Luthier screwed up my P bass

[funkmaster p]

@funkmaster p Good luck with the P/J, we'd love to see pics when its finished!

Will do. Thanks!

 

[pjbassist]

Since we're sharing Active EMG P Bass pics, heres my latest Warmoth Double P:

 

[bherman]

No brainer - battery box if you are ok with the location, if not either a respray/touch up or new body. Stand-up guy either way (hey, I just made a bass joke)!

 

[frontroom]

I'd say have him fill it and move on. Try to work out a credit deal for the job and some future work. A P-Bass looks better a little dinged up ;-) .

 

[Marikk]

Since we're sharing Active EMG P Bass pics, heres my latest Warmoth Double P:
View attachment 3032558

Beautiful Double P!. Did you have to special order the bridge route or did you have it done after you got the body?

 

[deepestend]

Leave it as is and if anyone asks you about it, just say "you should have seen the other guy."

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Leave it as it is and slap a RIC truss rod cover on the headstock. That damage will come across as normal QC and no one will question it.

 

[FranF]

Leave it as it is and slap a RIC truss rod cover on the headstock. That damage will come across as normal QC and no one will question it.

Screamed a laugh right there....

 

[mcnach]

Two weeks ago I dropped off my bass for modification by a well respected luthier in my area. He has always done a great job for me in the past. He is also a very nice human being, and although I have never seen him outside of doing work for me, I consider him to be a friend. He replaced the stock pickup in my American Standard P bass with an active EMG P bass pickup and I was delighted with the results.

This week, I brought the bass back to him to have an active EMG J pickup installed in the bridge position.

While at my gig this afternoon, I got a text from him saying that he was making good progress on the bass until he drilled through the back of the body. He said if I want to get another bass body, he will pay for it, or if I want him to look for one, he will do that.

View attachment 3031755


There are many different ways to approach this problem. I will start by having a couple of stiff drinks first.

Ouch.

It sucks... but it could have been a much worse place to have had that accident...

Given that it's on the back and the position, and that it's a guy you have a reasonably good relationship with, I would consider having a battery compartment installed on the back covering the hole. It will make battery changes very simple, although it's a non-reversible modification, but personally that would not matter to me. Even if you went back to passive, having a battery cover on the back is not something that would distract you or affect the bass cosmetically really.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

It falls within the realm of acceptable. My first preference was no battery box, in case I wanted to switch back to passives in the future (i.e. getting a tour offer and group likes P bass, but not actives, etc.)

I'm seeing this situation as a simple $10 part being the shortest route to my satisfaction. I don't think a more labor intensive or expensive solution would make me any happier.

As others have pointed out, by making this mistake, he was actually doing me a solid. Now, if I want to break out my voltmeter and check the battery level every month or every week, I will be able to accomplish this easily.

Sounds like a good solution. Also, you can add a micro-switch that will turn off the active electronics, so you can go passive with the flick of a switch. Win-win.

 

[kwdhsk]

Perhaps this has been stated, but if you consider him a friend, and if he has indicated that he wants to make amends, then all the rest is noise as far as I'm concerned. You two will work it out and all will be good. BTW I like the battery cover option.

 

[JKos]

Also, you can add a micro-switch that will turn off the active electronics, so you can go passive with the flick of a switch.

Negative. EMG active pickups don't have a passive mode.

- John

 

[gt96g]

I might ask of he'd consider purchasing the bass off you so you can search for something else.

Or if your really attached to the instrument, see if you can locate another luthier who might specialize in body / finish repair. I have seen some amazingly talented people take damage like that and make it almost disappear.

I also think that route will help preserve the tonal integrity of the instrument, and would still be something your current luthier could cover the coat of.

 

[gt96g]

Or the battery box option as others have said, that will make for a very easy fix.

 

[funkmaster p]

The plot thickens. Here is verbatim what I texted to him.
Me: I'm thinking a battery box that still uses the regular 9v clip, instead of contact terminals.
Him: You got it.
Me: Let's go ahead with that.
Him: We're making lemonade out of lemons.
Me: Yessir

Him: Ready when you are.
Me: Loving the look of the installation from the front.
Me: When I mentioned the battery box without the contact terminals, this is what I had in mind:

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Hold...00RZ41VQ6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

Me: Is this feasible? My apologies for my lack of communication.
Him: Nope, it's a done deal.
Me: Thanks so much
Me: Oops! You saying feasible yes, or feasible no?
Him: No
Me: Ok

End of texts

I don't want to be hard to get along with, but as far as aesthetics go, me no likey!

 

[Crackle]

The lesson here is this: Don't ever try to take away a Precision bass's P-Ness.

Respect to the owner of the bass, but I personally can't stand the idea of a PJ.

 

[five7]

Ouch. Very targeted hit right there, might be two dozen people here who know whom you're talking about.

He is well known here in Denver. And yes he chipped a piece out of my musicman fretless fretboard and still wanted to charge me. I had to sell the bass it bothered me so much. As far as I am concerned he should give his wood working tools away and get a job somewhere he won't ruin instruments.
The right thing would have been owning up to it and replacing the neck. But, he had his wife talk to me.

 

[genmed42]

The plot thickens. Here is verbatim what I texted to him.
Me: I'm thinking a battery box that still uses the regular 9v clip, instead of contact terminals.
Him: You got it.
Me: Let's go ahead with that.
Him: We're making lemonade out of lemons.
Me: Yessir
View attachment 3032718
View attachment 3032720
Him: Ready when you are.
Me: Loving the look of the installation from the front.
Me: When I mentioned the battery box without the contact terminals, this is what I had in mind:

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Hold...00RZ41VQ6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

Me: Is this feasible? My apologies for my lack of communication.
Him: Nope, it's a done deal.
Me: Thanks so much
Me: Oops! You saying feasible yes, or feasible no?
Him: No
Me: Ok

End of texts

I don't want to be hard to get along with, but as far as aesthetics go, me no likey!

Hey I have to give it to you all in all you have a great attitude about the whole situation, I'm in the service business not the musical instrument service business obviously, but I service major appliances for customers, clients like you are valued, hey now you can say that your bass is really Customized makes her even more special. Cheers and good luck on the outcome, either that's a beautiful bass.

 

[Crackle]

Just so you know - since the damage was right under the control cavity, installing a plastic battery box was most likely not possible. The reason is the pots and cabling for the electronics reside directly above that area. The luthier's solution was probably the only way a battery compartment could be made in that exact area.

 

[funkmaster p]

Just so you know - since the damage was right under the control cavity, installing a plastic battery box was most likely not possible. The reason is the pots and cabling for the electronics reside directly above that area. The luthier's solution was probably the only way a battery compartment could be made in that exact area.

Thanks for mentioning this. That is very useful info.