NBD - Free Bass!

[Volker Kirstein]

Tuners hath arriven.

Wait. What? I have to take it apart to get at the hulls and washers?!?!

Wait. What? It won't fit with the washer installed?!?!

Wait. What? The screws are too long?!?!

Wait. What? After all that I end up with tall stovepipes?!?!

*sigh* Maybe they'll work for the Yellowjacket project, which will also need black 2L+2R tuners. In the meantime, these are packed back away, and the search for tuners begins again.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

So Anyway, this is fun.
Thanks for posting.

 

[tubatodd]

Tuners hath arriven.
View attachment 3833966
View attachment 3833968

Wait. What? I have to take it apart to get at the hulls and washers?!?!
View attachment 3833969
View attachment 3833970

Wait. What? It won't fit with the washer installed?!?!
View attachment 3833971

Wait. What? The screws are too long?!?!
View attachment 3833973

Wait. What? After all that I end up with tall stovepipes?!?!
View attachment 3833974

*sigh* Maybe they'll work for the Yellowjacket project, which will also need black 2L+2R tuners. In the meantime, these are packed back away, and the search for tuners begins again.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that something is seriously wrong with those tuners.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Another set of tuners has been found, and are in my shopping basket. These should fit. I thought that about the last ones, too. I looked at these really hard, and feel confident that they will.

I also checked my clear coat supply. Good thing I did, the can is dangerously low! So, a can of clear coat has also been put in the basket, as well.

I looked at the body in bright sunlight, and there's a matte spot with a straight border. So... another coat or two of green.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Clear coat hath arriven. Now I have to wait for the rain to stop.

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Subbed. Interesting thread!

 

[Volker Kirstein]

A third spray of clear coat has been applied.

I may be able to start on the back this afternoon, and hope to start actual assembly before the end of the month.

Tracking the 2nd new tuners, they've arrived in Germany, and are sitting in the customs warehouse. They should be arriving in the next two weeks.

The original new tuners will go onto the Yellowjacket project, which I hope to start in July.

For the electronics, I've settled on a 500K VVT jazz harness.

As far as the pickups go, I don't know. The original pickups are OK, if a little anemic. I have a Tonerider TP1 I can put in the P position, but nothing to match it in the J. I can pick up a Warman Stealth for about €25, which would probably pair well. But then the pickups are worth more than the bass, and would have to be replaced with the originals anyway should I decide to sell it. I'll probably just use the originals, and upgrade should I decide to keep it.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

So. It's been a while.

I had decided that enough clear coat was applied, and it was time to start buffing it up. I ordered a set of buffing wheels. This was a few weeks ago.

Today, I finally decided to start. I put the coarse wheel on the adapter, chucked it to the drill, and off I went.

First, when I hit the edge of the neck pocket, and neck pickup, it started shredding, flinging foam dust about.

Then, when I moved to the area around the controls, the clear coat started smearing! I'm assuming this happened from pressing too hard, and having it melt... and that I need to use less pressure in the future.

Blä. Now I have to sand it all smooth again, and reapply clear coat.

 

[TrevorG]

Netflix(second season)!

 

[Nekomata]

Cool project! Looking forward to its continuation...

 

[Bleecker]

Cool project. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

Cheers!

 

[MrMoonlight]

Then, when I moved to the area around the controls, the clear coat started smearing! I'm assuming this happened from pressing too hard, and having it melt... and that I need to use less pressure in the future.

Do not put any pressure on the buffer at all. It's not necessary. And don't stay in one place to long...that's what causes heat build-up.

Also, I don't use a wheel on anything except the final buff out with polishing compound. I do everything by hand with a block (pad for edges) and wet-sanding with progressively finer grits up to 3000. I use the wheel just for the final "mirror gloss" finish. Works well for me. YMMV.

Hope you get the bass finished up soon. I'm anxious to see how it turns out and how it sounds.

 

[scuzzy]

some aerosol sprays never really get that hard. i have no experience with the one you used, but perhaps it's the fault of the product? just a thought.

 

[Wisebass]

Hallo Volker

I'm assuming this happened from pressing too hard, and having it melt... and that I need to use less pressure in the future.

Frogs don't like when you squeeze them too hard!

Dry buffing (with the wheel) is too hot for some rattle can finishes. (IME)

Did you use a "car paint"? It should be hard enough not to melt when you use a liquid to cool it down!

Get a polishing cream (for cars) and apply less pressure!

Aller Anfang ist schwer!


Have fun


Wise(b)ass

 

[B-Mac]

On to the bridge. I took it apart as far as I was able. :/ None of my hex keys fit the saddle screws.
View attachment 3779284

The base plate cleaned up nicely, and does not feel like a zinc alloy... it actually feels like steel.
View attachment 3779285

I swear we had some WD40 or similar here, but I can't find it. So the screws and saddles remain as they are until such time as I get some. And the proper hex key. The springs seem OK, but I'll wash them in WD40, as well.
View attachment 3779288

Or I can simply drill holes for a standard bent plate... but I don't wanna. I want to keep it the bridge original.

The hex keys are probably imperial instead of metric. Run into that a lot over here. Nothing a hardware store can't fix.

 

[B-Mac]

On to the bridge. I took it apart as far as I was able. :/ None of my hex keys fit the saddle screws.
View attachment 3779284

The base plate cleaned up nicely, and does not feel like a zinc alloy... it actually feels like steel.
View attachment 3779285

I swear we had some WD40 or similar here, but I can't find it. So the screws and saddles remain as they are until such time as I get some. And the proper hex key. The springs seem OK, but I'll wash them in WD40, as well.
View attachment 3779288

Or I can simply drill holes for a standard bent plate... but I don't wanna. I want to keep it the bridge original.

That's actually a decent bridge with the two tracks per saddle.