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Wishbass Club (Part III)

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#21
I'm the second owner - the original guy bought it on eBay and couldn't get used to the Wish neck. I don't know whether there were more of 'em made.

I love the sound and the feel, but my one leeetle peeve is that the spike on the treble side can make it a tad uncomfortable to play sitting down. I use a strap all the time, and take a little weight off my leg.
 
#22
I have a question for anyone who might know the answer ... As you know, I recently acquired Stude #0003 and I wrote to Wish about it to see if he had anything he could remember about it (I know, it's kind of a dumb and annoying thing to do!). He wrote back and mentioned a larger shop he was working out of at the time and this was during a time when he was trying to "mass produce" Wishbasses. What I am wondering is why the four-number sequence on this Stude when my Scarab #668 only has three numbers stamped on it? Was the four-number basses a different lot or run? If so, where does this fall in terms of which batch was first, etc? I'm curious about it, is all ...........

This Stude has the waxed finish, lipstick pup and the narrower headstock/neck like his earlier stuff, but now I am not sure where it falls in Wishbass history with the 4 (stamped) digit numbering series doohatchey.

My camera is still missing so I can't include photos at this time but will soon hopefuly. 3StringPete, do you know the answer? - Thanks in advance anyone!
 
#23
Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone else remember when the Stude was introduced? It seems that the Stude was Wish's attempt at a more-affordable entry bass, at around a $200 flat price point. The early Studes all looked alike, and weren't made from fancier woods. If I recall, this was only a few years ago, well after the other Wishbasses had been selling on the 'Bay.

Could it be that the Studes had their own serial numbers? I could easily be wrong, but I don't think a Stude could have been the actual third Wishbass.
 
#24
From what I have observed I think it goes pretty much like this.

All WB serial numbers are sequencial, regardless of model, starting at 1 and growing from there. When he started, Wish was burning the name and location, along with the serial number, on the back of his basses. All the old ones with "Wishbass Winston-Salem North Carolina" branded on the back, also seemed to have 4 digit serial numbers. I don't have access to pics of old numba 88, but when I get home I'll check. I'm pretty sure it's serial number is 0088. At some point, I imagine in an effort to simplifiy construction, Wish changed over to his stickers on the back. If not precisely then, around that time, he lost the leading zero's on the serial numbers. I'm guessing he was past 100, and for whatever reason just started the new style of #. My first custom Scroll is marked as 474. Also when he was using 4 digits and the leading zero's, he had a # symbol in front, which he abandoned later on.

This is all assumed, based on basses I've owned, and seen pictures of. So I might not have it all correct............

James
 
#25
PeteH said:
Perhaps it's just me, but does anyone else remember when the Stude was introduced? It seems that the Stude was Wish's attempt at a more-affordable entry bass, at around a $200 flat price point. The early Studes all looked alike, and weren't made from fancier woods. If I recall, this was only a few years ago, well after the other Wishbasses had been selling on the 'Bay.

Could it be that the Studes had their own serial numbers? I could easily be wrong, but I don't think a Stude could have been the actual third Wishbass.
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PeteH; This strikes me as accurate because Wish mentioned in that same email that the base price for the Studes were a flat $200. He also mentioned it as an earlier attempt to produce a bass guitar in larger numbers. Could be these mass-quanity units were numbered with the 4 digits in his anticipation of high production numbers. Also, this Stude has "plain" (by Wish's standards) maple woods used in it with walnut & maple stringers - it definitley is more sedate-looking compared to, let's say the ambrosia units he has up currently.

James; This Stude does NOT have the early address burned into the back as another early Wishbass I had did - this one has a clear sticker and the 4 digit number. Makes me think PeteH is correct ... Any thoughts?

Does anyone know for sure? Thanx!
 
#26
Yeah - I remember that the simple one-wood bodies and maple/walnut (vs. expensive stringers) necks as well as the (Danelectro?) lipstick pickups helped keep costs down.
Since the Stude is more recent, I wonder if they had a separate stream of serial numbers for the low-end series.

That would confuse things mightily.
 
#27
PeteH said:
Yeah - I remember that the simple one-wood bodies and maple/walnut (vs. expensive stringers) necks as well as the (Danelectro?) lipstick pickups helped keep costs down.
Since the Stude is more recent, I wonder if they had a separate stream of serial numbers for the low-end series.

That would confuse things mightily.
Click to expand...
PeteH; The funny thing is, as "plain" as this Stude is, it's not really that plain when compared to other guitars. Mine has some nice grain in it and a big dark knot hole on the top of the body that is really kool. Once I strip the wax finish off and work it over, this one is going to really look good. Econo-grade or not, it's a nice looking and nice playing bass - the neck is very comfortable since it's narrower and fatter than his newer necks (apparently my favorite profile), which tend to be wider and thinner.

I re-read Wish's email back to me about the Stude and he said he tried for a few months ("a few years ago"), to mass produce those things which included the wax finishes. He also mentioned burning his hand in that shop. I think that and the pressure to keep numbers up drove him away from the whole deal. - At this point I am going to run with the theory that there was a separate line of 'econo-Studes' with a 4 digit number run separate from the other Wishbasses. Anyone else out there have one of these? Does anyone know how many of these units were made?
 
#28
Fellow TB'ers; Well, here we go again - bummer. I releveled the neck on my new Lobe about 2-1/2 weeks ago - took it out to 1000 grit (a quick job really in the interest of time) and sealed it up with Dr. Duck's Axe Wax. I was working on the nut this morning and low and behold I have a major dip in my neck - I can slip a quarter under my straightedge in the mid-neck position! I am beginning to wonder if it's not the Dr. Duck's oil that I am using. Does anyone have any guesses? I know it's brutally dry here, but this has now happened to 2 of my Wishbassess and both of them received the same product on the neck once I polished them out. Accck!

Wish is going to repair it no sweat, but I am concerned about my other bassess that await FB work. Any thoughts? What is anyone else using to oil up a fingerboard?

Thanx!
 
#31
Thunderitter said:
I use StewMac's finger board oil. I am not dealing with your humidity (or lack thereof) but I find that finishes the board really well and buffs up nicely.
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Well, I got another email from Wish today about this issue and since two of my Wishbassess have now done this (I told him about it) and both of them got doses of the same oil, he thinks it's no coincidence. I tend to agree. Just to be safe, I am not going to use Dr. Duck's anymore on my FBs. I think the oil and the extremely dry weather here is causing contraction of the FB since that is the only unsealed surface on these basses. I have some pure mineral oil, but StewMac's stuff sounds better.

MJL; the FB on this Lobe is persimmon. All I know is that once the FBs were sanded out where I wanted it, I applied liberal amounts of DR. Duck's oil, waited a bit for it to dry and then buffed lightly. Several days later, I get warpage and this on 2 different basses - that's all I know at this point!

Thanks for the imput ...
 
#32
Now I seem to be replying to my own comments - scary ...

After thinking about it more, perhaps the problem is more in the way I am applying the oil, and less the product itself. On both the JB and this Lobe, I poured out several small puddles of the oil and then worked those across the fingerboard, afterwards buffing it out with a dry cloth. I am thinking that the proper technique might be to apply the oil to a rag FIRST and then put on a much thinner and a more even coat across the length of the FB instead of giving the FB wood a chance to soak up larger amounts of the product in highly concentrated areas. I think this one is my bad .... ouch.

Thoughts, anyone?
 
#33
49sfine said:
Now I seem to be replying to my own comments - scary ...

After thinking about it more, perhaps the problem is more in the way I am applying the oil, and less the product itself. On both the JB and this Lobe, I poured out several small puddles of the oil and then worked those across the fingerboard, afterwards buffing it out with a dry cloth. I am thinking that the proper technique might be to apply the oil to a rag FIRST and then put on a much thinner and a more even coat across the length of the FB instead of giving the FB wood a chance to soak up larger amounts of the product in highly concentrated areas. I think this one is my bad .... ouch.

Thoughts, anyone?
Click to expand...
I second the lemon oil, 6-8 drops for the whole FB. Good luck.
 
#34
Gubna said:
wishbass!

shortwish12.JPG
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That's the best looking wishbass I've ever seen!

well done!
 
#36
jbybj said:
I second the lemon oil, 6-8 drops for the whole FB. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Yeah... I put enough to dampen a clean rag slightly and then worked it into the length of the fingerboard for a few minutes. Then went over the whole thing with a clean rag to even it out.

I think the pooling/ soaking the board may have been the warping culprit unfortunatly... What a drag, neh 49sfine? Sorry...
 
#37
MJLuke said:
Yeah... I put enough to dampen a clean rag slightly and then worked it into the length of the fingerboard for a few minutes. Then went over the whole thing with a clean rag to even it out.

I think the pooling/ soaking the board may have been the warping culprit unfortunatly... What a drag, neh 49sfine? Sorry...
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's a drag, but I've learned something. At least the problem is not so difficult to correct - Wish acted like it was not going to be a big deal.

Seems pretty stupid now that I look back, but as they said in the movies, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." (Magnificent Seven) Anyway, I just didn't think about the effect of larger concentrations of any oil really, and perhaps the type I used was not the best either. - sigh ....
 
#40
CraigG said:
Wow, I DO like this one. I'm surprised they don't have this design on their web site. Typically the Wish designs are too "out there" for my liking and the control plate typically strikes me as giving the overall instrument a "too homemade" appearance for my tastes but this one is a very professional looking instrument.
Click to expand...

The reason that he (not "they") doesn't have a picture of this instrument on his website is simple: this is not the type of instrument that you're going to receive from him. The instrument that you get will definitely have a very "homemade" appearance, and definitely will not be a finely finished instrument such as this one.

I would have to say that photos on the website are very indicative of what you will receive. On the other hand, this photo is a fine example of what you can do yourself with a Wishbass.
 
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