them goes through the paint down into the wood.

What do you suggest I do?
If I decide to get a new body, I have to sell this one on ebay first.

Dumfish · #2 02-23-2002, 12:23 AM

If it was only $20 I say do some work on it and try to get it to fit.

alaskabass · #3 02-23-2002, 01:11 AM

For the cost of listing and shipping it plus the purchase of another on the Bay, not to mention time, you could purchase materials to modify and refinish it to your heart's desire.

Good practice at the least, you know sow's ear/silk purse kind of situation,

YMMV,
Don

PS Sounds like no need to route, just a dovetail saw trim job that could yield a shim ? Accurate measurement would yield the answer to that question. Hmmm...

ChaosGwar · #4 02-23-2002, 01:17 AM

Yeah, it's growing on me. I need to get experience, especially with wiring. I can always pull the pick ups and pots and wiring out if I decide to get a new body.

I'll play around with it and see what I can do.

merlin · #5 02-23-2002, 02:53 AM

remove everything and strip the paint back to the wood and sand it up a bit. get rid of the dents and scratches. Find some glossy paint and paint it up.

You could probably chisel out a bit on both sides of the area for the neck. if you have a sharp chisel this can be accurate. If its too deep on the bottom, cut a piece of wood the height and shape (glorified packing) to get that neck up to height.

Merls

Why do i know this!! I've spent too long on here i reckon....

ChaosGwar · #6 02-23-2002, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by merlin
remove everything and strip the paint back to the wood and sand it up a bit. get rid of the dents and scratches. Find some glossy paint and paint it up.

I had already thought about doing this... I think I'm gonna go for it.

Quote:

You could probably chisel out a bit on both sides of the area for the neck. if you have a sharp chisel this can be accurate. If its too deep on the bottom, cut a piece of wood the height and shape (glorified packing) to get that neck up to height.

Ok, I guess I described this wrong. It's not too deep as in thickness, it's cut so the bottom of the pocket is closer to the pickups. If I were to chisel down the sides (which I plan on doing) I would have a small gap between the neck and the body. Now that I think about it, it might be useful since the truss nut is at the base of the neck. But I think the gap will still be too big.

alaskabass · #7 02-23-2002, 03:47 AM

Make the mods/cuts to allow the neck a secure fit. If you butcher up the pocket in the process it's no big deal and part of the learning experience.

Wrap cellophane paper around the neck bolted in and fill gaps with bondo. By the time you finish preparing the body for refin things will smooth out.

A nice coat of paint hides a lot of sin.

Just one method of doing things. There are others depending on skills and time.

YMMV,
Don

ChaosGwar · #8 02-23-2002, 11:55 AM

After some precision (no pun intended) cutting with my trusty Dremel, the neck fits like a glove. There is still a small gap, but it's not as noticeable as I first thought.

But, if it isn't one thing, it's another.

The holes in the body for the string through are all torn up. I put a set of strings on it to intonate and set the action. As I was tuning, the string balls nearly pulled through. Two of them pulled through so badly they got stuck, and the only way to get them off was to yank them through the body, causing even more damage. It's an easy fix, all I have to do is fit some small washers in there.
My strings are silk wrapped at the ball end so I don't have to worry about the string rubbing and breaking.
Will the metal washers affect the tone at all?

rllefebv · #9 02-23-2002, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by alaskabass
Wrap cellophane paper around the neck bolted in and fill gaps with bondo. By the time you finish preparing the body for refin things will smooth out.

Never thought of this, but I've got a little violin bass that I may try this on... I usually rout out the pocket bigger than needed and inlay a suitable piece of wood. After this has dried, I then re-rout a new pocket...

Hey Chaos... you may want to try some String Ferrules in those holes. They're made for the job... I don't thik that wahsers would adversly affect the sound. You could evemount a metal backplate...

Just some thought...

-robert

ChaosGwar · #10 02-23-2002, 12:37 PM

I thought about the ferrules, but StewMac has a $25 minimum to buy, I think.

I'm gonna use an old pickguard and cut it for a backplate. It's also the same pickguard I'm using to make a control cover.

Maybe I can find some ferrules at the music shop today.

Edit: Nope, they only have geetar ferrules, and for $15! I don't think I'm gonna do a lot of shopping there in the future.
Everything is expensive and way overpriced. They wanted $550 for a used MIM Fender jazz. I can get a new one for less than that.