Double Czech - Jolana DiscoBass & Kolorbass -

[JIO]

So it showed up early this morning delivered by USPS. Considering the way it was packed, it was in good shape. (body & neck separated) Lots of bubble-wrap, some chunks and pads of styrofoam, and some loose cardboard.

The black re-fin is very DIY. The body was originally a red, as can be seen in the tr rotary-wheel cavity. I already knew that it had a less than perfect finish before I bought it - it is what it is and actually works well with the similarly non-perfect artwork. The tuners are replacements and they will be staying unless I decide to plug the hs tuner-post holes as they were drilled larger for these tuners. They work, they look ok... for now there are other details to attend to. There are traces of the original tuner screw-holes - the same style that came originally on a the Jolana Discobass. The aluminum string guide needs some fine tuning and the frets are in very good condition. For now I cleaned them with a fret eraser and cleaned up the slightly stained neck binding. The neck isn't perfectly flat (no surprise) but within reason to get acceptable action w/no fret-buzzing. I've turned around worse.

Much will need to be done to get some acceptable action right out of the box, but a spacer is the first place to start.

Strung it up (really fat E string!) and checked intonation. The bridge is floating and the string stop pulls are threaded so adjustable fore & aft. The combination of the bridge and the pull adjustment should be enough to dial in correct intonation. It will take a while but such is life dealing with old product. Will need to order some strings for it but the ones it came with are ok for now. Things like removing the tail-piece and bending it a bit so the spokes (yah, they look like short bicycle-wheel spokes) sit flush in the plate.

Plugged in everything and it works as it should - haven't removed the control plate yet. The pu's are hot singles, so once set up correctly it should be a nice sounding player.

The neck plate seems original but as you can see there is a non-painted section on the top. The neck strap-peg wasn't included (no biggy) and the hole in the neck-plate doesn't align with a hole in the neck-heal. Small potatoes.

 

[Marihino]

Didn't read the whole thread, but I'm fairly sure the fretboard on the Disco is stained beech.

 

[JIO]

Didn't read the whole thread, but I'm fairly sure the fretboard on the Disco is stained beech.

Yes, we confirmed that. It looks nice!

 

[JIO]

I shimmed the neck pocket and got the action in the ballpark. Also found the correct location for the floating bridge so it intoned correctly. There's some buzzing frets (like I said - the neck has predictable wonky-ness) but I did enough for today. It's playable so now it's time to take a break and play it! Oh, and it's 6lbs/8oz - play all day weight.

Most Kolorbas's I've seen have a rotory pu selector so not sure it this 3-way switch is a replacement. It works but I may order a rotary pot since I have the pointer-knob I bought for it already.

I replaced the non-original flat-head screws with nickel small-head screws. Non-original on the left.

The ones removed - on the left. On the right - the nickel repalacement screws.

I Found more of the original red in the neck pocket. Also shows the laminate perimeter and what looks like sycamore or basswood for the core. It's a 'semi-hollowbody' as it has a solid rail of wood in the center top to bottom.

Thanks to @Retro sending me a fine tracing of his Kolorbas pg - I cut a clear acrylic pg for it. (as it was missing) Found the same 3 holes in the body so it went in the exact same location.

Being clear really works with the art finish.

 

[JIO]

Check - double Czech

 

[frankie5string]

I'm really liking that Kolorbas. Especially with that clear scratch guard.
I don't think I could pull off that look, but I like where the pickups are and it would probably sound great and the bridge looks pretty solid!

 

[Reedt2000]

Check - double Czech

View attachment 4446221

Or Czech mate

 

[Flamingo21]

Czech mate

^ Winner

 

[JIO]

Or Czech mate

good one!

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

It's finally here! More pics & details later -

View attachment 4445836 View attachment 4445837

Welcome home!

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

It's finally here! More pics & details later -

View attachment 4445836 View attachment 4445837

Welcome home!

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

So it showed up early this morning delivered by USPS. Considering the way it was packed, it was in good shape. (body & neck separated) Lots of bubble-wrap, some chunks and pads of styrofoam, and some loose cardboard.

View attachment 4445862
The black re-fin is very DIY. The body was originally a red, as can be seen in the tr rotary-wheel cavity. I already knew that it had a less than perfect finish before I bought it - it is what it is and actually works well with the similarly non-perfect artwork. The tuners are replacements and they will be staying unless I decide to plug the hs tuner-post holes as they were drilled larger for these tuners. They work, they look ok... for now there are other details to attend to. There are traces of the original tuner screw-holes - the same style that came originally on a the Jolana Discobass. The aluminum string guide needs some fine tuning and the frets are in very good condition. For now I cleaned them with a fret eraser and cleaned up the slightly stained neck binding. The neck isn't perfectly flat (no surprise) but within reason to get acceptable action w/no fret-buzzing. I've turned around worse.
View attachment 4445873
Much will need to be done to get some acceptable action right out of the box, but a spacer is the first place to start.
View attachment 4445877
Strung it up (really fat E string!) and checked intonation. The bridge is floating and the string stop pulls are threaded so adjustable fore & aft. The combination of the bridge and the pull adjustment should be enough to dial in correct intonation. It will take a while but such is life dealing with old product. Will need to order some strings for it but the ones it came with are ok for now. Things like removing the tail-piece and bending it a bit so the spokes (yah, they look like short bicycle-wheel spokes) sit flush in the plate.
View attachment 4445878
Plugged in everything and it works as it should - haven't removed the control plate yet. The pu's are hot singles, so once set up correctly it should be a nice sounding player.
View attachment 4445884
The neck plate seems original but as you can see there is a non-painted section on the top. The neck strap-peg wasn't included (no biggy) and the hole in the neck-plate doesn't align with a hole in the neck-heal. Small potatoes.
View attachment 4445885

That tailpiece is super cool.

 

[JIO]

Welcome home!

Yes indeed! My little Czech orphan was rewarded after the long arduous journey with much TLC today! (and more as I level a few frets upcoming!)

That tailpiece is super cool.

It is - I've seen them sold independently on eBay. The bass has a few cool details like the metal knobs & chrome pu surrounds. The black pu's look a lot like vintage white Vox pu's and are similarly hot. The overall visual gestalt is 'folk art' - marginal DIY black finish (base) with a lovely organic art treatment on top. Right up my alley. My Polish grandma made things like this. (not on a guitar...) I credit my artistic gift from her. (dad's mother - mom's parents were Czech)

Being metallic it looks different in different light and as seen in the outside pics I posted of it - the subtle blue accents really knocks it out of the park! It's truly a work of art... and playable! - score -

I need to do a bit of restoration on said artwork due to someone shifting the bridge. It may have also been caused buy the rather loosy-goosy packing job. I applied adhesive pads to the two feet/circles once I determined the correct location of the bridge so it stays put. Pretty sure I can make the damaged area disappear after a trip to the art store to buy some metallic paint pens. (which appears to be how it was done) Aluminum roofing paint may also come in handy.

A little more tricky here... all three colours (gold/silver/blue, and black) intersect at the damaged area. No worries - it's in my wheelhouse.

 

[Flamingo21]

This is exciting!

 

[Retro]

Hooray! Safe and sound at last! That artwork looks amazing close up (love the blue accents) and the bass is playable too, which is always a plus! My (also recently acquired) Kolorbas has a slightly "relieved" neck as well, but nothing that affects it's play-ability (to me anyway)

The body was originally a red

This is really cool, 'cause factory red seems to be very rare on these. (most are blue) Of course this one is 10X cooler with it's custom paintjob, the "hand-painted" look is wonderful. ("the hand of the artist" etc.)

Things like removing the tail-piece and bending it a bit so the spokes (yah, they look like short bicycle-wheel spokes) sit flush in the plate.

I'm not sure how they did it, but the "spokes" are also backwards, they should come up-and-over (that would also keep them off the paint) Here's mine:

So glad the tracing helped too, the pg looks phenomenal. Really ups the "art" look, like fine art behind glass!

 

[JIO]

I'm not sure how they did it, but the "spokes" are also backwards, they should come up-and-over (that would also keep them off the paint) Here's mine:
View attachment 4446922
So glad the tracing helped too, the pg looks phenomenal. Really ups the "art" look, like fine art behind glass!

I thought about that - very easy to fix as the 'hooks' are threaded on (like a bicycle spoke) so I can remove them and flip them. Makes much more sense and looks cleaner - thanks for clearing this up! I also may end up refinishing the neck - I sanded the playing part as it was bumpy with paint. (like I said, a very DIY re-finish) I'll just sand the whole thing smooth and shoot a couple coats of black over it.

I want to replicate the hs gold-scripted name "Kolorbas" and would rather do that on a nice flat surface. I also could plug the oversized holes and re-drill for the Jolana turners I have but not sure I want to go that route as the generic 'Y' tuners work well. I could also buy a set like the ones that came on it (again from Russia...) and not sure that's so important since it's clearly not going to be returned to it's 'stock' presentation.

The tuners in this pic aren't original - they are the same '60s MIJ tuners I installed on my Discobass. They look good and work well. If both basses were closer to stock when I got them, I'd get fussy about such - but at this stage of the game...

 

[Flamingo21]

I also may end up refinishing the neck - I sanded the playing part

What do you mean by "the playing part"?

 

[JIO]

What do you mean by "the playing part"?

I could have said "I sanded the neck" which technically includes the hs, but I didn't sand the hs which has the same bumpy texture.

 

[Retro]

but not sure I want to go that route as the generic 'Y' tuners work well.

They honestly don't look bad on that hs either. I often get frustrated at the lack of "unique" bass tuners available new, but something I've wondered is how easy (or not) it would be to fabricate custom buttons for those kind of "y" style tuners. It would open up a lot of possibilities, and could be done in all manner of materials.......hmmm. The bass I'm building now was originally going to have Sperzels, but they couldn't make me a set (no aluminum), so after looking at tuners till my eyes hurt, I ended up with a set of Gotoh Res-o-lites. Everything else was either "Y" or cloverleaf.....

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

Yes indeed! My little Czech orphan was rewarded after the long arduous journey with much TLC today! (and more as I level a few frets upcoming!)



It is - I've seen them sold independently on eBay. The bass has a few cool details like the metal knobs & chrome pu surrounds. The black pu's look a lot like vintage white Vox pu's and are similarly hot. The overall visual gestalt is 'folk art' - marginal DIY black finish (base) with a lovely organic art treatment on top. Right up my alley. My Polish grandma made things like this. (not on a guitar...) I credit my artistic gift from her. (dad's mother - mom's parents were Czech)

Being metallic it looks different in different light and as seen in the outside pics I posted of it - the subtle blue accents really knocks it out of the park! It's truly a work of art... and playable! - score -

I need to do a bit of restoration on said artwork due to someone shifting the bridge. It may have also been caused buy the rather loosy-goosy packing job. I applied adhesive pads to the two feet/circles once I determined the correct location of the bridge so it stays put. Pretty sure I can make the damaged area disappear after a trip to the art store to buy some metallic paint pens. (which appears to be how it was done) Aluminum roofing paint may also come in handy.
View attachment 4446307
A little more tricky here... all three colours (gold/silver/blue, and black) intersect at the damaged area. No worries - it's in my wheelhouse.
View attachment 4446308

I was also thinking paint pens were used...it's like psychedelic henna tattooing. Should be a reasonably easy fix.