The Fenderbird begins....

[Eilif]

I just ordered the mighty-mite pups. I have read reports that they are pretty warm sounding and that suits me fine. When it comes to cheap pickups I'll take warmer and less clarity over bright and brittle anyday, though nothing is saying that they might not be clear and warm. Fingers crossed...

Honestly though, the real reason I am getting them is that they are some of the only cheap pups that are nearly exactly the size of the pickup routes and at 50 bucks a set it seems like the wisest course of action. In case I decide to upgrade later, I don't want to have to modify the pup routes much.

If the measurements are correct, then they are perfect thickness and depth, and I shouldn't have to shave more than one millmeter in length off the pup or cavity. This is what they look like:

Details http://cgi.ebay.com/Bass-Pickups-4-...ryZ22670QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Oh, and Grizzly says the heat gun (stripping the body), needle files (nut adjustments) and black pickguard screws shipped out today!

 

[Mon Rominee]

I've seen many of those sets.

I almost wouldn't be surprised, at all, if those are actually the OEM stock pups. EMG HZ's work too.

 

[Eilif]

Intersting... Do you have any descriptions of what the Mighty Mite pups sound like?

I'm not sure what's in thunderbirds now, but I do know that the pups that would have come with this particular bird (the slightly older MIK edition) had the beveled thumb rest edge. I think I found the company that very likely does the OEM for epiphone or at least for other copycat t-birds out there. Flip to page 36 to see them at the link below.

http://artecsound.com/pickups/index.html

I couldn't find any dealers who would order them however, so I gave up. As for the EMG HZ pups, I considered them but I never played a set of HZ's that I liked, and the mighty mite's were cheaper, so I didn't even bother to see if HZ's were the right dimensions.

Forgot to mention before. Your Bird is beautiful. Well Done!

 

[SDB Guitars]

I've used Mighty Mite passive soapbar pickups before. They sound a lot like a P-bass pickup, as they are a split-coil set that overlap a little in the middle. Ferrous magnet, as oppsed to ceramic... I think they actually don't sound bad. Not really high output, but decent tone. Not super high-fi...

 

[robert43]

I like going to keep a eye on this project

 

[Eilif]

I've used Mighty Mite passive soapbar pickups before. They sound a lot like a P-bass pickup, as they are a split-coil set that overlap a little in the middle. Ferrous magnet, as oppsed to ceramic... I think they actually don't sound bad. Not really high output, but decent tone. Not super high-fi...

Thanks for that great news! I love p-bass pickups, prefer ferrous to ceramic, low output doesn't bother me, and not-super-hi-fi, sounds like a description of my preferred bass tone.

You made my morning!

 

[Eilif]

The Grizzly Heat Gun arrived today. The cheapest gun I could find at HomeDepot was 50 bucks, but the Grizly 1800 watt variable temp was only $20! http://www.grizzly.com/products/Heat-Gun-1800-Watt/H0801

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The screws I ordered from them came also

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Black-Screws-10-pc-/H6121

as did the File set.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-pc-Diamond-File-Set/H3129

I made a mistake and ordered the Diamond files, but not "needle" files, so they are too big for nut work. But it's a usefull tool anyway. I'm going to be using a precut plastic bass nut from Guitar center (about a buck fifty IIRC) so I'm not sure if I will order another set of files, or just make do with the one needle file I have.

Did I mention that I ordered this stuff on Sunday night, and it got here today? I'm very impressed!

 

[origami]

can't wait to see the final product!

love the ox bass decal.

didn't lakeland or someone make a "fenderbird", but shelved it in pre-production after the ox died?

BTW- the all natural fenderbird V looks killer.

mm

 

[Eilif]

didn't lakeland or someone make a "fenderbird", but shelved it in pre-production after the ox died?

mm

Yup,
There's a black and maple double darkstar fenderbird style bass that Lakland made as a prototype for a potential "John Enwhistle Tribute" model, but as you say, it got shelved after he passed away. The black and maple combo is just beautiful though.

The neck and Body look great together, and I would almost consider doing a black/maple combo, except that I already have a black bass.

 

[Eilif]

Picked up a Respirator, scrapers and sandpaper at Home Depot today. Then I had a first go at the body with the heat gun. I only got a tiny bit off before I dinner, and now the weather looks a bit to threatening to set it all up outside again.

I'm starting with the rear body edges. 2 reasons.
1) I figure I'll be able to scrape a starting point easier.
2) If I badly scortch the edge as I begin, I can hide it with a sunburst finish and still have the grain in the middle finish.

The very little progress I made in the 15 minutes I was out there seems to indicate that this is going to be a long process. I'll try and make some more progress tomorrow.

 

[RED5]

Picked up a Respirator, scrapers and sandpaper at Home Depot today. Then I had a first go at the body with the heat gun. I only got a tiny bit off before I dinner, and now the weather looks a bit to threatening to set it all up outside again.

I'm starting with the rear body edges. 2 reasons.
1) I figure I'll be able to scrape a starting point easier.
2) If I badly scortch the edge as I begin, I can hide it with a sunburst finish and still have the grain in the middle finish.

The very little progress I made in the 15 minutes I was out there seems to indicate that this is going to be a long process. I'll try and make some more progress tomorrow.

I have to ask, have you given chemical strippers a go yet?. With proper handling they're quite safe and won't alter the wood surface.

 

[Eilif]

I have to ask, have you given chemical strippers a go yet?. With proper handling they're quite safe and won't alter the wood surface.

I haven't. They were my first choice, but all the reports I heard about modern poly paints said that sanding or heat gun was the only way to get them off.

 

[McSpunckle]

Can't wait to see what happens.


The basses posted in this thread are AWESOME! I never imagined I would like that headstock on a Tbird that much.

 

[barbarbass]

I have to admit, I don't "get" the five-string version.

It seems to be this would be a punker's or goth kid's axe -- but a five-string suggests a more shredding, jazzy player. Interesting.

 

[Barkless Dog]

I'm not sure why you're going through Poly stripping hell, when you could just paint over the old finish?

Even if you do strip it, getting it to a good natural finish state is near impossible without sanding wood off.

It's a huge dirt job, that is unnecessary and could screw everything up.

In the end the wood could look like crap or be totally mismatched.

 

[Eilif]

I'm not sure why you're going through Poly stripping hell, when you could just paint over the old finish?

Even if you do strip it, getting it to a good natural finish state is near impossible without sanding wood off.

3 reasons.
1) curiosity. Pure and simple, I want to see what's under there.
2) I don't need a perfect grain picture. Even a little grain, so long as it's relatively consistent showing through a Brown sunburst finsish would look really cool.
3) The original finish has some large gouges in it already.

I confess that I'm sure that somewhere through this process I will be expressing the sentiment you noted, but I'm hoping for the best. I have plenty of time and if the wood is crap I can always put some paint over it.

 

[RED5]

I'm not sure why you're going through Poly stripping hell, when you could just paint over the old finish?

Even if you do strip it, getting it to a good natural finish state is near impossible without sanding wood off.

It's a huge dirt job, that is unnecessary and could screw everything up.

In the end the wood could look like crap or be totally mismatched.

You didn't want to use a chemical stripper? I use Strypeze, tears the finish off Fenders (You ever try to sand a Fender finish off?) Washes up with water, just keep it out of your eyes. The wood comes away clean, no burn or sanding marks. And after drying it's neutral to paint or clear finishes

 

[Eilif]

Finish Update:
I put on the respirator and went to work on the finish with the heat gun for about an hour and a half. I stripped off nearly all the paint, leaving behind what -based on the parts where I got down to the wood- appears to be a black primer/sealer. I'll attack that with sandpaper, hopefully early this week.

I broke through to the wood in a few places, and it appears that the color in all places is the same uniform color of reddish brown mahogany, so that's very encouraging. If it is even all around, I would like to do a translucent brown or a brown sunburst for the finish.

Pickup update:
Also, the pickups have arrived, and they are a touch larger that I expected, but I shouldn't have to enlarge the pickup routes more than a milimeter on all sides. For anyone ordering these, I recomend ordering them as a set. I've seen them advertised generically individualy, but mine came labeled uniquely for (f)ront and (r)ear positions, so perhaps there is a difference between the two.

Decal update:
Jehu Java finished the decal and it looks smashing! better than I could have wished for! check the decal thread to see it.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=89322&d=1209069711

 

[Eilif]

I went to work on the rear center strip with sandpaper today. It reavealed some even and fairly consistent, if somewhat basic, grain.

I'm going to pick up some coarser sand paper, as it's going to take way to long if I keep using the stuff that I have. Overall, I'm glad (so far) that I decided to remove all the paint.

 

[Eilif]

Finished stripping all the paint except for the edge of the faux-neck-through which will have to be carefully scraped. My right arm was very sore for 2 days. I got a friend to photograph the parts thus far. Note that the light makes the wood look yellowish, when it is actually a bit brownish.

Front

Back

Bottom corner Showing the break and the worst bit of mismatching wood

Looking at the body from the side, it's frustrating to realize that if they had switched two of the pieces of wood, on the bottom half, the wood above and below the faux neck through raised portion would look perfectly even, and the "butcher block pieces would be hidden under the veneers that make up the faux neck thru center section.

Thus, a solid transparent color is probably not an option, but a dark brown sunburst would look fine, and is probably how I will end up going. I have not decided whether to try and patch the hole, or just to get a metal jack plate.

Here's a mockup of the neck and body together