black & blond P makeover (etc)

[JIO]

Fretboard too? Please post pics!

I'm with MrArose13, very cool look.

post gilding - pre-final finish -will post completed bass when it arrives and is re-assembled

I like that variegated copper look. I covered a computer case with it several years ago.

It's actually variegated red. Variegated 'Gold' leaf is not gold but instead is primarily made from bronze that is heat-threated to produce the 'psychodelic' patina. It can range from red, blue, green, amber, orange or black depending on the heat treatment. As far as copper goes, you can apply it straight copper and if you etch it, it will instigate some pretty psychedelic effects with added purples and greens you don't see in the variegated leaf variety. Copper, like silver will oxidize if not sealed. Gold is gold forever. So copper and silver can be sealed as is, or etched with various chemical etches to instigate a variety of patina's. Variegated leaf, like gold is stable.

 

[Hopkins]

post gilding - pre-final finish -will post completed bass when it arrives and is re-assembled

It's actually variegated red. Variegated 'Gold' leaf is not gold but instead is primarily made from bronze that is heat-threated to produce the 'psychodelic' patina. It can range from red, blue, green, amber, orange or black depending on the heat treatment. As far as copper goes, you can apply it straight copper and if you etch it, it will instigate some pretty psychedelic effects with added purples and greens you don't see in the variegated leaf variety. Copper, like silver will oxidize if not sealed. Gold is gold forever. So copper and silver can be sealed as is, or etched with various chemical etches to instigate a variety of patina's. Variegated leaf, like gold is stable.

That looks amazing

 

[mapleglo]

That looks amazing

I second that motion!

 

[JIO]

That looks amazing

I second that motion!

Thanks guy & gal (instead of 'guys') Doing the fb is not typical but has precedence - Prince had a Strat completely gold-leafed. More of less the same as a finished maple board/neck. And fun too! I had that figured (spiral) leaf and was trying to think of a way I could use it - and the commission came up wanting something unique! Bingo! Will post pics of this cool bass once it's back & assembled.

 

[Hopkins]

Looks like it came from a London night club circa 1969

 

[JIO]

Looks like it came from a London night club circa 1969

Groovy Baby!

 

[JIO]

…back to the EB-0 - decided not to fuss with a misaligned 3-point Epi bridge (hate these things anyway!) and luckily had this knock-off MM-style bridge in my parts bin. The big plate covers all three holes nicely and actually looks good with the basses design! Sometimes you luck out. Bullet top chrome knurled knobs round out the look. A bit of a collection of classic bass elements from the past… the ultimate 'retro' bass. "It's getting near dawn…"

 

[HaMMerHeD]

It's actually variegated red. Variegated 'Gold' leaf is not gold but instead is primarily made from bronze that is heat-threated to produce the 'psychodelic' patina. It can range from red, blue, green, amber, orange or black depending on the heat treatment. As far as copper goes, you can apply it straight copper and if you etch it, it will instigate some pretty psychedelic effects with added purples and greens you don't see in the variegated leaf variety. Copper, like silver will oxidize if not sealed. Gold is gold forever. So copper and silver can be sealed as is, or etched with various chemical etches to instigate a variety of patina's. Variegated leaf, like gold is stable.

Ah. I used variegated copper I got from Hobby Lobby, so it may have been something else entirely (like their 'silver' is actually aluminum). I sprayed a clear satin lacquer finish over it after the sizing hardened.

 

[JIO]

Ah. I used variegated copper I got from Hobby Lobby, so it may have been something else entirely (like their 'silver' is actually aluminum). I sprayed a clear satin lacquer finish over it after the sizing hardened.

It's hard to say, most likely it is a variegated (bronze) copper-'look'. When etched, real copper can take on a multicolor patina but isn't stable (until sealed) like the bronze. In leafing there is dutch gold (bronze that looks like gold) and various degrees of gold by karat. With silver, there is aluminum and silver. And finally, with real gold leaf - there are many versions with different hues/colours to choose. (white gold, lemon gold, moon gold, French gold, Roman gold etc.)

 

[HaMMerHeD]

Yeah. Anyways, it looks cool. I love that leafed fretboard.

 

[JIO]

Got the Fender Classic Vibe small plate/clover paddles tuners for the Epi batwing neck today - a very well made set and for a nice price! They have the larger posts which I wasn't expecting but I can easily ream the existing hs holes larger with a 'step' bit.
Once doing that they should fit perfect - exactly the retro look I was after for this bass.

 

[wraub]

The fingerboard looks killer!
Also like how the lines/shape of the bridge echo the curves of the body.

A looker for sure.

 

[ICM]

Another great edition to this thread, that fretboard looks sweet by the way.

 

[JIO]

Bored-out the peg-holes with a step bit. As careful as I was, I chipped the D-hole. Superglue to the rescue! Attaches well, builds up and levels clean. Another bit layer of black to make it disappear and emery-sand flat after cured.

Close but not touching! I needed to file the top & bottom of the plates of A & D and the top of E and bottom of the G plates to fit snug end to end.

This is a fitting look for this neck/hs - a nice edge to edge fit.

 

[JIO]

I thought about starting a new thread in the Basses section, but sometimes that arena can turn into a shark pit regardless of the playful intent of a post. So what it entails is a certain amount of (light-hearted) fetishism of one of bass-players 'heroes'. Not so strange as players buy "Getty Lee Jazz basses" all day long, or buy a Hofner because of a certain Sir Macca. I don't own a distressed de-fretted J, but I've always liked Jaco Pastorius. So I just found a classic 70's (look) pull-over that matches one Jaco P wore for this early 70's pic from his 1st solo album. Note that his beloved & battered "Bass of Doom" looks pretty new/clean at that point. Young and geeky, and ready to change the world of electric bass. (a great time-capsule pic!)

It's a new Old Navy (MIC of course) that I got at an overstock discount store near where I live for $5.50. It's pretty close to the same colours (abet thinner stripes/bands) so the style must have been culled from the 70's for "that 70's look".

Another shirt I keep my eye's pealed for whenever I go thrifting - one down, one to go! (and yes, I already have a pair of red Levis) This pic is from his Word of Mouth/Live in Japan "Invitation" 1983 playing a fretted stripped '62 J that was also stollen and this one never recovered.

 

[mapleglo]

... This pic is from his Word of Mouth/Live in Japan "Invitation" 1983 playing a fretted stripped '62 J that was also stollen and this one never recovered.

What are you talking about - I see that one for sale on eBay all the time!

 

[JIO]

What are you talking about - I see that one for sale on eBay all the time!

 

[JIO]

What are you talking about - I see that one for sale on eBay all the time!

Actually I stand corrected! I've since consulted The Fender Bass Handbook by Paul Balmer (really good reference book on Fender basses) and in a summery of Jaco he stated that both the fretted ('60) and fretless '62 (BOD) were both stollen in '86 and have both been recovered! The fretted '60 in '93 "with the distinctive letter P written between the two pu's" from a shop in NYC, and the BOD in '08. (with Robert Trullio imput)

So the next Jaco bass that turns up on eBay… fugidaboudit!

 

[JIO]

Routed for the Darkstar and neck - positioning pics and newest pg design… may change a bit but nearly there. Want to either do a black bakelite pg or matte black. Want 500k pots for that aggressive output. Most likely D'Addario nickel's.

Considering this hs badge - we'll see.

 

[JIO]

Did a rough assemble to see where I'm at. The SG body version of the EB-0 began in '61. It was a short-scale (30.5") like it's first iteration (body in the style of a Les Paul Junior) and mostly I've always felt because a standard 34" scale would certainly neck dive, as this bass does. I looked into extension's and found one made by a local shop here called SF Guitar Works which should solve this issue and still look acceptable.The bass weighs in at a nice 8lbs 4oz so that's good.

sans pg