- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
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GEO's 1st bass restoration
- Thread starter JIO
- Start date
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I'm lovin' this finish! The back is mauvinova! It's like a purple comet cutting through dark ??? dirty oil? molasses? Fernet & coke?...
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
...and the front is a total tease 
- I've always taken tobacco for granted... it's an awesome colour! Especially when it plays a bigger role in the gestalt/scheme.
- I've always taken tobacco for granted... it's an awesome colour! Especially when it plays a bigger role in the gestalt/scheme.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Body is done and will cure for 2 weeks. The metal pg will be polished on Monday by a guy in that biz I found in the Bay Area. The neck will arrive at warpedneck.com on Friday. I left a message on their phone yesterday as I haven't had any communication with them yet. Hope they are still in biz...
Update: Talked with them on the phone. Will know more after they receive it on Friday. They were surprised I'd sent it before talking with them, but their site doesn't provide a protocol other than "ship your warped neck to..." so that's what I did. No problem.
Update: Talked with them on the phone. Will know more after they receive it on Friday. They were surprised I'd sent it before talking with them, but their site doesn't provide a protocol other than "ship your warped neck to..." so that's what I did. No problem.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
It looks like the pickguard is going to cover almost all of that beautiful purple on the top, which is a shame, IMO. Looks good, though!
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Wanted a 'before' pic of the pg - I'll shoot an 'after' when it's back from being polished, hopefully on Monday. I say hopefully because I don't know if I'll just be dropping it off or it'll be done while I wait. It's kind of a haul to get there so I hope it's the later.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Good to hear - will probably hear from them early in the week on status of the neck I sent them.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Ken at Universal Metal Polishing (Oakland) working on the pg. He's a year older than me and a (past) musician with lots of stories about the SF/Bay Area music scene over the years. Saw Hendrix 3 times, was at Janis Joplin's 1st show (she was drunk, as has been written about) as a young teen to name a couple.
He got it as good as possible considering it's over 50yrs old. He said he could have done more (for more $ and picking it up at a later date) but I am happy with it as is and when I got home I shot a couple light coats of gloss lacquer to protect it against finger-oil prints. Hard to get a definitive pic as it's bright & sunny outside today. It's shiny and will look period-correct (doesn't look new) which is good enough for me.
He got it as good as possible considering it's over 50yrs old. He said he could have done more (for more $ and picking it up at a later date) but I am happy with it as is and when I got home I shot a couple light coats of gloss lacquer to protect it against finger-oil prints. Hard to get a definitive pic as it's bright & sunny outside today. It's shiny and will look period-correct (doesn't look new) which is good enough for me.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
A better, more accurate pic. I didn't like the look w/lacquer so I removed it, did some more buffing/polishing myself and topped it off with Turtle Wax. Looks and feels better.
...and since there's no 'cure' time - soldered it up and it's ready to install!
And it's hard to pass up an 'in-progress' pic - I shot satin lacquer clear last so the body looks.., satiny! I've had it outside in the nice temp sunshine every day for a full cure. No word on the neck yet so no rush on finalizing the body finish. I'm very happy with the way it's turning out. It's like, who wouldn't like this bass if it was brand new?
...and since there's no 'cure' time - soldered it up and it's ready to install!
And it's hard to pass up an 'in-progress' pic - I shot satin lacquer clear last so the body looks.., satiny! I've had it outside in the nice temp sunshine every day for a full cure. No word on the neck yet so no rush on finalizing the body finish. I'm very happy with the way it's turning out. It's like, who wouldn't like this bass if it was brand new?
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
It looks like everything my first bass should have been. Good luck with the neck work.
I was thinking about that - when I'm done, this bass will be as good as any new 'retro' inspired bass out there. In the late '60s when it was new, it was ok looking (compared to Fenders or Gibsons etc) and probably in need of a tr adjustment/proper set-up. The Japanese guitars & basses then were pretty wide-ranging and variable, mostly because so many different ones were produced. My '65 Teisco Del Rey EB-200 is bone stock and it looks, plays and sounds excellent. For what it is - it's a bass that can be played live and recorded just like any bass. Sometimes an example in VGC can be found 50+ yrs later, and sometimes they have been neglected, abused or never set up correctly. Comparably, a same year Fender P or J would be treated as a valuable collectable instrument and worked on by a trained tech/luthier to restore/fine-tune it confirming to strict 'vintage' guidelines.
People have started becoming more focused on these 'student/entry-level' basses these days, but many still consider them 'junk'. For now, I'm glad they can be had for a very low cost.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Just got an email from Eric at warpedneck.com - it'll be ready in about a week. It has a 'complex warp' which I knew and am glad they are able to address it. Excited! 
Considering that they fix it, their fee is very fair.
Considering that they fix it, their fee is very fair.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
How long ago did they repair your neck, and has it remained true since? I ask because wood is organic and has a 'memory', especially if warped for many years. I understand the steaming process which makes the wood more pliable and I imagine once achieved - it's set 'true' in some sort of jig and allowed to 'set', stably establishing its new alignment. At least that would be logical. I'll have to look-up if there's a YouTube vid n neck-steaming.
Update: Just scanned a number of YouTube vids on neck straightening displaying a range of approaches. I'll just trust Eric & co know their stuff and fix my neck. One thing I've learned over many years of working on basses - trust those who are more versed/invested in an aspect of restoration/repair to do what they do best and have done a lot. I take on many repairs that I am capable of but I know my limits. Neck repair can be a PIA so in this case I'm more than happy to hand it off to those who do this often and well.
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- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Jumped the shark... I shot very thin coats and it's been outside in warm sunny weather so it's cured. Will 'hang out' until the neck is done - otherwise it's wired-up and ready to rock!
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,625
- 222,183
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Mounting the bridge, I spaced and forgot about the lower bridge plate. (bridge-plate/string stop plate?) 13 screws off and on again! Gotta be a record for the number of screws holding down a bridge! I really like that plate - it serves no other purpose than to look cool! (and it do look cool y'all!) Like the pg, the plate was not 'refined' at the factory so I used a fine-tooth file to soften all the rough edges on the bottom side.
Now we're talkin' - and the bridge cover will top it off. 4 part assembly; bridge plate/string stop plate, bridge plate/string stop, bridge, bridge-cover.
It reminds me of my Grass Roots/ESP Bass IV. The (retro) design inspiration came from a '60s vintage Fender VI. The similar (to the Tempo) bridge plate was made to look like a Fender VI string-stop. In both instances - their function is visual aesthetics and as long as it works with the gestalt, 'Bob's yer' Uncle'.
Now we're talkin' - and the bridge cover will top it off. 4 part assembly; bridge plate/string stop plate, bridge plate/string stop, bridge, bridge-cover.
It reminds me of my Grass Roots/ESP Bass IV. The (retro) design inspiration came from a '60s vintage Fender VI. The similar (to the Tempo) bridge plate was made to look like a Fender VI string-stop. In both instances - their function is visual aesthetics and as long as it works with the gestalt, 'Bob's yer' Uncle'.
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