Opening a Can of Worms...

[JIO]

I'm a bit hesitant to post this thread as I'm swimming in uncharted waters... (Jim, Jim... I'm an artist/musician - not a luthier!") This "project" goes back/relates to my fascination with obscure vintage basses. Not main $tream vintage, but ones that can be bought for a very affordable cost. Over the years I've bought and restored/resurrected a number of them to make them playable, and I've mostly been rewarded after a lot of work. They all have their own unique character, look and sound, but it's important to me to experience them as players.

I acquired this vintage German bass from a seller in Ukraine a few years ago and did work on it then to get it playable, enough so that I even gigged it at a dinner-club here in SF with Bond Girl last year. It had major table* warpage issues when I got it that got worse over time, leading to it being unplayable. ATC, it so far wasn't a financial loss, but I wanted a playable bass. So I thought, I'll remove the table/top and see what I can do to address it. Here's where the "can of worms" comes in...

Before I post pics, I totally understand a seller in Ukraine doing as much as they could do (especially today) to sell instruments to an affluent country like the US. No slagging them - I get it. I'm of 3rd generation Eastern European decent (Poland/Czech) so I am totally empathetic. Posting these pics shows the DIY-ness of their situation and I'm not mocking them but acknowledging their resourcefulness in the face of external chaos. But as stated - my goal is a playable instrument, not just a vintage icon.

What I liked about this bass was a few things; 32" scale, hollow-body, 24 frets, and a cool vintage vibe. Others I've seen on-line had 20 frets. They also had different 'tail-pieces'. This one was a bit special/unique. It didn't come with its pg - so I researched and fabricated one. The neck heal had separation issues so I addressed that. But being a true 'hollow-body', the string tension caused bowing of the table. When I got it I could discern it had been mucked with and did what I thought would address it. Unfortunately, I was putting a band-aid on an open wound... looks bitchin' though...

*top layer of an acoustic instrument - I learned that from my dealing with double basses...

I attempted to remove the table/top with heat and careful wedging of a flat-blade...but ended up trashing the table/top in the process. This was partially due to the fact it had been previously removed and... certain irreversible things were done at one point. What have I gotten myself into?

I have no idea what product was used here - but it was hard and brittle like concrete. I'll have to rank this as the top DIY hack of all time... some sort of cloth/fabric was also incorporated...

It didn't stop there...

... but I carefully cleared it out -

same here - at least as a start... much more to come - Hack-a-Loosa ...

...and a bit further -

yes - crude...

No pics but I added wood strips where they were degraded in result of the table removal process and I created a process to determine the table perimeter. I applied acrylic paint to the raised edges in order to 'stamp' the outline.

...which gave enough of an outline to deal with -

...and scribe on the new table -

The table is made of two pieces of 1/8th birch plywood - which is good enough considering the rest that is to come - so far, so good...

 

[Matt Liebenau]

As I’ve mumbled to myself more than once while fixing “unique” repairs on something, “Why would someone do this to a poor, defenseless instrument?”

 

[CryingBass]

Now we pay for it. Well not me anyway. Can you say relic?

Cool axe as usual Jio.

 

[JIO]

As I’ve mumbled to myself more than once while fixing “unique” repairs on something, “Why would someone do this to a poor, defenseless instrument?”

It's way beyond luthier-ship... "what do I have on hand and how can I make this thing sellable." I am not tolerate if hacked by someone in the US but I have to admit to being sympathetic to parts of the world that are behind the curve and struggling to create stability. I'll give them a hard pass and do the best to support them.

 

[JIO]

I stated 'birch', but it's craft-level "Aspen" plywood... (no aircraft use)

 

[flixbass]

Hello
I suppose the top was plywood? Did it have a large "eye" on the top of the lower f-hole?
Its a pity the top did not survive. Those SIMETO pickups are high esteemed by collectors in Germany. There was a patent on them

 

[flixbass]

In western countries, especially Germany, it is seldom to find a Musima in original condition. Many swapped out the gears, electronics and pickups, often the pick guard is missing.
I received formal training as an organ builder in Germany and worked there for a while. We did a lot of restorations on old (really old, 17th-19th century) instruments. I remember a saying we often used: "Poverty is the best conservator". In times and regions where the congregations had no money, they would just leave the instrument the way it was instead of letting someone butcher it.

 

[JIO]

Hello
I suppose the top was plywood? Did it have a large "eye" on the top of the lower f-hole?
Its a pity the top did not survive. Those SIMETO pickups are high esteemed by collectors in Germany. There was a patent on them

It was thin like what I'm replacing it with, maybe plywood but I'm not sure - not certain about the larger "eye". I'm in basic recovery mode to return the bass to a playable state considering my lack of skills as a luthier. (as in, no table shaping...) I ordered a Hofner-style loaded control-plate for it to keep it iconically German. I'll determine the table layout design once it arrives - I want to do some sort of "F-holes". I'm glad to hear the pu's are esteemed - I will definitely re-incorporate them into the mix.

 

[JIO]

In western countries, especially Germany, it is seldom to find a Musima in original condition. Many swapped out the gears, electronics and pickups, often the pick guard is missing.
I received formal training as an organ builder in Germany and worked there for a while. We did a lot of restorations on old (really old, 17th-19th century) instruments. I remember a saying we often used: "Poverty is the best conservator". In times and regions where the congregations had no money, they would just leave the instrument the way it was instead of letting someone butcher it.

So cool and I agree - I would have loved to keep it original. I have high respect for people like you who restore very old instruments. But at this point my aim is to return this somewhat vintage instrument to be playable. So it's now going to evolve into a hybrid of some sort. I think I can pull it off, but like I said - I'm in the deep section of the pool. I hope I'm not considered a butcher - but instead a resurrector of a cool bass for future players.

 

[flixbass]

SIMETO – Signal-, Meß- und Tongeräte – Schlaggitarren

A German source on SIMETO-Pickups. Maybe you can translate it AI-aided.

As far as i understand, the developer aimed for equal output on every string. Instead of incorporating a single magnet and adjustable pole pieces (P-90 style), he tried to use discrete magnets for every string with differing degrees of magnetization. Since it was difficult to achieve consistent degrees of magnetization he settled on magnetizing pieces of different size/length to their maximum.

I don't know whether this really adds to the sound of the pickups. I suppose they weren't wax potted (at least in the earlier days) and microphonic. Personally, i am fond of microphonic pickups.

Since it is a hollow body instrument and a bit prone to feedback anyway i'd strongly suggest not to wax them - this can't be undone. If the bass feeds back, the drummer is too loud ;-)

 

[Captain Comet]

Very cool looking bass. I like it. You definitely have your hands full in trying to save it.

I suspect the material you found globbed in there there is similar to Water Putty. It starts out as a powder and you mix it with water. It looks to me like they loaded it up and then placed the guitar body neck joint down to let it set up, going by how there was a level line to the one side of the repair. The fact that this cracked tells me it was probably mixed with much more water than normal, in order to make it runny, but it was probably a desperate attempt to fix it while still assembled.

This is the product I am thinking of. I have never used it but I know it is pretty old school. It seemed like it was a vintage product when I first saw it in the early 1990s. I used to see their promo material while working in a hardware store.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Durha...s-XTgbDIZlRLzXK-t90TPVmxmlA54ujhoCfTgQAvD_BwE

Best of luck with making this whole again.

 

[definenredefine]

Since I am also dabbling in hollow body escapades, I'll be following this thread with interest.

 

[toastw]

What the heck, did someone spray expanding foam in there?

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

What a thread! You had me, then lost me, then had me again!

 

[SC Bassboy]

So cool and I agree - I would have loved to keep it original. I have high respect for people like you who restore very old instruments. But at this point my aim is to return this somewhat vintage instrument to be playable. So it's now going to evolve into a hybrid of some sort. I think I can pull it off, but like I said - I'm in the deep section of the pool. I hope I'm not considered a butcher - but instead a resurrector of a cool bass for future players.

Just stay the course. I also buy and repair old instruments, almost exclusively to resurrect basses that deserve a second chance. A lot of us have been in the same position as you are in. Border-line desperate, but "living in the moment" joy. We always pay for knowledge, either with money or suffering. I find that lessons learned through suffering are more rewarding and better retained. Keep going brother!

 

[JIO]

Thanks to all for your support. Growing up, we never had need of a 'repairman' - my dad helped by my brother & I fixed whatever needed fixing and did our own home & car maintenance. So I learned resourcefulness from an early age and have never been afraid of taking on a repair/project. I wish I could have kept the table intact because it was a cool looking bass, but I'll do my best to make it a playable instrument. Once I get it into shape, I'll start thinking about how to finish the flat table. I'm leaving the neck and back as-is to maintain some history.

 

[JIO]

Very cool looking bass. I like it. You definitely have your hands full in trying to save it.

I suspect the material you found globbed in there there is similar to Water Putty. It starts out as a powder and you mix it with water. It looks to me like they loaded it up and then placed the guitar body neck joint down to let it set up, going by how there was a level line to the one side of the repair. The fact that this cracked tells me it was probably mixed with much more water than normal, in order to make it runny, but it was probably a desperate attempt to fix it while still assembled.

This is the product I am thinking of. I have never used it but I know it is pretty old school. It seemed like it was a vintage product when I first saw it in the early 1990s. I used to see their promo material while working in a hardware store.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Durha...s-XTgbDIZlRLzXK-t90TPVmxmlA54ujhoCfTgQAvD_BwE

Best of luck with making this whole again.

Yes, it's possibly that product or a version of it. It's still sold in paint stores along with a bottle with various things stuck to it using it.

 

[JIO]

SIMETO – Signal-, Meß- und Tongeräte – Schlaggitarren

A German source on SIMETO-Pickups. Maybe you can translate it AI-aided.

As far as i understand, the developer aimed for equal output on every string. Instead of incorporating a single magnet and adjustable pole pieces (P-90 style), he tried to use discrete magnets for every string with differing degrees of magnetization. Since it was difficult to achieve consistent degrees of magnetization he settled on magnetizing pieces of different size/length to their maximum.

I don't know whether this really adds to the sound of the pickups. I suppose they weren't wax potted (at least in the earlier days) and microphonic. Personally, i am fond of microphonic pickups.

Since it is a hollow body instrument and a bit prone to feedback anyway i'd strongly suggest not to wax them - this can't be undone. If the bass feeds back, the drummer is too loud ;-)

 

[JIO]

Here's some pic's of it showing the caved in table at the neck area - tuning to pitch bent it further. I'll be adding back-to-top wooden struts/beams from the neck block to the end-pin block to stabilize it. It was originally a full hollow-body with two shallow stabilizing struts glued to the table underside.

 

[Reedt2000]

Man, that's pretty intense. I've seen tops collapse and pockets pull forward, never the whole thing twist and shift like that!