• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

black & blond P makeover (etc)

#523
I just went on a late night on-line pre Black Friday shopping spree! Black Dunlop strap-lock buttons, a black Schaller 3D bridge, blk/wht/blk pg blank, a 500k/500k CTS stacked pot, 71SP 200v/.047 Sprauge orange drop capasitor, full-size black knurled stacked knob set, red plastic pointer knobs (for top of stack), and Aurora (red) coated strings. All that's left is the Novak pu. A super Gildaxe/Westone fretless coming up!
 
#524
Whenever I see Westone, I always think of the Westone SPECTRUM LX X695BK that I almost bought back in the 80's. A rare offering that came with both fretted and fretless necks and a custom case designed to allow transport of the the whole shebang.

Here is a link to one that sold on Reverb for apparently $1,295 - WESTONE X695BK SPECTRUM LX Bass 1986 Black. BY MATSUMOKU. TWO NECKS. Fretted & Fretless. RARE. | Reverb and a link to Westone's archived info Welcome to www.westone.info :: The resource for Westone guitars :: spectrumlxbass.

This was the epitome of cool to me, I regret not buying one when I had the chance.

I wonder if your neck was once part of one of these rare kits.

upload_2015-11-24_9-13-26.png


upload_2015-11-24_9-22-47.png
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JIO
#525
Double E said:
Whenever I see Westone, I always think of the Westone SPECTRUM LX X695BK that I almost bought back in the 80's. A rare offering that came with both fretted and fretless necks and a custom case designed to allow transport of the the whole shebang.

Here is a link to one that sold on Reverb for apparently $1,295 - WESTONE X695BK SPECTRUM LX Bass 1986 Black. BY MATSUMOKU. TWO NECKS. Fretted & Fretless. RARE. | Reverb and a link to Westone's archived info Welcome to www.westone.info :: The resource for Westone guitars :: spectrumlxbass.

This was the epitome of cool to me, I regret not buying one when I had the chance.

I wonder if your neck was once part of one of these rare kits.

View attachment 736776

View attachment 736778
Click to expand...

Wow - that's awesome! What a great concept - maybe I should offer this as an option for my SuperB. Thanks for posting! It is possible that this neck I got was origionally part of the dual-neck set-up/kit. It has minor fb wear so maybe the fretted neck was used more and is still on the bass.
 
#526
Here's a template for my full-frontal pg. Also shown are stand-ins for a stacked knobs, bridge, strat-jack plate and a fb edge nick in the process of repair using superglue. The usually black & red look of a Ampeg scroll bass is guiding me for its visual gestalt. The black with red & white details is going to be carried through visually with the black bridge, black strat jack plate, red/chrome stacked knobs and red coated strings. The only chrome bits will be the BS-DS pu surround, the lower pot collar and jack. Those visual elements should balance each other off. I'm still thinking about the body finish. Matte black is appealing which I could pull off myself & keep cost down, or something more Gildaxy - gold leaf base with deep trans-maroon over it. Time will tell...

IMG_8972_zpsvh6dte3n.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: BassHappy
#528
Barbaric.Eric said:
Glad you mentioned the red and black colourway of the Ampeg Scroll, the second I saw that pickguard mockup it made me think of the Ampeg Devil bass (especially with those two horns) and I could image the red and black on it. Looks rad!!
Click to expand...

At one point I considered making a fretless headless Devil bass but this bass should satisfy my satanic urges… :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: BassHappy and Barbaric.Eric
#530
ICM said:
A modernized 2x2 scroll headstock would look really nice on that bass, especially with the pickguard template. If anyone can design it , it's Geo.
Click to expand...

You are one for planting seeds Ivan! You inspired me to do the gold bits on my Dark Sparkle P :thumbsup: I like the iconic look of the Ampeg scroll hs, and have seen others that allude to the double bass hs… doing my own version would be a design challenge.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BassHappy and ICM
#533
mapleglo said:
The wood grain is so beautiful, it's a shame to cover so much of it up with that huge pickguard...
Click to expand...

The pg shown is not for the roasted ash body. I designed it for the multi-joint alder test clone to cover up unneeded routs. The test clone was not going to be used for the SuperB edition so when I got this cool fretless neck I figured why not re-purpose it. I should have made that more clear - sorry for the confusion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BassHappy and mapleglo
#534
Some parts arrived today - Schaller 3D bridge (they didn't include the spacer/riser which was pictured in their eBay BIN/auction and a note was sent requesting what was pictured), red-coated Aurora strings, red top-knob (chrome lower collar still coming), stacked CTS 500/500k pot, black strat-jack plate and black Dunlop strap buttons.

IMG_8994_zpsn6jchzju.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Barbaric.Eric
#537
mapleglo said:
Interesting, when I bought my Schaller 5 string bridge, it was also pictured with a spacer, but did not come with it.
Click to expand...

Last one I bought had one included. In my way of looking at it, if the auction pictures shows something - it should be included unless started that it isn't. We'll see if they make good or lose a return customer. (the stratosphere) I just checked eBay and there's actually a few 5-string spacer auctions and a couple 4-string spacer auctions. It's a popular bridge but sometimes the spacers are hard to come by.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BassHappy
#538
Got the chrome tone collar and orange drop cap. All that's left is the pg blank and pu. The pg blank is form China - they were the only ones selling as long a piece as I needed. I swapped the 3D saddles on my A/S J to get a chrome/black mix on the fretless. I wanted a bit more chrome to offset the pu surround. (blk plastic riser just a stand-in for pu placement) Also, As pictured the bridge will sit at the bottom of the body - curiously similar to the original Ampeg scroll basses. This is to achieve a 34" scale w/this 22 fret neck. (the SuperB has a 24 fret neck) I will be incorporating the Bruce Johnson bridge plate concept on this bass as well. He uses aluminium but I will use brass as I have used it twice now with good result. If you are not familiar; a bridge ground plate is inset (shallow cavity/rout) into the body with a slight bit still above the body level. It is epoxied and screwed into the cavity/rout. The bridge is bolted into the plate which all together creates a dynamic/rock-solid bond between bridge and body. The optimal result is better sustain, and deepness/clarity of tone. For a fretless - this is a big plus.

IMG_8998_zpstcwq578r.jpg


My A/S J with mixed chrome/black 3D bridge and recently added Gretch 'arrow' knobs. The Gretch knobs have always been a favorite of mine and besides.., G can also stand for Geo! :) (I'm such a tweeker…) I've been playing this bass a lot lately after installing new strings from D'Addario (NYXL) I applied for a free set to test and was chosen. They really woke up the J - 2 thumbs up!

IMG_8999_zpsxpm965w6.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mapleglo
#539
Routed the shallow cavity for the brass bridge inset platform/base. As mentioned it is about 1/32" above the body, and will be screwed with 4 wood-screws and epoxied into the cavity. Then, the Schaller 3D bridge will be bolted to the plate with machine bolts. By using threaded machine bolts, not only is a very tight connection created for the bridge to plate, but it also dynamically connects the plates (compared to loosely slotted wood-screws that normally have holes drilled larger than the threads) So a double fusion of the body plate to the bridge.

IMG_9001_zps5nptlgt3.jpg


IMG_9000_zps9duezoiu.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barbaric.Eric
#540
Not especially 'pretty' but functional. I went with threaded brass inserts epoxied in for the 5 bridge bolts. The brass plate will be epoxied in when I get to that point using 2 wood screws at the top corners to hold it tight in place while curing and to add extra grounding. The Novak BS-DK is in the mail. All that's left to come is the pg plank.

IMG_9006_zpsjwy1p8tb.jpg


IMG_9007_zpsz9jm7c6t.jpg


I will need that base plate for the correct height that was pictured in my eBay auction - no word from the stratosphere yet.
IMG_9008_zpsqk5punqu.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back