Crestwood Astral BB-anyone heard of it?

[Mick Lane]

I picked this up in a basket at a garage sale. Looks to be a 60's or 70's era. The body style, knobs and pickups are the same as the McCartney Hofner violin bass. I am a guitar player and uilleann piper, but lately I have had a yearning to get my chops on the bass. I know this is a cheap bass in its era, but I thought it would be fun to put it back together (restore it, as it were) and use it to learn my way around the bass. One problem. I have never done anything like this before. I will have to reset the neck into the body and install a new nut. I will have to rewire the pickups.These are all things that are within my abilities, but I will need some guidance on the neck reset. I have googled this instrument and don't find any reference to the Astral BB

So my questions are as follows: 1) Does anyone know anything about this particular Crestwood? 2) Would you replace the pickups or is that throwing good money after bad? 3) Can anyone give me tips on the neck reset? 4) How about refinishing it? I would like to change the color.

Thanks. I look forward to participating in this forum as I master this critter.

All the best,

Mick

[Muddslide]

Well, pics always help.

I have no info on this bass, but I do know that there are still basses (and probably other instruments) around that bear the Crestwood brand name.

Don't know if there's a connection or not, aside from the name.

[Mick Lane]

OK, I became a supporting member. It only seems right given the knowledge I expect to gain.

Here are the first of some pic's

[Mick Lane]

....here are some more. I am trying to give all the info I can

[Mick Lane]

I will be adding a picture shortly of the neck to body connection.

[kcreal01]

dont know anything about the bass but looks like a good score.. nice find.

[Mick Lane]

...and here is the neck connection.

Now, to reiterate the questions:

1) Does anyone know anything about this particular Crestwood? 2) Would you replace the pickups or is that throwing good money after bad? 3) Can anyone give me tips on the neck reset? 4) How about refinishing it? I would like to change the color.

All the best,

Mick

[WoodyG3]

The headstock looks almost identical to Jimmy's new find, an old Radio Shack bass. Check out this thread:

New Radio Shack Bass - Pics and Soundclip

[jbybj]

I recently scored an Aria violin bass that has the same Hofner style, staple pickups.

They are humbuckers. My electronics are different, only a toggle pickup selector, volume and tone, so yours may sound different, but I love these pickups.

It has been suggested to me, and I have no way to confirm or refute this, that these pickups were actually being supplied to the Japanese makers in the 60's and 70's by Hofner. Regardless, I get the feeling these pups were considered an upgrade in the world of Japanese violin basses.

If you are thinking of parting out this bass, as indicated in Jimmy's Realistic thread, please PM me.

JBY