Devil Magnum

[JIO]

I just ordered this very nice 1 piece slab of Honduran mahogany from North Ridge Hardwoods (Sumas Washington) for my next project. It's 1-5/8" x 14" X 21" and weighs 8.8 lbs and it is kiln dried. I will be planing it down to 1-1/4" and hope to have a body around 4lbs when it's done.

I have the neck for it - a vintage mahogany Ovation Magnum that I stripped and had Pat Wilkins do his magic on. Finish condition when it arrived:

Before: (stripped)

After:

Schaller lightweight tuners - drop in replacements for the heavier Grovers it came with originally.

A pic of an Ampeg "Devil" bass from the late '60s. As of now this is what I will be basing my design on. I've always like this bass design and it's very minimal so it favors being light. To create good balance, I will do targeted design modifications as the Devil bass neck-dives. The Ovation Magnum also neck-dived, and was heavy. Whatever design I decide on - Pat will finish it to match the neck.

Nice ebony fb and frets in good shape after dressing.

A just released Hipshot D-style .708 floating bridge is on its way.

...and I'll be using a T-bird style string stop.

I'm thinking about two pu's - a '60s Teisco neck-hugger and a Novak Darkstar in the sweet-spot with two stacked V/T controls. Goal will be (as always) - to create a light, well balanced bass that plays and sounds great... and is unique.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Hey JIO;

The Ampeg Devil Basses aren't really neck heavy overall. They just had a terrible forward strap button location from the factory. This is how I fix it on all the ones I restore:

The strap button was originally on the back of the neck, about 3/4" forward of the body edge. A terrible location. Most straps would keep falling off the button, and it wasn't balanced. With this aluminum plate, I moved the button outward about an inch and up a half inch. The button is facing forward, and almost hidden behind the neck, looking from the front.

This seems to be the perfect location. The balance is right, and the button isn't in the way of your thumb when playing up high.

I did this with an aluminum plate to minimize the modifications to an old valuable bass. But it would be easy to integrate a little mini-horn like this into a new design.

If you haven't seen it, I'm busy restoring and repainting two Devil Basses right now, over on the Love Of Ampegs thread.

 

[JIO]

Hey JIO;

The Ampeg Devil Basses aren't really neck heavy overall. They just had a terrible forward strap button location from the factory. This is how I fix it on all the ones I restore:

View attachment 4192705

View attachment 4192706

View attachment 4192707

The strap button was originally on the back of the neck, about 3/4" forward of the body edge. A terrible location. Most straps would keep falling off the button, and it wasn't balanced. With this aluminum plate, I moved the button outward about an inch and up a half inch. The button is facing forward, and almost hidden behind the neck, looking from the front.

This seems to be the perfect location. The balance is right, and the button isn't in the way of your thumb when playing up high.

I did this with an aluminum plate to minimize the modifications to an old valuable bass. But it would be easy to integrate a little mini-horn like this into a new design.

If you haven't seen it, I'm busy restoring and repainting two Devil Basses right now, over on the Love Of Ampegs thread.

Thanks Bruce - yes, I am aware of your balance fix and as you said, that is the correct route to not alter a vintage bass. I created a removable strap-peg extender for my Fenderbird "Deadlybird" basses so it could be removed to fit inside a moulded interior HSC. This bass is owned by Rockin' Rudy Salm of Zwik/Hamburg.

I considered doing something like you did, but since I'm starting from scratch I wanted to redesign it so it doesn't need one. Kinda hard to see (sketched on a grocery bag!) But I've extended the upper horn (at 12th fret) and fattened it up to support the weight. I also redesigned it so it will sit upright against an amp with a Dunlop Strap-Lok'd strap attached. I want it to visual reference the Devil bass but with a twist into my yard. Kinda like I did with my Calabrone project referencing a Coral Wasp. I'll check out your Devils over at the Love of Ampeg thread.

 

[JIO]

Looking at my Calabrone - I think I'll pass on the T-bird string-stop and do this instead -

 

[Reedt2000]

I'm always in for a retro tribute build. That neck came out awesome

Sub'd

 

[dalkowski]

Luthiery outsider here: How does one strip/refinish around the headstock decal? Simply with great care and patience?

I'll take my answer off the air.

 

[JIO]

I'm always in for a retro tribute build. That neck came out awesome

Sub'd

Luthiery outsider here: How does one strip/refinish around the headstock decal? Simply with great care and patience?

I'll take my answer off the air.

Pat's the man. I stripped everything but the hs face and lightly wet-sanded it to dull the sheen for Pat. Where his expertise came in was bringing the tobacco halo just into that face w/o invading the Ovation logo. It's a very nice decal being solidly gold-leafed and is a nice design as well. When I use anything but a Fender or T-bird has, I try to keep the logo as "that's what it is". With Fender and T-bird hs's, they are so generic and have been cloned so many times that it gives up it's need for staying badged Fender or Gibson. Yes, I know Fender trademarks their hs design, but anyone can buy an AllParts Fender Authorized clone and put their own decal on it.

 

[dalkowski]

Where his expertise came in was bringing the tobacco halo just into that face w/o invading the Ovation logo.

Thx! I have mad respect for that level of craft.

 

[JIO]

Thx! I have mad respect for that level of craft.

When I got it back, I wrote him an email expressing my praise for his work. His response; Yes, I thought it turned out nice and looks very "factory" Sometimes you just get lucky, you know? I've worked with Pat for years and he'll be the first to admit that luck does in fact enter into any job! That and wicked skill and experience!

 

[Reedt2000]

When I got it back, I wrote him an email expressing my praise for his work. His response; Yes, I thought it turned out nice and looks very "factory" Sometimes you just get lucky, you know? I've worked with Pat for years and he'll be the first to admit that luck does in fact enter into any job! That and wicked skill and experience!

That absolutely looks factory, probably a touch nicer as the factory didn't give that kind of individual attention to any one piece. Very impressive work

 

[dalkowski]

When I got it back, I wrote him an email expressing my praise for his work. His response; Yes, I thought it turned out nice and looks very "factory" Sometimes you just get lucky, you know? I've worked with Pat for years and he'll be the first to admit that luck does in fact enter into any job! That and wicked skill and experience!

Fortune DOES favor the prepared.
Good "luck" with the project!

 

[JIO]

Fortune DOES favor the prepared.
Good "luck" with the project!

Thanks! I don't count on it - but I always allow for it!

 

[blacktocomm]

You build the coolest stuff.

 

[JIO]

That absolutely looks factory, probably a touch nicer as the factory didn't give that kind of individual attention to any one piece. Very impressive work

This is one example of an Ovation factory finished hs. The halo/fade is deeper into the face and behind the logo. Note Ovation branded Grovers.

On this one - no tobacco halo - both look nice, but the halo is an added touch. And this one has a slightly darker carved section but maybe it's just the lighting.

and here's a more 'red' version sans halo -

The body will get the same finish.

 

[JIO]

You build the coolest stuff.

Thanks! I just follow my heart!

 

[mapleglo]

sub'd!

 

[scuzzy]

Very cool idea. I am seeing that you are always coming up with creative and cool ideas. That's at least half the battle.

Love the ovation headstock.

 

[Reedt2000]

This is one example of an Ovation factory finished hs. The halo/fade is deeper into the face and behind the logo. Note Ovation branded Grovers.
View attachment 4193219 View attachment 4193243
On this one - no tobacco halo - both look nice, but the halo is an added touch. And this one has a slightly darker carved section but maybe it's just the lighting.
View attachment 4193228 View attachment 4193245
and here's a more 'red' version sans halo -
View attachment 4193251
The body will get the same finish.
View attachment 4193230

As I suspected, yours looks far better than those factory examples (IMHO)

 

[Engle]

Cool project. Looking forward to watching it develop!

 

[Bleecker]

Awesome!