My latest assembly (precision, G&L, fretless content)

[L. L. Elwood]

I had a couple of old G&L bases hanging around just not getting much action and I decided to have some fun. The body on this is from a 1983 SB-2, it was black I stripped it and White washed it with a couple of coats of true oil to protect. So it’s kind of a matte white trans finish. The neck is from a 1988 G&L L-1000 fretless, maple w/ Ebony board, the pickup is a Lollar split P normal wind precision pickup That I have in reverse position so the G & D string get a little thicker sounding to match the E & A string tonality. For placement I experimented a ton and probably moved the pickup at least 10 different times! Final placement is about 5/8” closer to the bridge than a standard precision bass, So it’s a little more defined sounding unless boomy. Just a regular precision circuit with volume and tone. Custom cut tear drop pickguard similar to the Ernie Ball Sterling pickguard. Hardware is all from the 1983 G&L SB-2. Strung with a set of Chrome Flats. Sounds pretty great!

 

[JRA]

beautiful!

 

[Lo-E]

I like it!

Those 1980s L series necks are wonderful. Is it an optical illusion, or is the pickup set up just a little narrow for that string spacing?

 

[L. L. Elwood]

I like it!

Those 1980s L series necks are wonderful. Is it an optical illusion, or is the pickup set up just a little narrow for that string spacing?

It’s interesting that you caught that. Actually not only did I experiment with the distance from the bridge I also experimented with the separation on the two coils. I actually purposely brought the coils a little more in line because I noticed when the strings are directly over the poles there’s a little bit more top end and bite in the tone. So I went ahead and left it like that for a little more top end.

 

[Killing Floor]

I bet that sounds amazing

 

[Lo-E]

It’s interesting that you caught that. Actually not only did I experiment with the distance from the bridge I also experimented with the separation on the two coils. I actually purposely brought the coils a little more in line because I noticed when the strings are directly over the poles there’s a little bit more top end and bite in the tone. So I went ahead and left it like that for a little more top end.

Crafty. That string-over-the-poles effect is what makes single-coil P-basses and Stingrays so responsive to touch. I bet it sounds great.

 

[pb9717]

Swap in black screws for the plate and guard. Will make a nice build even more elegant. Excellent work. Fretless envy ad nauseam.

 

[OlyWhite]

Dang, G&L should offer an Elwood sig model. That’s freakin awesome!

 

[Empap]

That's a very nice looking bass! From the measures you mention, the EA coil seems to be roughly where the front row of a MM pickup would be, and the DG slightly further up than its regular spot. I bet it sounds killer. we want sound samples!!

I think with a Series/Parallel switch, and plucking closer to the bridge, you could get beefy Stingray-like tones out of this configuration...

 

[DanAdams]

Nice bass, I also appreciate the composition of the main photo.

 

[dfp]

Love it, should be a production model like this. However, are the A and D string getting picked up by both halves of the pickup since you placed them just so with poles under strings?

 

[PNW Tony]

I had a couple of old G&L bases hanging around just not getting much action and I decided to have some fun. The body on this is from a 1983 SB-2, it was black I stripped it and White washed it with a couple of coats of true oil to protect. So it’s kind of a matte white trans finish. The neck is from a 1988 G&L L-1000 fretless, maple w/ Ebony board, the pickup is a Lollar split P normal wind precision pickup That I have in reverse position so the G & D string get a little thicker sounding to match the E & A string tonality. For placement I experimented a ton and probably moved the pickup at least 10 different times! Final placement is about 5/8” closer to the bridge than a standard precision bass, So it’s a little more defined sounding unless boomy. Just a regular precision circuit with volume and tone. Custom cut tear drop pickguard similar to the Ernie Ball Sterling pickguard. Hardware is all from the 1983 G&L SB-2. Strung with a set of Chrome Flats. Sounds pretty great!
View attachment 7088205View attachment 7088206View attachment 7088207View attachment 7088208View attachment 7088209

That's gorgeous! I usually don't have interest in white basses, but I really like how that finish turned out. And it would look a treat next to my blackout fretless Jazz Bass. Love to hear how it sounds. Well done!

 

[L. L. Elwood]

It’s interesting that you caught that. Actually not only did I experiment with the distance from the bridge I also experimented with the separation on the two coils. I actually purposely brought the coils a little more in line because I noticed when the strings are directly over the poles there’s a little bit more top end and bite in the tone. So I went ahead and left it like that for a little more top end.

Love it, should be a production model like this. However, are the A and D string getting picked up by both halves of the pickup since you placed them just so with poles under strings?

I also thought this might pose a problem. But the tone between the strings sounds pretty consistent and any volume difference is made up by just slightly lowering the pick ups beneath the A&D string. So no issues!

 

[L. L. Elwood]

That's gorgeous! I usually don't have interest in white basses, but I really like how that finish turned out. And it would look a treat next to my blackout fretless Jazz Bass. Love to hear how it sounds. Well done!

I also thought this might pose a problem. But the tone between the strings sounds pretty consistent and any volume difference is made up by just slightly lowering the pick ups beneath the A&D string. So no issues!

Dang, G&L should offer an Elwood sig model. That’s freakin awesome!

Haha! That would be amazing. Just got to get a lot more Spotify streams.

Nice bass, I also appreciate the composition of the main photo.

haha! Thanks!

 

[dfp]

It’s really gorgeous, can you say a little more about the whitewash and oil finish? Like how the white wash is done and if special product is needed for compatibility with the oil finish.

 

[L. L. Elwood]

It’s really gorgeous, can you say a little more about the whitewash and oil finish? Like how the white wash is done and if special product is needed for compatibility with the oil finish.

Yes. I’ll get into it after work today. It was a make it up as you go process for sure!

 

[ravlin]

Well done! I'm all about making old basses new again and DIY projects, makes me want to finish my fretless project.

 

[L. L. Elwood]

Yes. I’ll get into it after work today. It was a make it up as you go process for sure!

OK so I did a bunch of research and learned that if you get a water-based stain, it typically reacts well with true oil. Most of the googling I did confirmed this. I ended up going with Home Depot Minwax water-based white stain. It’s it wipe on white stain You’ll find sitting on the shelf. Before I get to that though I ended up stripping the 1983 nitro body with Citrustrip. Wiped on a layer then enclosed it in a plastic bag over night. Used a metal scraper to remove the finish. Had to do 2 rounds then hand sanded w/ 80 / 220 / 800 grit before staining.

This is the stain.


I cut up an old t-shirt. And started rubbing on the wood stain. To my surprise, this stuff was thicker than actual paint!! It did not rub off, rather left a thick bumpy coat. I immediately dropped a few f bombs, got some paint thinner and wiped it off back to almost the natural grain. Pissed, and determined, i immediately diluted the stain 3 parts water to one part stain, mixed it and tried again. Better but still too thick to show much grain. So, having only done about 1/4 of the body, i soaked a clean scrap of tshirt with water and rubbed as much of the stain off as i could and it resulted in what you see above. I had to work quickly to get it even, and its still not too even but good enough

At this point it was super flat and the stain was so thin that any sanding stated to show the natural wood, so i restained a couple spots and called it good on the stain.

Got some true oil from local sporting goods store hung the body on a laundry line and wiped on one coat with a clean tshirt scrap, in the direction of the grain. Let it dry overnight and was surprised to see that it was quite glossy when dry. The Minwax wipe on stain semi sealed the wood grain so the Tru oil didn’t soak in much but it did dry very hard. I put one more coat on, let dry a second night and then went to work with 0000 grit steel wool. Even that passed through the Tru oil and stain in one or two small spots accidentally. It’s a very very thin finish on this bass. But now that I’ve played it a week or two it’s starting to get smooth in areas and really look nice just from normal playing and wear and tear. Super happy with the results and though it’s not 100% Professional I love it.

 

[Mookie68]

I had a couple of old G&L bases hanging around just not getting much action and I decided to have some fun. The body on this is from a 1983 SB-2, it was black I stripped it and White washed it with a couple of coats of true oil to protect. So it’s kind of a matte white trans finish. The neck is from a 1988 G&L L-1000 fretless, maple w/ Ebony board, the pickup is a Lollar split P normal wind precision pickup That I have in reverse position so the G & D string get a little thicker sounding to match the E & A string tonality. For placement I experimented a ton and probably moved the pickup at least 10 different times! Final placement is about 5/8” closer to the bridge than a standard precision bass, So it’s a little more defined sounding unless boomy. Just a regular precision circuit with volume and tone. Custom cut tear drop pickguard similar to the Ernie Ball Sterling pickguard. Hardware is all from the 1983 G&L SB-2. Strung with a set of Chrome Flats. Sounds pretty great!
View attachment 7088205View attachment 7088206View attachment 7088207View attachment 7088208View attachment 7088209

OK so I did a bunch of research and learned that if you get a water-based stain, it typically reacts well with true oil. Most of the googling I did confirmed this. I ended up going with Home Depot Minwax water-based white stain. It’s it wipe on white stain You’ll find sitting on the shelf. Before I get to that though I ended up stripping the 1983 nitro body with Citrustrip. Wiped on a layer then enclosed it in a plastic bag over night. Used a metal scraper to remove the finish. Had to do 2 rounds then hand sanded w/ 80 / 220 / 800 grit before staining.

This is the stain.
View attachment 7089084

I cut up an old t-shirt. And started rubbing on the wood stain. To my surprise, this stuff was thicker than actual paint!! It did not rub off, rather left a thick bumpy coat. I immediately dropped a few f bombs, got some paint thinner and wiped it off back to almost the natural grain. Pissed, and determined, i immediately diluted the stain 3 parts water to one part stain, mixed it and tried again. Better but still too thick to show much grain. So, having only done about 1/4 of the body, i soaked a clean scrap of tshirt with water and rubbed as much of the stain off as i could and it resulted in what you see above. I had to work quickly to get it even, and its still not too even but good enough

At this point it was super flat and the stain was so thin that any sanding stated to show the natural wood, so i restained a couple spots and called it good on the stain.

Got some true oil from local sporting goods store hung the body on a laundry line and wiped on one coat with a clean tshirt scrap, in the direction of the grain. Let it dry overnight and was surprised to see that it was quite glossy when dry. The Minwax wipe on stain semi sealed the wood grain so the Tru oil didn’t soak in much but it did dry very hard. I put one more coat on, let dry a second night and then went to work with 0000 grit steel wool. Even that passed through the Tru oil and stain in one or two small spots accidentally. It’s a very very thin finish on this bass. But now that I’ve played it a week or two it’s starting to get smooth in areas and really look nice just from normal playing and wear and tear. Super happy with the results and though it’s not 100% Professional I love it.

Hey. You don't happen to have a black G&L 4 string bridge hanging around that you'd be willing to sell or trade for a mint chrome plated one? I'm customizing my fretless L2K and it's screaming for a black bridge!

 

[L. L. Elwood]

Hey. You don't happen to have a black G&L 4 string bridge hanging around that you'd be willing to sell or trade for a mint chrome plated one? I'm customizing my fretless L2K and it's screaming for a black bridge!

Unfortunately, no :/ The only extra G&L stuff I have are 3 MFD humbuckers not currently being used. Good Luck on the search. There's a guy on FB out in L.A. called Keith Lubow you might message. He's a dedicated vintage G&L collector and does some restoring as well, he may have one.