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NBD- a vintage mutt

Rip Topaz

Rip Topaz

Aug 12, 2005
8,664
918
Willow Street, PA
#1
Scored this in a trade this evening.

Checked the serial number online and the neck at least was made in 1980. Condition of the bass overall is pretty good, just needs some TLC.

Fender MIA P-bass Special. Needs lots of cleaning and maybe a new nut. I'll post new pics when I get it cleaned up.

And yes. That's a Kahler trem.
 

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#3
Headstock painted red, leads me to believe that it may be a parts bass. I got it as a player so the crustiness doesn't bother me. Just needs a bath.

Has active EMG pickups, battery is under the pickguard, instead of in the cavity on the back. That will be part of the restoration to come.

Has heavy flats on it (Chromes I think), and the E keeps coming out of the nut slot. Totally fixable. It's getting a new set of rounds so I'll tackle it then.
 
#6
How does the Kahler trem work/sound? I always thought a trem/fretless would produce some demented sounds, but never actually tried it. The Kahler is a massive chunk of metal, as I recall, and routed well into the body. Are you going to keep it on?
 
#8
Yeah, not sure if I'll keep the trem. Maybe. Never had one before on a bass.

Sound wise, it doesn't seem too bad. It needs a new set of strings and a fresh battery but I'll get to that tomorrow when I can get my hands dirty. Just fiddling around with it plugged into a cheap practice amp, seems to sound like a P-bass! ;)

Needs a ton of cleaning. Not sure why the body is stripped and the headstock isn't. I'm guessing it's a parts bass. It may be stock neck and body, but everything else seems to be thrown together.

The trem is somewhat of a mystery to me. The way the strings are on, it isn't possible to attach the trem arm. Gonna have to research a bit and set it up properly.

The E pops out of the nut slot, but I'm guessing it's because of the bridge cables that are currently on it have almost no wrap around the tuning posts. The E has no downward pull coming off the nut.

And the trem. It's. Just... Wow.
 

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#12
Looks to me like the trem bar was pulled out, and the bridge went into "full down" position, and they tuned it in place there. The windings on the strings should normally be much further back from the bridge, I think. You may just have to remove the strings (or just take the tops off), rotate the back string anchor part of the bridge back and up, then attach the handle, and put the strings back on. I have a trem Warlock downstairs, not sure it's a Kahler, I'll go look (I don't have the user manual for anything on that, either).
 
#13
Yeah, that's it - the string anchor has to rotate back maybe 30 degrees, so that the "claw" shaped part is almost level with the top of the bass (and the string ends are actually somewhat down in the back, under the surface). Then, while it's loose, put the strings back on. I wonder though - there should be a spring on the inside somewhere - it's possible the previous owner may have removed it to lock the bridge in that position. But then why would they hold on to the arm? It's probably there.
 
#14
I think you're right about the trem dropping down. The guy mentioned something like that, but didn't really look too close at the time. It's fixable by all means, though.

It's getting new strings, so whatever I gotta do to the trem to make it work properly, it's the perfect time to fix it all and clean as much as I can reach.
 
#16
Rip Topaz said:
I think you're right about the trem dropping down. The guy mentioned something like that, but didn't really look too close at the time. It's fixable by all means, though.

It's getting new strings, so whatever I gotta do to the trem to make it work properly, it's the perfect time to fix it all and clean as much as I can reach.
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Yeah, sounds like it is still the current design, too, so if you need any parts, they should be available.

Mine's just like that. Well, except in chrome, and almost mint. That part works, but the electronics on my Warlock are utterly hosed, have to figure that out some day.
 
#19
I don't think it's a parts bass. The knobs are correct for the P Special. You said there is a battery compartment on the back? Is it slanted? Is it near the lower horn, slanting up and towards the back of the bass?

Body might have been stripped because the finish was beat to crap?

Don't know why there is an extra hole in the pg, the empty hole is where the jack should be, so that's weird. Could have something to do with the EMGSs which would not be orig. maybe the orig jack hole didn't provide enough room.

Are the pg screws brass, or gold plate (worn off)?

Is there a router pin hole plugged up on the back?
 

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