SHOW YOUR DISTRESSED FINISHES!

[Dark Horse]

Bravewood Jazz he recently completed

 

[JIO]

Thanks! Yeah, it's a vintage style thunderbird humbucker, made in Korea I believe. Short scale, narrow fretboard but massive depth. I find it super comfy.

Cool superstrat/epi Frankenstein! Great styling and pickup choice.

Cool! Thanks! It's 34" scale and using a smallish guitar body I just barely got the bridge to intone correctly. It's light also which is nice. Those Teisco pu's are hot, warm and punchy - they were Teisco's most used pu's in the mid to late '60s. My short-scale '65 Teisco Del Rey has them.

and yes, it has some 'distressed' area's -

 

[JIO]

Bravewood Jazz he recently completed

very impressive -

 

[Dark Horse]

very impressive -

I honestly think he’s doing the best relic work in the business right now.

 

[JIO]

I honestly think he’s doing the best relic work in the business right now.

I agree.

 

[GretschWretch]

I thought it would take more than just mere weather-checking to participate in this thread, but previous postings suggest I was wrong.

1966 Vox Cougar

@Thornton Davis signature hollow-body teardrop

1976 Fender P bass fretless. I call this my "Blackburn, Lancashire" bass because, including those filled by screws, there are forty holes drilled in the top.

 

[JIO]

I thought it would take more than just mere weather-checking to participate in this thread, but previous postings suggest I was wrong.

1966 Vox Cougar

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@Thornton Davis signature hollow-body teardrop

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1976 Fender P bass fretless. I call this my "Blackburn, Lancashire" bass because, including those filled by screws, there are forty holes drilled in the top.

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We are open to all forms of distressing here! My second bass bought used in '67 was a Vox Cougar like that. It might have had a different tailpiece, one with VOX on it.

 

[Dark Horse]

Another Bravewood….

 

[Mikaelbass]

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Would it be absolute heresy to clean whatever in the **** is built up on the back of the neck? and on the fretboard? The neck feels unreal, but it is literally, built up on top. Would hate to clean it off to reveal something less pleasing underneath.

 

[JIO]

Another Bravewood….


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When stuff is that good, it becomes a game to try and figure out how it was done. Like a magic trick!

 

[Dark Horse]

When stuff is that good, it becomes a game to try and figure out how it was done. Like a magic trick!

Indeed ! I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking at and trying to deconstruct his techniques!

 

[Dynacord]

Bravewood Jazz he recently completed

John (Bravewood) is one of the best. I've known him for about 20ish years - sold him a bunch of original parts - his early builds used a lot of original hardware. He makes the Custom Shop look like a joke. He restored my '66 dots and binding Jazz Bass and did a great job (Fiesta Red over sunburst).

 

[Dynacord]

One of a kind. '61 3 knob in trans red over ash with original gold hardware. At Guitar Broker now (I know the previous owner on this one)

Interestingly, years ago I also sold a set of original gold hardware from a '61 3 knob Jazz to Bravewood (NOT the same set as this).

 

[Pep]

Vintage ICON VJ74 Pro Shop Special

 

[Mikaelbass]

Awesome - I bought my '66 P about 4 years ago now and feel lucky to have had the opportunity to buy/own it. (right place-right time) There's magic in these road-dogs whether called mojo or whatever. I feel it every time I play mine.

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I have seen a bunch of posts about you cleaning this thing when you received it. How did the neck look before you cleaned it? I posted my bass a page or so ago, it is absolutely filthy, literally has a layer of grime on the back of the neck and fretboard. I am unsure to touch it with anything as it is so unique. Would love to see your before and after

 

[Dynacord]

Indeed ! I’ve spent quite a bit of time looking at and trying to deconstruct his techniques!

He's shared some of his techniques and materials with me - though I don't know how he gets the neck wear and aging to look so real. Main thing is not being rushed (really long curing time before starting the aging) and doing the nitro really thin. It's worth knowing that he scratch builds the necks and bodies - these are not off the shelf Allparts or similar - they are built from the inside out. An entirely different class than the stuff like Nash. I've had a stupid number of pre-CBS basses (and worked on many more) and the Bravewoods manage to capture the intangible vibe of the real ones IMO.

BTW on that '61 Jazz I just posted, I'm not convinced that's ash as it could just be a more grainy than usual alder body.

 

[JIO]

I have seen a bunch of posts about you cleaning this thing when you received it. How did the neck look before you cleaned it? I posted my bass a page or so ago, it is absolutely filthy, literally has a layer of grime on the back of the neck and fretboard. I am unsure to touch it with anything as it is so unique. Would love to see your before and after

Wow, 10 yrs ago so I don't recall specifically what I used but isopropyl alcohol more than likely, but don't hold me to that. There are products available to clean vintage nitro w/o harming the finish, and 0000 steel wool gingerly rubbed can be used to remove thick grime. Most of what I cleaned was the neck as it had some 'mojo' that didn't increase its worth to me. Sticky gunk just doesn't feel great. If I remember correctly, the body wasn't that bad - just a basic cleaning.

The tuners I didn't touch, instead I removed them and stored them safely away in a box for continence-sake.

As when I bought it.

I replaced them w/Fender "vintage-style" 'relic'd' reverse-wind tuners that have more worm-gear threads for better tuning. I left one screw on each off as it would have distorted the hole to include it. Also note gunk is gone.

I left the tuner-plate covered areas as-is -

 

[Mikaelbass]

Wow, 10 yrs ago so I don't recall specifically what I used but isopropyl alcohol more than likely, but don't hold me to that. There are products available to clean vintage nitro w/o harming the finish, and 0000 steel wool gingerly rubbed can be used to remove thick grime. Most of what I cleaned was the neck as it had some 'mojo' that didn't increase its worth to me. Sticky gunk just doesn't feel great. If I remember correctly, the body wasn't that bad - just a basic cleaning.

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The tuners I didn't touch, instead I removed them and stored them safely away in a box for continence-sake.
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As when I bought it.
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I replaced them w/Fender "vintage-style" 'relic'd' reverse-wind tuners that have more worm-gear threads for better tuning. I left one screw on each off as it would have distorted the hole to include it. Also note gunk is gone.
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I left the tuner-plate covered areas as-is -
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Awesome I appreciate that.

You can see this baby has some SERIOUS mojo going on. It’s not sticky, it is so old and tried I bet it’s part of the actual finish. Not sure to leave it or not

 

[Dynacord]

Bravewood killin' it again:

 

[Dynacord]