68 Telecaster bass

[micguy]

That body will never be original, but it can be made to look nice. I'd route a big slot in the front of the body (wide enough to cover both pickup routes and haybe half of the control cavity), then glue a long board with similar grain into the slot - with the right level of precision to the work, it will look like a 3 piece body from the front, and you can route whatever pickup slot you want in it.

I don't think that body is original - no pickguard or pickup cover mounting holes that I can see.

 

[littlebun]

Hello everyone, I just scored a 68 telecaster bass. The neck is in excellent condition but the body has been cut up. I was told that it came from a recording studio in Nashville. I’m not even sure if the body is original. It seems as if they connected it directly to a console for recording as it has no pots and the pickup is wired direct to the output Jack. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do about the body? I’ll post pics. Thank you!

Nashville legend Joe Osborn would approve of that single Jazz pickup--that's the same setup that he played on many hits in Nashville.

 

[REV]

Yeah John Kallas could put that body right back to almost original. You could also get a body from Warmoth or MJT.

 

[mikeswals]

Slab body meaning no contours on the edges or meaning 1 piece?

Slab body means no contours

 

[Lofreakwencee]

Is that weed in the control cavity?

Hahaha! No it’s actually carpet underlayment foam.

 

[Lofreakwencee]

I forgot to post these pics.

 

[Lofreakwencee]

Looks like someone likes to play in G.

That’s one nice looking bass!

 

[Chickenwheels]

Send the body to John Kallas

This was my first thought too. He’d have that bass fixed up better than new.
Personally, I love these basses, especially with the “lollipop” tuners. If the neck was nice and straight, I would get a quality repro body in black, a white pick guard, and a control plate and pickup/electronics to get it back to near-original condition. The value for me would be in having one of my favourite Fender basses, in my favourite colour scheme, playing and sounding lovely. Collector/vintage value is if no concern to me personally, so this would be an awesome project.

 

[Lofreakwencee]

I'm not sure what you paid for that instrument but it looks like got a neck and that's about that. I think this idea of placing that neck on this body might be the best you can do.

what did you pay?

I paid 500 and it included a vintage case as well.

 

[Lofreakwencee]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Put that neck on this and be done.

Thanks for the link!

That body will never be original, but it can be made to look nice. I'd route a big slot in the front of the body (wide enough to cover both pickup routes and haybe half of the control cavity), then glue a long board with similar grain into the slot - with the right level of precision to the work, it will look like a 3 piece body from the front, and you can route whatever pickup slot you want in it.

I don't think that body is original - no pickguard or pickup cover mounting holes that I can see.

Thanks for the idea! I have a 64 Gibson Firebird III Guitar so I know exactly what you are describing (only the firebirds center is raised.) If you look closely at the pics you can see where the holes have been filled.

 

[Lofreakwencee]

This was my first thought too. He’d have that bass fixed up better than new.
Personally, I love these basses, especially with the “lollipop” tuners. If the neck was nice and straight, I would get a quality repro body in black, a white pick guard, and a control plate and pickup/electronics to get it back to near-original condition. The value for me would be in having one of my favourite Fender basses, in my favourite colour scheme, playing and sounding lovely. Collector/vintage value is if no concern to me personally, so this would be an awesome project.

The neck on this bass is straight. I actually went to look at “a neck” as the owner described it but when he opened the case I saw that it was attached to a body!

 

[slagheap]

that neck & those tuners..!

 

[Lofreakwencee]

Nashville legend Joe Osborn would approve of that single Jazz pickup--that's the same setup that he played on many hits in Nashville.

I was told by previous owner that this very bass was used on many hit songs recorded in Nashville but he didn’t have any documents to back it up. He also said that they nicknamed it “The Monster”.

 

[2F/2F]

I would rout cleanly around, and then plug, the holes.

I would rout a "shelf" in at an angle, where the contour is – as deep as needed to fully eliminate the contour.

I would glue in a piece of ash, cut at a matching angle as in the step above, to fill the "shelf," and then rout that new chunk to match the curve of the body.

I would plane and then drum sand about 1/4" off the top.

I would cap the body with a 5/16" top of ash, joined exactly where the original body sections were joined.

I would drum sand the top, until the body got to its proper thickness, and make sure all joints were smooth.

I would rout as-original pickup and control cavities.

I would give that top an edge radius matching the bottom edge radius.

I would give the sucker a nice, thick coat of Fullerplast.

I would give it a thick blonde aliphatic urethane refinish, almost opaque but not quite – but making sure to make it 100 percent opaque around the edges.

I would track down and install original bridge and pickup covers, and other original parts, over time (use reproduction stand-ins for now).

I would install the new hardware and electronics.

I would install a faux neck heel in the neck pocket (as masking). Then I would leave the body in a window, alternating front and back, until it achieved a yellow tint that matched the yellowing of the neck.

I would send the body to Gord Miller to be ever so slightly aged to match the neck.

I would keep narrow-gauge tape wounds on it, to preserve the frets as well as possible (narrow gauge, i.e. .105s, to eliminate the need to widen the nut slots).

I would purchase a period-correct Fender hard case for it.

I would take it to Norm's, Elderly, or Gruhn's for a documented, in-person inspection and appraisal.

I would play it, but not beat on it.

I would sell it when I am too old to play.

That's what I would do.

 

[Pocket4]

Yeah, refurbish that body.

 

[txhawaii]

I paid 500 and it included a vintage case as well.

Reverb listed a 68 neck at $899 and it sold. you are already ahead of the game. get the squire loaded body and take your time fixing up the original one...if you even need to.

 

[Lofreakwencee]

Hello everyone, I just scored a 68 telecaster bass. The neck is in excellent condition but the body has been cut up. I was told that it came from a recording studio in Nashville. I’m not even sure if the body is original. It seems as if they connected it directly to a console for recording as it has no pots and the pickup is wired direct to the output Jack. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do about the body? I’ll post pics. Thank you!

Hello everyone! I really appreciate all of your reply’s! Thank you all so much! I failed to mention that the previous owner said that he had a Fender neck for sale and when I went to look at it he opened up the case and I saw that it was attached to a body. I paid 500 for it and it also included a vintage case as well. To me, the body and case was a bonus!

 

[dave hope]

Ouch! Is that when Fender outsourced to IKEA?
You got the makings of a cool base. But ya got some work too.
God bless

 

[Fender_Bender]

Looks like it was a proper slab body with no belly cut and a mild forearm chamfer. The 4 small ferrules check out. I’m thinking original body but possibly refinished from a solid colour (the bottom piece of ash really doesn’t match the others for colour. Trying to have colour matching patches made for a natural body is a real pain and never really works. I’d think really hard about filling the 2 routes, making the contours better if you want, and refinishing in a period correct colour.

 

[BelmontBiker]

Have you plugged it in and played it? Good enough for Nashville means it’s waaaaay to good for me. You scored. Do what pleases you. That’s the right answer. Just built my version of a 51 precision and I love it. It’s not perfect but it’s mine. Wouldn’t change a thing! That’s for build #2. Enjoy your investment regardless of shape, proper-ness or whatever. Thing is killer as is. Choose your own adventure. Whatever makes you play it more!!!! #lollipoplove