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Danelectro Coral Deluxe Bass project

#161
Bingo! Remembered that I had these small brass bridge saddle/inserts that come extra with Hipshot KA bridges. (I have more having used them on a few basses) I think I should be able to sand the top of the existing wood bridge and cut wells for each saddle and superglue them in place. Fussy-work but nothing I can't do. A much better solution all the way around to achieve correct intonation and probably clearer string response as a result.

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#162
It's Friday yah bastods!

I cut a new bridge, wider than the one it's replacing. The one that came on the bass wasn't original anyway - it was a newer repo that is commonly available... and it's crap - so 86 yall' My plan worked like a charm - the Coral is now spot-on intonation-wise. I knew from the get-go that the crude Dano bridge was 'close-but-no-cigar' and wouldn't last on any bass I owned.
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Sawdust and superglue for filling gaps and keeping the saddles cemented to the bridge.
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Beveled to allow string-stop angle and notched for bridge screw/anchor access. No comparison to what was on there.
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After much back & forth this & that - the Coral Deluxe Bass is now 100%. On to playing/enjoying it without the niggling shortfalls of 1968 'economical' production -
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Ends up that the screw notch didn't need to be that deep... C'est la vie.
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#164
RBS_Johnson said:
Better than not deep enough. Now you have room for setups if you play with string choice now too. I like the saddles grated to the Dano bridge.
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Thanks! :) Being a 'prototype' it's nice to have some variables - ;) Sound-wise I can bust most harmonics which it always a good sign - aluminum to brass assures such. Through trial and error I learned how this bass sounds best. Or putting it another way, because of the way I play - it now provides what I need from it so it "sounds best" to my ears! A players instrument is very subjective, and should be. One players "awesome sounding" bass can be another players "meh" and.., as long as your bass is awesome sounding to your ears it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
 
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#166
Novarocker said:
Amen, fits the aesthetics too! Glad it's just what you want. Sometimes things just click, and when they do across the board it's just that much sweeter.
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I have 4 more of the brass saddles so I could get a bit more precise on a second version. I attempted to cut out the saddle cavities so they were not angled but the nature of the material only allowed that I could get 'close enough'. What should work is cutting many thin strips of the wood and laminating them with the saddles in their staggered positions, and then cutting the bridge shape out at its angle. But... maybe it will only stay a concept as the one I made works. :)
 
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#167
New (better) strap - this one made by Walker & Williams cost about the same as the other woven strap - but the ends are nice firm leather, not vinyl. The vinyl being soft wasn't holding the pegs securely (slipping out) and the top horn one was quickly deforming. The original strap buttons are small and short-stemmed so a rubber ring (stopper) wouldn't fit. I can use the other one for my Conrad hollow-body where I have dunlop strap-locks installed.

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#170
Matt Liebenau said:
All nice basses. Dig the Conrad though. I like that 335 style with pointy cutaways. I have the guitar version.
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So you have a Conrad guitar like it? Someone replaced the original chrome-cover pu in my Conrad with a (?) single-coil, but it sounds really good and doesn't do the single-coil buzz. There's a "Pan" badged 2-pu version on eBay right now that's pretty sweet - if I didn't own the Conrad I'd be tempted. The pointy double-cutaway style was copied from the Gibson Barney Kessel Custom guitar from 1961.
 
#171
Yes. I like the Barney Kessels, naturally, but the Conrads are more in my price range. I do have a Kay 6 string in that body style also but it needs some work. It hung in a shop window for years and the back is completely faded out and the binding is dried out and crumbling front and back. I did a poor job of refinishing the back years ago but I need to do a better job. Maybe a different color, even.
 
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#173
Jon Clegg said:
I kick myself for not snagging one like that Conrad I saw at a flea market several years ago.
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I've had mine for 7-8 years now. It needed cosmetic work as some of the binding on the hs was missing. It was also missing the small G-side pg and Conrad hs badge - I made the big tort one copying a Russian bass guitar I saw on eBay, and I replaced the knobs but have the originals. It's small, light and audible w/o being plugged in so I've taken it on trips so I could have a bass to play while away. I've also played it on stage once or twice. A lot of people lambast the Japanese short-scale basses from the 60's but if the neck isn't bowed and if set-up correctly they are real instruments, they sound really nice and they are fun to play. I was drawn to buying it because my 2nd bass that I bought used in around '69 was an Italian made VOX Cougar ss hollow-body (2 pu model) which was similar.

Here's the Pan I mentioned - seeing it again is tempting me because it's in such nice condition with a very nice/clean original HSC. It's the 'deluxe' version of my Conrad w/2 Pu's and flip-lever mute. My Conrad probably had the same pu as the Pan as the location of the 4 mounting screws are the same. Many same bass models were badged with various names. (Epiphone, Univox, Lyle, Conrad, Aria and Aria Diamond) I strung my Conrad with GHS Precision flats but the Pan has new Thomastiks! It needs a new nut - easy-peezy.

I'll just throw this out there - if anyone is interested in my Conrad I'll make you a deal you can't refuse so I can put it toward the Pan.
Vintage 60's Pan bass guitar Made in Japan w original case & new Thomastik Jazz | eBay
 
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#174
Picked up the fabricated bridge cover. It's stainless steel because I didn't want the added expense of nickel plating, and it will be scuffed-up/aged/distressed to get it to look 51 yrs old. I also need to drill 2 holes on the flange and get two slot-head screws like the ones on the control plate.
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#175
I just returned from the shop that fab'd the cover. It wasn't exactly what I wanted based on the moquette I gave them. The steel was too thick, the rise wasn't high enough (barely clearing the strings), and the length was an 1/8" too short so the angle-side didn't line-up with the pg sweep. I thought about it over-night and debated just keeping it but for what I paid, I decided that being 'close' wasn't acceptable. I probably should have had the bass there when I gave him my moquette, but I figured it was all they needed and if they would have followed it there wouldn't have been a problem. I did bring a J neck-pu cover to show him the thickness I wanted, and for whatever reason they made it out of thicker/heavier stock. So a few things 'off' added up. As I hoped they would, the owner took care of me and a new one in lighter ss and the correct dimensions will be made. For a small job - it was the right thing to do to maintain a positive relationship with their client. (me!) I'm an independent contractor and can't count the number of times I redid something at my expense to make the client happy - it's just part of running a business and details can slip by in a busy day. It does help to remind you to take more care in listening and writing things down so that slip-ups don't occur on a regular basis. They'll drill the holes in the new one also - saving me a trip to the shop drill-press.

There's nothing worst than knowing you should have put your foot down and didn't - because every time you see that thing it reminds you of why it's not right and how you could have done something about it, and didn't. At the end of the day, I'll have that shop do another fab for me as they have shown me they respect me as a customer. I realize it's not like my 'small projects' will support them (they do major steel fabrications) but a happy customer's word promotes good will/future business - I know.., I don't advertise. My last job is my next job - piss someone off and that thread is snipped.
 
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#176
Still waiting for the sheet-metal company to call about the second cover... apparently since they weren't happy about doing it again they are taking their time doing #2 ~

Meanwhile I procured another project bass body to transform into yet another retro-hybrid. It's a mid 60's Decca mahogany body, pg, control cover, bridge, neck plate and 2 pu surrounds. It was cheap and had enough of interest to take-on a retro-redefinition. It was originally a short-scale bass but I have another Epi T-bird neck so it will be redefined into a 34" scale. I've always liked the cool moulded control plate and pg shape on these basses, which was the 'hook' that grabbed me. A new pg is a given, and I'm already imagining it in a translucent white or possibly an under-sprayed clear guard. Will 86 the bridge and bin the pu covers as I will install another Guild Darkstar is the Teiscobird sweet-spot. (one pu) It will follow the same route as the Teiscobird, with Hipshot KA bridge and one of my DIY sparkle finishes. Haven't decided on a color yet.

(not my toe! - sellers pic)
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