NR T-bird make-over

[JIO]

The gold knobs don't do it for me. Otherwise, a fantastic look!

They originally came with either black or gold. Gold was requested.

 

[Flamingo21]

They originally came with either black or gold. Gold was requested.

I know. I just gave my own completely superfluous viewpoint for free.

 

[dagrev]

Set-neck gap gone. All pg screw-holes gone also.

View attachment 5212944
Gold knobs, bridge and vintage string-stop/tailpiece installed. Depending on available light, the warm white can look different. Warm light makes for a more 'yellowed' appearance. In person, it looks more like the pics above.
View attachment 5212955
As clearly illustrated here - a predominance of the brighter white pg material makes the camera lens adjust which makes the body white look more yellow.
View attachment 5212957
Vintage-style reverse-wind Gotoh tuners installed - great quality - smooth as silk.
View attachment 5212948
Frets dressed/polished - not much wear, like new!
View attachment 5212949
Finger-board cleaned & stained darker w/walnut Jeld' stain - looks much better.
View attachment 5212950
Control cavity and pu cavity fully shielded w/copper tape. Both cavities were also star-grounded for silent operation.
View attachment 5212961
Signed off -
View attachment 5212964
Late '60s Gibson T-bird pu installed, bridge saddles intoned, action nice and comfortable, tug bar cut and installed (traced off my '64 II tb) Waiting for screws ordered to fully secure the pg. I'm using period correct small (#2) Gibson round-head screws. I will also drill holes for a pu & bridge cover - I have both from my '64 II.
View attachment 5212971
View attachment 5213449
Roto Swing Bass strings installed -
View attachment 5212980

Fantastic!

Whoever Chucky is, he's one lucky dude!

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I'm learning some stuff here. I would have been forming the belly cut with a wood rasp for the better part of a day. 4 hours and 5 blisters later...

I just use the roller end of a small belt sander and pencil lines

 

[JIO]

Fantastic!

Whoever Chucky is, he's one lucky dude!

 

[JIO]

Last touches - I added pu & bridge cover holes (shown w/screws) per request from its owner.

...according to covers from 1964

And I replaced the black plastic nut with one I cut from bone, like a late '60s NR would have. All that's left to do is to apply the T-bird logo-sticker on the pg, which is 'in the mail'.

 

[Engle]

Last touches - I added pu & bridge cover holes (shown w/screws) per request from its owner.

View attachment 5222770
...according to covers from 1964
View attachment 5222771

View attachment 5222773

View attachment 5222774
And I replaced the black plastic nut with one I cut from bone, like a late '60s NR would have. All that's left to do is to apply the T-bird logo-sticker on the pg, which is 'in the mail'.
View attachment 5222775

Looks great! Tracking shows the sticker is out for delivery

 

[JIO]

Looks great! Tracking shows the sticker is out for delivery

(please let me pay for shipping Irv)

 

[Engle]

(please let me pay for shipping Irv)

I thought Chuck was going to?

 

[D.M.N.]

I used this pic of a '68 T-bird IV for location of the pg cover and bridge cover. (and tug-bar)

View attachment 5212999
Lookin' vintage! You can buy a repo of the bridge cover (for $25) EBAC-N Custom Nickel Gibson EB-3/0® Style Bass Ashtray Pickup/Bridge Cover | eBay on eBay, or an original late '60s bridge cover for just under $400. These are from my '64 II, and I also have a bridge cover off my '68 EB3. The pu cover is another story - I don't know if they do a repo and I never see a vintage one for sale. Imagine what the asking price would be for that!
View attachment 5213001

I've been on the search for pickup covers too, after mine from Scott was, let's say, "liberated" at a studio earlier this year. Haven't found any yet, but I need them for my basses, they feel weird without them!

 

[JIO]

I've been on the search for pickup covers too, after mine from Scott was, let's say, "liberated" at a studio earlier this year. Haven't found any yet, but I need them for my basses, they feel weird without them!

Like I posted earlier, the bridge cover can be had (new) for $25 - it looks the same as a vintage one. It's the large pu cover that has never been RI'd - there's a potential biz to have them fabricated to sell. I've never seen a vintage one for sale - and if one came up I'll guess it would sell for around $500.

 

[JIO]

fini

 

[JIO]

Photo op w/my '64 II's pu & bridge covers -

 

[D.M.N.]

Like I posted earlier, the bridge cover can be had (new) for $25 - it looks the same as a vintage one. It's the large pu cover that has never been RI'd - there's a potential biz to have them fabricated to sell. I've never seen a vintage one for sale - and if one came up I'll guess it would sell for around $500.

Yeah, I've seen the bridge covers, those I still have, I just need replacement pickup covers. Unfortunately Scott's no longer making his, and Thunderbucker Ranch, who also made them, also closed shop. So left a little high and dry at this point. If you ever find any available, let me know!

Photo op w/my '64 II's pu & bridge covers -

View attachment 5224575 View attachment 5224576 View attachment 5224577 View attachment 5224578

Wowza, looks fantastic!

 

[JIO]

Yeah, I've seen the bridge covers, those I still have, I just need replacement pickup covers. Unfortunately Scott's no longer making his, and Thunderbucker Ranch, who also made them, also closed shop. So left a little high and dry at this point. If you ever find any available, let me know!



Wowza, looks fantastic!

Wasn't aware they were being produced at one point. It would probably be very expensive to do a limited run.

 

[Engle]

Wasn't aware they were being produced at one point. It would probably be very expensive to do a limited run.

Yeah it's a niche market. There's only so many people that would buy the pickup cover.

 

[JIO]

Yeah it's a niche market. There's only so many people that would buy the pickup cover.

I had a local metal fabricator make a bridge cover for my Coral Deluxe Bass. I made a cardboard moquette to give them. I can't recall what it cost, but something over $100.

They would only do it in stainless steel, not nickel as the original would have been. I tried to discolour it with heat and got a bit of 'aging' to appear. I never have it on playing it, more 'just because'. I may pull it out and see if I can apply a stain to make it look more like nickel.

This is what it looks like on this gorgeous pristine '63 Danelectro Dane that the late '60s Coral Deluxe Bass was related to. When I bought my CDB four years ago, I saw this past Reverb sold-post from a year earlier. I wish I would have seen it back then as it sold for a very reasonable price ATC.

With OHSC, also in "like new" condition. A real time capsule.

 

[Engle]

That's a cool design!
I have a friend that used to have a small fabrication shop including an industrial laser. He could have made that cover.
But he had a really hard time keeping the business going doing small runs of parts, and he eventually closed it down.
Apparently nickel plating isn't that hard to do. I'll have to try it sometime.

 

[JIO]

That's a cool design!
I have a friend that used to have a small fabrication shop including an industrial laser. He could have made that cover.
But he had a really hard time keeping the business going doing small runs of parts, and he eventually closed it down.
Apparently nickel plating isn't that hard to do. I'll have to try it sometime.

Cool - if you end up doing it, I'll send you the ss cover.

 

[JIO]

Signed, sealed and delivered! He seems to like it...