- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,980
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Ok then... a warm hello to all my fellow Luthiers Corner peeps! it's been a while since Ive had a project to post, but I now have one, so get ready for a full start-to-finish expose as only Geo does - starting with some back-story...
I have no photo's of the first bass (or me playing it) I bought in 1966 as a 13yr old. (!) These were the days before easily accessible "instant" camera's. They were around - but not broadly. My dad was an 8mm movie-buff, but just not so much a 'still-photographer'.
Anyway, my 1st bass was a Japanese (long-scale*) that I bought from a Woolworths Dept store just outside of Omaha Nebraska (near SAC Headquarters Base). I wanted 'in' to the music scene that was happening then but was clueless as to how to enter. My family was not musically inclined - my aunt played 'home' organ, mostly religious themes.
I was in that Woolworths Dept Store with friends and there were guitars hanging on the wall behind the counter. I studied them all and determined the larger one with 4 strings was what I wanted. I was tall for my age (6') and thought... it's bigger, it has only 4 strings - I think I could play that. (!) Destiny called, and I answered!
So I put down $20 of my hard earned paper-route money as a 'down-payment' and my dad later paid the other $20. (that's $372.64 in todays money) Cut to the chase - I'm pretty sure it was the same model as the bass I just bought.
(these are the sellers pics) - an unbranded, stripped finish but otherwise all original parts mid-late '60s long-scale Japanese bass. It was badged with various names but since this one has no holes in the hs face... I'll guess it was a "Tempo", which had a decal and some a metal badge.
It arrived today - I'll post more as it develops. Lot's to go over.
*not common for a '60s Japanese bass (to be long-scale) - most were short-scale. Only a few 34" scale Japanese basses were made in the later '60s period.
I have no photo's of the first bass (or me playing it) I bought in 1966 as a 13yr old. (!) These were the days before easily accessible "instant" camera's. They were around - but not broadly. My dad was an 8mm movie-buff, but just not so much a 'still-photographer'.
Anyway, my 1st bass was a Japanese (long-scale*) that I bought from a Woolworths Dept store just outside of Omaha Nebraska (near SAC Headquarters Base). I wanted 'in' to the music scene that was happening then but was clueless as to how to enter. My family was not musically inclined - my aunt played 'home' organ, mostly religious themes.
I was in that Woolworths Dept Store with friends and there were guitars hanging on the wall behind the counter. I studied them all and determined the larger one with 4 strings was what I wanted. I was tall for my age (6') and thought... it's bigger, it has only 4 strings - I think I could play that. (!) Destiny called, and I answered!
So I put down $20 of my hard earned paper-route money as a 'down-payment' and my dad later paid the other $20. (that's $372.64 in todays money) Cut to the chase - I'm pretty sure it was the same model as the bass I just bought.
(these are the sellers pics) - an unbranded, stripped finish but otherwise all original parts mid-late '60s long-scale Japanese bass. It was badged with various names but since this one has no holes in the hs face... I'll guess it was a "Tempo", which had a decal and some a metal badge.
It arrived today - I'll post more as it develops. Lot's to go over.
*not common for a '60s Japanese bass (to be long-scale) - most were short-scale. Only a few 34" scale Japanese basses were made in the later '60s period.
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I would have to believe there was one originally - but once again, the (clueless) DIY bug strikes again. Not surprising that the electronics were 'sketch'. I will add a cap and do full shielding in the cavities once the body is re-finished.
