Plexi/Plexiglass/Acrylic/Lucite Bass Club

[RandyMolson]

It's the Plexi Bass Club. Past and present owners, post pics of your plexi bass and get your number. First to post a unique brand gets a bonus !

[RandyMolson]

1978 Renaissance DPB Fretless

Renaissance of Malvern PA produced unique Plexiglas body basses and electric guitars from 1978 to 1980. This instrument is a unique and somewhat historic bass from a company memorialized in “Guitar Stories Volume 1” by Michael Wright. Throughout its short life, Renaissance had financial difficulties rooted in producing guitars that were too expensive to make for their limited distribution and pricing. The initial model runs have thick acrylic slabs, active DiMarzio pickups and plenty of custom fabricated hardware. Later versions were refined to reduce production costs and instrument weight. The later models use more off-the-shelf components and have passive electronics, which allow thinner body profiles.

The Lucite bodies were available in clear, smoke and black hues. Mine has a smoke body, fretless maple neck with ebony fingerboard and mother of pearl fret markers. Fitted with the brass and gold tone hardware, the Renaissance basses have a vintage boutique look. Mine represents the early production run with a thick body, machined knobs and active DiMarzio P-Bass pickups. The preamp is a custom design by Dan Lamb of Musictronics and is switchable between active and passive modes.

Mine is an all original Renaissance DPB, the 34th instrument built of approximately 150 Renaissance basses produced. This bass has been stored in its case all its life and is in excellent condition. The only thing I see that keeps it from being mint are a few marks on the headstock.

I have this one set up with stainless flatwounds. This bass has a lot of punch and sustain in both passive and active modes. The electronics also offer good tone variation. The sound from this bass is clean and massive.

[j.kernodle]

that's very cool! for some reason plexiglass and double P pickups seem to go together.

Here's my Fernandes. as far as I know it's a one off MIJ custom model.

[subbasshz]

im in.

[SideshowDom]

Count me in as well

[j.kernodle]

Originally Posted by SideshowDom

Count me in as well

killer mockingbird there!

[KramerBassFan]

Anybody know where I could get a Lucite Slab big enough to make a bass? :hiding

I have all the tools... and skills.... all I need is a slab...

[Geroi Asfalta]

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

Anybody know where I could get a Lucite Slab big enough to make a bass? :hiding

I have all the tools... and skills.... all I need is a slab...

I have one.....next year I should have a clear J, clear neck, and clear smoke fretless board. Maybe clear pickup covers....

[RandyMolson]

First batch of numbers:
1 RandyMolson [Renaissance 4F]
2 j.kernodle [Fernandes MIJ Custom 4]
3 subbasshz [Renaissance 4]
4 SideshowDom [BC Rich 4]
5 Geroi Asfalta [Handmade J (under construction)]

[KramerBassFan]

Originally Posted by Geroi Asfalta

I have one.....next year I should have a clear J, clear neck, and clear smoke fretless board. Maybe clear pickup covers....

Where did you get the body slab? Do tell.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

Anybody know where I could get a Lucite Slab big enough to make a bass? :hiding

I have all the tools... and skills.... all I need is a slab...

If you feel like shelling out the bucks for it: http://www.mcmaster.com/#8560k915/=1axela

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

Where did you get the body slab? Do tell.

KBF, if you end up starting a plexi project, let us know and we'll bring you on board.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by Geroi Asfalta

I have one.....next year I should have a clear J, clear neck, and clear smoke fretless board. Maybe clear pickup covers....

Plexi neck - thats a tall order!!!

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

Anybody know where I could get a Lucite Slab big enough to make a bass? :hiding

I have all the tools... and skills.... all I need is a slab...

What does one use to make a body out of Lucite? I'm assuming you can't cut it on a bandsaw.

[KramerBassFan]

Actually, you can.

It's not that different than working with wood, except you can't really fill your mistakes etc. ... Oh and you can melt it too.

And that body slab isn't bad, assuming I have a cheap (price wise neck).

That said, I Want to see if I can't find other options.

[Geroi Asfalta]

Originally Posted by RandyMolson

First batch of numbers:
1 RandyMolson [Renaissance 4F]
2 j.kernodle [Fernandes MIJ Custom 4]
3 subbasshz [Renaissance 4]
4 SideshowDom [BC Rich 4]
5 Geroi Asfalta [Handmade J (under construction)]

I won't take my number until its done.

Originally Posted by KramerBassFan

Where did you get the body slab? Do tell.

It came from the now closed Hastings plastic in Santa monica. it's 4 feet by 4 feet, 2 inches thick. Not cheap, either...

Originally Posted by RandyMolson

Plexi neck - thats a tall order!!!

It's worth a try....how cool would it be to see the truss rod from the front of the neck?

Anybody know if there's a plastic string enough for bridges and / or tuning keys?

[superdick2112]

I'll take a number please.
Here is my custom NEO RockBass, built for me by Pennsylvania luthier Rich Roland.
It features a hollow translucent white acrylic body, internally illuminated with real neon, and a composite neck running through the body. Hardware includes EMG pickups, and Gotoh bridge & machine heads. This one pops eyes & drops jaws when I fire up the neon on stage, and she sounds killer too.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

What does one use to make a body out of Lucite? I'm assuming you can't cut it on a bandsaw.

This thread has some good tips for working with plexi. Routing Plexiglass

I have cut 1/8" plexi on a bench scroll saw for control cavity covers, and it will melt and bind back together strong as ever. So I imagine working with plexi takes low rpms. One interesting point from that linked thread is using flame to polish plexi. Never thought of that.

[RandyMolson]

Originally Posted by Geroi Asfalta

I won't take my number until its done.

Per your request, you are off the club books until you produce that plexi.

[RandyMolson]

Revised first batch of numbers:
1 RandyMolson [Renaissance 4F]
2 j.kernodle [Fernandes MIJ Custom 4]
3 subbasshz [Renaissance 4]
4 SideshowDom [BC Rich 4]
5 superdick2112 [Rich Roland Custom NEO Rockbass 4]