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Double Bass The Fiberglass Monster!

B

bassmastan

Guest
Jun 25, 2011
939
192
#1
Some of you may have seen Arnolds post on Facebook about him giving away a bass that was truly poorly repaired. Someone decided it was a good idea to repair the top with fiberglass cloth and epoxy, not only that but they thought "hey lets just pour it on the well repaired cracks so they never open up".

Well they wont open up but I guess these people were trying to seal a boat hull when doing the repair.

Anyway, because I have experience with removing epoxy and fiberglass, I decided to take the project onto myself. With a little trial and error it seems that heat plus scraping is working to get the epoxy fiberglass mess off. What I was wondering is:

  • will the heat hurt the top? I am using a heat gun at 750 deg F, but I am using my laser thermometer to measure it to 210 deg F on the epoxy fiberglass
  • If something does go horribly wrong typically how much does commissioning a new top cost
  • In terms of getting a new neck, where are the most reliable necks coming from? I am nervous to buy like an engle neck (they're thin) But I mean if I put a thick board on there it may help, or to get one of the Metropolitan Music necks. I want to give this bass a neck that will be stable and playable, I don't care about looks, I am undertaking this project as a learning experience, I am not planning on selling this bass.
  • I was thinking of maybe doing a 5 string (with a high C instead of a low B) making it a solo bass or a 4 string solo bass, or making the bass a Viennese. I want to do something interesting with the bass, its going to have an amazing story and I want it to be different, and so it can have a proper resurrection.
  • If anyone can identify the origin of the bass that would be amazing!
I will make sure to keep a record of the weekend project so everyone can see this monster turn into a beautiful bass!

This bass is going to be lots of work but I think it will be a good project. I love working with my hands and have a good mentor to work with on it!

Just a note* The bass is not made of Fiberglass*

Here are pictures: Dropbox - Fiberglass Monster
 
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Reactions: JoeyNaeger
#3
Fongoul, talk about jumping into the deep end!

I heat my house with a woodstove, so I've learned a few things about thermodynamics and the physics of combustion. 210 degrees Farenheit isn't hot enough to ignite paper, so if the dreck is coming off at that temperature, the wood should be fine. Just remember to ventilate, please.

How you get enough of the dreck off the wood to get a good glue joint is a 2016 problem.

And don't put an Engel neck on it. I happen to like Tom, but a flatsawn neck is just stupid.

Luck.
 
#4
Jake deVilliers said:
Good luck, Nick!!

Don't worry about the wood of the top - if need be you can replace some of it but that awful resin 'repair' has to come off. Take it slowly and be patient and you might end up with something playable. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Thanks Jake! I am optimistic about it, Arnold wasn't but understandably so. I'm taking my time with it and not looking at it as work but rather a break from the practice schedule figuring out how a bass works.

KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
Fongoul, talk about jumping into the deep end!

I heat my house with a woodstove, so I've learned a few things about thermodynamics and the physics of combustion. 210 degrees Farenheit isn't hot enough to ignite paper, so if the dreck is coming off at that temperature, the wood should be fine. Just remember to ventilate, please.

How you get enough of the dreck off the wood to get a good glue joint is a 2016 problem.

And don't put an Engel neck on it. I happen to like Tom, but a flatsawn neck is just stupid.

Luck.
Click to expand...

Ok good! And yes right now I'm working outside / garage with it, when I bring it to school Ilol have the availability of the giant sculpture studio to work I need a new suit for it though I ripped mine getting out of it.

What kind of neck do you recommend?
 
#7
JoeyNaeger said:
The necks Metropolitan sells come from Gleissner. If you do a big enough order, you can order directly from them. Getting figured ones is getting hard now. Plain or figured, the Gleissner necks are way better than an Engelhardt one.
Click to expand...

I'll have to contact someone over there when I get back to the states. If anyone has a dealer hookup let me know! I may need a luthiers help shaping the heel, fingerboard radius, and with installing the tuners. But it would be completely worth it specially if I could learn how to do it with them.
 

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