Okay, here's my entry for the TB Build-o-Rama Spectacle and Medicine Show. I'm a little late to the party, but I didn't see the post until a few days ago.
But I knew right off what had to be done.
A resurrection of sorts saving from the grave an instrument that had held great promise, a project that had started out with great expectations. It was a thing of beauty, but something wasn't right; something was deeply flawed; Its heart and brain lacked the mojo and soul promised by the pretty face.
Something was amiss. Something was, well, ABNORMAL.
Our story starts with this inspiration from the Fender Custom Shop:
I had to have one.
But first, a hair check:
Of course, for our tale we have to start in black and white.
This is a Xaviere, a GFS/guitarfetish.com special that is a disappointment as soon as you pick it up. I literally threw the stock neck in the garbage- and my trash can was offended. But I pressed on, found a cheap used Squier Affinity neck, and pushed forward with a refinish in an almost-ice-blue-metallic.
The result? So much promise, so much underperformance. It sounds and plays like a Wal-Mart special. It is everything wrong with cheap imports. The electronics were hideously bad. The pickups were pathetic.
But I still loved the blue misshapen thing that never existed in nature.
So I wanted to resurrect it from an early grave to give it purpose, foundation. Fundamental. It needed something feminine to bring it back to life.
This SX Gypsy Rose lefty is a 32 scale marketed at prepubescent girls with dreams of a Hannah Montana cover band. They're also some of the best basses, IMO, that SX builds.
I've already refinished one and used it, stock, to perform. I'm a big fan of the 32 scale, and with lefty Gypsy Roses blowing out at $49 plus shipping, I decided it looked like a cheap source for a reverse neck and some assorted parts.
So, at $71 with shipping, I got a donor to build a Jazzcaster / Telemaster bass. The neck, bridge, and who knows what else will be grafted to Abbey.
While I took these pictures, "Someday We'll Be Together" played on Pandora. Well said, Supremes.
Look at the quality of the neck pocket on this $50 bass:
And look at the bonus case candy!
It's almost a shame to part this thing out -- it sounded unbelievably good.
The 32" neck has exactly the same size neck plate, but they align differently -- I'll be filling the holes and drilling fresh.
The neck pocket will need to be widened slightly, and the heel has a different radius; all to be addressed.
Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead:
For pickups, I'm leaning toward a set of Gretsch filtertrons.
Question - can anyone tell me if a '51 P pickup fits in the rout for a Tele bridge? It seems that it might.
I also have to address the holes from the existing bridge - I'd like to avoid re-painting if I can.
I thought about a cover:
But it's in the way of playing, and doesn't really fix the problem.
So there's my build - the next step involves working the neck pocket and mounting the bridge. After that, we'll worry about that new brain.
And then Abbey will be whole again and ready for the stage.
But that's as far as I got before the band got here for rehearsal.
But I knew right off what had to be done.
A resurrection of sorts saving from the grave an instrument that had held great promise, a project that had started out with great expectations. It was a thing of beauty, but something wasn't right; something was deeply flawed; Its heart and brain lacked the mojo and soul promised by the pretty face.
Something was amiss. Something was, well, ABNORMAL.
Our story starts with this inspiration from the Fender Custom Shop:
I had to have one.
But first, a hair check:
Of course, for our tale we have to start in black and white.
This is a Xaviere, a GFS/guitarfetish.com special that is a disappointment as soon as you pick it up. I literally threw the stock neck in the garbage- and my trash can was offended. But I pressed on, found a cheap used Squier Affinity neck, and pushed forward with a refinish in an almost-ice-blue-metallic.
The result? So much promise, so much underperformance. It sounds and plays like a Wal-Mart special. It is everything wrong with cheap imports. The electronics were hideously bad. The pickups were pathetic.
But I still loved the blue misshapen thing that never existed in nature.
So I wanted to resurrect it from an early grave to give it purpose, foundation. Fundamental. It needed something feminine to bring it back to life.
This SX Gypsy Rose lefty is a 32 scale marketed at prepubescent girls with dreams of a Hannah Montana cover band. They're also some of the best basses, IMO, that SX builds.
I've already refinished one and used it, stock, to perform. I'm a big fan of the 32 scale, and with lefty Gypsy Roses blowing out at $49 plus shipping, I decided it looked like a cheap source for a reverse neck and some assorted parts.
So, at $71 with shipping, I got a donor to build a Jazzcaster / Telemaster bass. The neck, bridge, and who knows what else will be grafted to Abbey.
While I took these pictures, "Someday We'll Be Together" played on Pandora. Well said, Supremes.
Look at the quality of the neck pocket on this $50 bass:
And look at the bonus case candy!
It's almost a shame to part this thing out -- it sounded unbelievably good.
The 32" neck has exactly the same size neck plate, but they align differently -- I'll be filling the holes and drilling fresh.
The neck pocket will need to be widened slightly, and the heel has a different radius; all to be addressed.
Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead:
For pickups, I'm leaning toward a set of Gretsch filtertrons.
Question - can anyone tell me if a '51 P pickup fits in the rout for a Tele bridge? It seems that it might.
I also have to address the holes from the existing bridge - I'd like to avoid re-painting if I can.
I thought about a cover:
But it's in the way of playing, and doesn't really fix the problem.
So there's my build - the next step involves working the neck pocket and mounting the bridge. After that, we'll worry about that new brain.
And then Abbey will be whole again and ready for the stage.
But that's as far as I got before the band got here for rehearsal.
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