Bittersweet N(old)BD

[kodiakblair]

Christmas Day I got an unusual "Best Wishes" greeting message from a guitar player.


I've known this fella 40 year and not once had we ever did the card/message thing, hence the unusual part Platitudes aside a mutual friend was mentioned, another usual event as we lost the man to untreated mental illness back in 1999 Guitar player says he's got his hand on a bass our departed friend owned and thought I should have it.

I never saw that coming, not only am I touched by the gesture but also the thought behind it

On to the bass. It's an unbranded Sakai from anywhere between 1969-70 and 1973-74. Neck is good apart from a missing fret, easy fixed Electrics appear to be shot, whole lot of hum but zip signal from the pickups. Plenty of pots/caps/switches/jack sockets to hand, another easy fix. Doubt the pickups have failed but I know there's a replacement set in my pickups drawers.

All scratches, dents, chips will be left as is; 50 year bass gets to wear it's scars proudly



Always fun to fix basses, better when there's a connection to. Gutted this big bald b*stard isn't around to play it.

 

[TheReceder]

Threads like this make my day better. Thanks OP.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Thats awesome! Curious how a single fret got removed

 

[bassbrad]

I always keep my fallen musical brothers close to heart when playing these days. I love how folks are rediscovering how cool our old basses still are.

 

[porkynuggets]

Sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Nice to see an old bass get a second life, sometimes it feels strange how our possessions outlast us, myabe something lives on in that wood and wire. if it's possible for inanimate objects to absorb something human, it's gotta be bass guitars! Wise choice, fix what's broke and run it, it's earned the dents honestly.

 

[kodiakblair]

Curious how a single fret got removed

It's an odd one for sure.

There is a gouge in the fretboard from the 9th fret inlay towards the fret. It's deep, 1.5mm to 2mm.

Raises too many questions like

why would anyone want to dig out fret inlays?
why would they start at the 9th?

 

[Pdaddy1978]

A souvenir of your late friend, but also of your life journey through your association with him.
A cool bass for sure. The very definition of a keepsake .

 

[Engle]

Christmas Day I got an unusual "Best Wishes" greeting message from a guitar player.


I've known this fella 40 year and not once had we ever did the card/message thing, hence the unusual part Platitudes aside a mutual friend was mentioned, another usual event as we lost the man to untreated mental illness back in 1999 Guitar player says he's got his hand on a bass our departed friend owned and thought I should have it.

I never saw that coming, not only am I touched by the gesture but also the thought behind it

On to the bass. It's an unbranded Sakai from anywhere between 1969-70 and 1973-74. Neck is good apart from a missing fret, easy fixed Electrics appear to be shot, whole lot of hum but zip signal from the pickups. Plenty of pots/caps/switches/jack sockets to hand, another easy fix. Doubt the pickups have failed but I know there's a replacement set in my pickups drawers.

All scratches, dents, chips will be left as is; 50 year bass gets to wear it's scars proudly

View attachment 7406185View attachment 7406187

Always fun to fix basses, better when there's a connection to. Gutted this big bald b*stard isn't around to play it.

View attachment 7406188

Very cool! I've got a couple of guitars, a bass and an amp that belonged to a high school friend that has passed.
He would be happy to know I have brought them all into good playing condition.

The missing fret probably took an impact and caused buzzing so it was pulled.
If you take apart that bridge, you'll see it's quite cheesy. If you look to replace it, Hipshot 2 point replacement fits by adding inserts and posts (the holes are there, but no inserts).

 

[kodiakblair]

If you take apart that bridge, you'll see it's quite cheesy.

Aye it's basic but I'm no stranger to basic bridges.

Get nosebleeds going any higher than a 7th fret, fairly flexible regarding intonation That said it's a simple process to swing these old bridges closer to true.

First job is getting rid of a rock out back so I can knock up the workshop extension

 

[scuzzy]

@kodiakblair you are one of my favorites on this forum. Sorry for the loss. Thanks for the story.

We are headed back to your country this spring. I love Scotland.

 

[kodiakblair]

Thanks @scuzzy.

I hope you've learned to avoid anything with the words "Traditional Scottish", they carry a price hike of at least 100%

World is a big place and we Scots should feel grateful folks choose to visit here, instead it seems visitors are viewed as cash cows to be bled for every cent.

Really boils my p!$$.

Drop me a line once you know your itinerary, fingers crossed there's a chance to put faces to names

 

[Engle]

Aye it's basic but I'm no stranger to basic bridges.

Get nosebleeds going any higher than a 7th fret, fairly flexible regarding intonation That said it's a simple process to swing these old bridges closer to true.

First job is getting rid of a rock out back so I can knock up the workshop extension

Some of them have a tin saddle that's filled with foam.

Good luck with rock!

 

[Prodigus Filius]

It's an odd one for sure.

There is a gouge in the fretboard from the 9th fret inlay towards the fret. It's deep, 1.5mm to 2mm.

Raises too many questions like

why would anyone want to dig out fret inlays?
why would they start at the 9th?

Just a thought, but maybe a spur of the moment de fret was commenced, and a change of mind occurred.
I’ve had the impulse more than a few times after hitting the sauce.