black & blond P makeover (etc)

[JIO]

I like the 70s logo/script.

Me too! I mixed the earlier ('68) Tele-bass silver/black w/the later 70's curved script on my custom Tele fretless. It has '66 short-stem Mustang pops on it. (I've since stripped the thread off the E string at the nut)

 

[JIO]

Decided to go ahead and mod the hs face. It's a Fender, it's a Tele, and it was a RI to start with. Wouldn't go this far on a hands-off vintage instrument. Considered vintage tinted natural and black, but went with this colour to align with the creme binding. This shot is fresh after a few coats, so will let it cure until the body comes back to synchronize the match.

the colour against white under florissant lights - actually, it's somewhere in between, similar to Oly White in value and sort of … creme coloured.

 

[JIO]

Let the paint cure sufficiently, wet sanded it smooth and applied the decal. Will shoot a clear-coat in a couple days. The colour in this shot is pretty accurate.

 

[JIO]

The T2K is done and will be here next week. Marty did a super job from the looks of it - my trusted swiss army knife of a bass just got the once over! woo-hoo!

 

[Tooned]

Really like this... Maybe not for everyone, but creme pup covers would look great with the binding and headstock.

 

[JIO]

Really like this... Maybe not for everyone, but creme pup covers would look great with the binding and headstock.

especially w/a black pg - unfortunately G&L only does blk, and wht covers. In general, Ive found 'creme' to be one of those nebulous qualifications that produce any number of versions of which none of which looks like a vintage 'creme' cover. I mean, white is white (mostly) and black is black (usually), but creme? "how much cream would you like in your coffee sir, Boston?, double Boston?.., a little coffee w/your cream?"

 

[Tooned]

especially w/a black pg - unfortunately G&L only does blk, and wht covers. In general, Ive found 'creme' to be one of those nebulous qualifications that produce any number of versions of which none of which looks like a vintage 'creme' cover. I mean, white is white (mostly) and black is black (usually), but creme? "how much cream would you like in your coffee sir, Boston?, double Boston?.., a little coffee w/your cream?"

Agreed , but if only you could find some to match your binding. I don't know anything about the process but people artificially age white plastic to look creamy. Will likely add expense to your project however... Easy to suggest stuff when I'm not paying for it.
Regardless, I like the work you're doing, Sir.

 

[JIO]

Agreed , but if only you could find some to match your binding. I don't know anything about the process but people artificially age white plastic to look creamy. Will likely add expense to your project however... Easy to suggest stuff when I'm not paying for it.
Regardless, I like the work you're doing, Sir.

Thanks - I'm pretty jazzed to see it all together. Matching creme is why most players choose black - as it all looks black. I try and coordinate more than match, as the hs face will be a different creme than the binding, and that's OK since they don't sit next to each other. Also, the MFD pu covers are attached to the pu guts. Black they stay.

 

[JIO]

T2K Mk II

 

[Tooned]

Looks fantastic, man!

 

[AGH]

Awesome! Takes all of the best Fender features and combines with all the best G&L, and then amps it up more. Can't tell you how much I like this bass!

 

[JIO]

 

[JIO]

Marty (Bell) did a super job on my T2K. The black is 'piano black' and the brown is fine furniture quality - rich and a perfect compliment for all the colors going on on this bass. (black, brown, blond, ivory) A new set of GHS Progressives and I've fallen in love all over again! For me, it would be very, very hard to answer the "if you could only have one bass…" question, but this one is definitely at the pointy end of the equation. You're so right AGH - nothing tops a Fender in terms of classic, iconic looks, and nothing sounds like a G&L L-2000.

 

[JIO]

before - T2K Mk I (70's Downtown Brown/Black & Blond)

 

[JIO]

This is what it looked like new in '06 (stock photo) - this pic actually has the mustard colour looking a bit more authentic, but in reality it's a very artificial looking hue - a 'modern' version of the original ambered blond

Lower pic (w/upright) shows a '90 Fender Japan '51 P-RI (from a past tb sale thread) The main reason they both are dissimilar is that the original vintage P was finished w/thin nitro and these RI's are coated w/thick epoxy-like poly acrylics.

Here's a pic of tb'r JohnK's '71 Tele bass showing how the ivory yellowed over time. Originally the finish hue on these late 60's-early 70's basses was very pale and nearly devoid of colour.

This 90's Fender Japan model was a more authentic '51 P RI w/large barrel ferrules and a closer to true blond finish. More of a legit replica/RI but it didn't do the oversized phenolic bridge saddles and pickguard as on the originals.

 

[JIO]

...and to wrap it up, a vintage '52 P bass for authentic (aged) colour. Curiously enough, not one of the various RI examples shown are the same. Possibly a FCS example might prove to come close - at least you'd think they could/should be able to do that.

more here on these historic basses - Link Removed

 

[SirMjac28]

Marty (Bell) did a super job on my T2K. The black is 'piano black' and the brown is fine furniture quality - rich and a perfect compliment for all the colors going on on this bass. (black, brown, blond, ivory) A new set of GHS Progressives and I've fallen in love all over again! For me, it would be very, very hard to answer the "if you could only have one bass…" question, but this one is definitely at the pointy end of the equation. You're so right AGH - nothing tops a Fender in terms of classic, iconic looks, and nothing sounds like a G&L L-2000.

Absolutely gorgeous I thought I had this thread book marked JIO you have some serious creative talent.

 

[JIO]

Absolutely gorgeous I thought I had this thread book marked JIO you have some serious creative talent.

Thanks Mike - I feel very lucky and grateful to have been born with a gift, but having said that I'm also just the obsessive type when it comes to a project result. My 'secret' is to always start with 'good bones' so all the time, money and effort results in a superior product. I've learned it can take years to 'perfect' something. Nothing to do with anal retentive perfection, but more part of a never ending hunger for the romantic notion of ideal in ones life. I'm currently working on my mongrel J which from its inception about 10 years ago it has gone through many changes. I think I'll tag it on this thread as it's nearing its latest manifestation.

Diary of a madman - or, A long and winding road

My mongrel J started out as my 1st parts project. A NOS Signature alder 70's spacing string-thru J body from the late 80's, Allparts maple 51 P/Tele neck which I defretted & lacquered, '66 Mustang lollypops, Lindy Fralin split-coil pu's, Audere JV4 pre, custom cut pg & Wilkinson string-thru fender-style bridge, GHS flats. Not even ash - and still a very heavy beast. Sounded ok, but always left me wanting.

Bought a very nice Allparts ebony boarded neck and stripped the finish down to the seal-coat on the body. Added a bridge ashtray and loved the transformation both in looks and tone. Also new were custom modded lollypops pre Hipshot and Madison authentic to the originals aside from not being stamped Fender. Also note reshaped pg, more Jazzmaster/Jaguar-like. Yes and early 70's hs decal (sue me) Alas, still a heavy beast. The fretless Tele neck w/redone hs face moved on to another build project, where it resides to this day.

So I decided to address the weight issue. I routed cavities under the big pg hoping for a lighter load. In the end it was slightly lighter, no change in sound (which was.., ok)

This is where it stands today. No harm was done to the tone/sound, a bit lighter, and why would anyone mess with success? (answer: me) For a brief period, the neck was installed on a much lighter Squire Jaguar bass and it sounded great. But I got to miss my mongrel J so much that it was returned back.

That Squire Jaguar body then was "Gildaxed" and is attempting to be sold for a song as I write. Sounds great, looks not for everyone, but it is guaranteed to turn some heads.

So the next picture will re-present my mongrel J in it's latest glory - perhaps it's final state. Stay tuned...

 

[SirMjac28]

Diary of a madman - or, A long and winding road

Thanks Mike - I feel very lucky and grateful to have been born with a gift, but having said that I'm also just the obsessive type when it comes to a project result. My 'secret' is to always start with 'good bones' so all the time, money and effort results in a superior product. I've learned it can take years to 'perfect' something. Nothing to do with anal retentive perfection, but more part of a never ending hunger for the romantic notion of ideal in ones life. I'm currently working on my mongrel J which from its inception about 10 years ago it has gone through many changes. I think I'll tag it on this thread as it's nearing its latest manifestation.

My mongrel J started out as my 1st parts project. A NOS Signature alder 70's spacing string-thru J body from the late 80's, Allparts maple 51 P/Tele neck which I defretted & lacquered, '66 Mustang lollypops, Lindy Fralin split-coil pu's, Audere JV4 pre, custom cut pg & Wilkinson string-thru fender-style bridge, GHS flats. Not even ash - and still a very heavy beast. Sounded ok, but always left me wanting.

View attachment 496420

Bought a very nice Allparts ebony boarded neck and stripped the finish down to the seal-coat on the body. Added a bridge ashtray and loved the transformation both in looks and tone. Also new were custom modded lollypops pre Hipshot and Madison authentic to the originals aside from not being stamped Fender. Yes and early 70's hs decal (sue me) Alas, still a heavy beast. The fretless Tele neck w/redone hs face moved on to another build project, where it resides to this day.

View attachment 496426

View attachment 496424

So I decided to address the weight issue. I routed cavities under the big pg hoping for a lighter load. In the end it was slightly lighter, no change in sound (which was.., ok)

View attachment 496425

This is where it stands today. No harm was done to the tone/sound, a bit lighter, and why would anyone mess with success? (answer: me) For a brief period, the neck was installed on a much lighter Squire Jaguar bass and it sounded great. But I got to miss my mongrel J so much that it was returned back.

View attachment 496428

That Squire Jaguar body then was "Gildaxed" and is attempting to be sold for a song as I write. Sounds great, looks not for everyone, but it is guaranteed to turn some heads.

View attachment 496430

So the next picture will re-present my mongrel J in it's latest glory - perhaps it's final state. Stay tuned...

Wow all I can do is scrape my chin off the ground I can't wait to see what's next.

 

[JIO]

Wow all I can do is scrape my chin off the ground I can't wait to see what's next.

I kinda feel that I can't really lose - so now I'm going for panache. (clue)