Worth fixing up this thrift store pile of...?

[mobass55]

If I got that thing, I'd sand the pickguard enough to get good pain adhesion, and respray it with a better color. I've done that before, with good results.

I use to be a model railroader, used Easy-Off oven cleaner to strip the paint off cars, worked great!!

 

[micguy]

I use to be a model railroader, used Easy-Off oven cleaner to strip the paint off cars, worked great!!

So long as it was your model cars and not your Mom's car, I can see that being OK.

 

[DWBass]

Not worth trying to flip but if you can make it a decent working bass, it's worth it.

 

[Flamingo21]

I use to be a model railroader, used Easy-Off oven cleaner to strip the paint off cars, worked great!!

Wow! I used to be a model railroader as well, but I never heard of this trick.

 

[GretschWretch]

Would Easy-Off work to strip a heavy paint coat off a bass body?

 

[Brad Stensland]

I don't go for same old. Here's a thrift store Yamaha guitar I've been working on with paint pens and some sandpaper.View attachment 3352242

I'm guessing...also, a touch or two of LSD. But that makes it niiiice.

 

[That Old Guy]

I'm pretty much brand new to all this and haven't done any work on my basses myself yet so bear with me. You won't be impressed. I promise.

Found this sad looking Davison P-style at a local thrift store yesterday. I would have walked away but this particular thrift store employs developmentally challenged adults and we try to support them whenever possible. Plus I don't have a P-style bass and it seems all the cool kids have one or two (or ten).

I jokingly asked for a 25% discount since it only had 75% of the strings but they just laughed at me and said no. My wife didn't bat an eye when I took it to the register and even whipped out her credit card. Love that woman.

There was duct tape on the nut under the D and G strings trying to keep them from touching the first fret. For sure it needs a new nut installed. The old one popped right out so no worries about removal. The output jack doesn't have that "spring lock" feeling when you plug in the cable. Feels like the cable will fall right out. It's making a connection, though. The volume and tone controls seem to be working. I gave the truss rod 1/8 of a turn just to make sure it was operational.

I'm thinking that with about fifty dollars (or less) in parts and strings maybe I can make it playable and educate myself a little bit at the same time. Then I won't be too intimidated to wrench on my other two "better" basses. I know there's lots of good set-up info on YouTube and such.

Haven't found too much info on these, not even here. I'm assuming quality is about on par with all the cheap eBay basses. Anyone else had any experience with one of these? Is it so bad that I should just tear it apart and save the body?

There seems to be a myriad of choices on replacement nuts. I realize the need to measure the old one before I order and the need to sand down a replacement to fit but curious about what material or brand name is preferable.

Thanks in advance for any and all opinions or advice. Even if you tell me to burn it.

View attachment 3351939

Take your time and enjoy tinkering with it until you get it just the way YOU like it. I bought a little Epiphone EB-0 a couple of years ago for a hundred bucks and have slowly turned it into the perfect bass FOR ME.

 

[2strings2frets]

The OP has a fantastic starting point to learn on!!

I wanted to try my hand at refinishing, defretting and changing electronics, so for $60 I picked up a crappy-looking bass in a local hock shop. It was covered with black runny spray paint, and was missing one string. It looked pretty hard used.

Now it looks like this:

View attachment 3352355 View attachment 3352356 View attachment 3352357 View attachment 3352358

Nice job

 

[Ric5]

I'm pretty much brand new to all this and haven't done any work on my basses myself yet so bear with me. You won't be impressed. I promise.

Found this sad looking Davison P-style at a local thrift store yesterday. I would have walked away but this particular thrift store employs developmentally challenged adults and we try to support them whenever possible. Plus I don't have a P-style bass and it seems all the cool kids have one or two (or ten).

I jokingly asked for a 25% discount since it only had 75% of the strings but they just laughed at me and said no. My wife didn't bat an eye when I took it to the register and even whipped out her credit card. Love that woman.

There was duct tape on the nut under the D and G strings trying to keep them from touching the first fret. For sure it needs a new nut installed. The old one popped right out so no worries about removal. The output jack doesn't have that "spring lock" feeling when you plug in the cable. Feels like the cable will fall right out. It's making a connection, though. The volume and tone controls seem to be working. I gave the truss rod 1/8 of a turn just to make sure it was operational.

I'm thinking that with about fifty dollars (or less) in parts and strings maybe I can make it playable and educate myself a little bit at the same time. Then I won't be too intimidated to wrench on my other two "better" basses. I know there's lots of good set-up info on YouTube and such.

Haven't found too much info on these, not even here. I'm assuming quality is about on par with all the cheap eBay basses. Anyone else had any experience with one of these? Is it so bad that I should just tear it apart and save the body?

There seems to be a myriad of choices on replacement nuts. I realize the need to measure the old one before I order and the need to sand down a replacement to fit but curious about what material or brand name is preferable.

Thanks in advance for any and all opinions or advice. Even if you tell me to burn it.

View attachment 3351939

Mod the crap out of it

 

[Spacecase]

Loving that headstock!

And it doubles as a bottle opener.

It looks like a fun project.

 

[Diesel Kilgore]

Love projects. That one looks like a winner.

 

[Ewo]

Seems like a fun project, and a great way to learn some bass setup technique without a big investment. Enjoy!

 

[gungrog]

<<< I picked up the 'non-brand' p-bass in my avatar for almost nothing, spent some time and a few dollars (< 50) on it, and now it doesn't look like that anymore & plays and sounds pretty good! And I had some fun/learnt some stuff in the process.

Have fun with yours!

 

[BadSanta1281]

This is the pick guard i made for my $69 jazz bass. $5 for a piece of birch ply and some Rit dye + Tung oil.

That looks awesome!

I'm guessing...also, a touch or two of LSD. But that makes it niiiice.

Well, I was a an 8 year old little kid who went and "saw the hippies" in San Francisco during the Summer of Love but that was as close as I ever got to any LSD. Maybe somebody put something in my root beer back then. That would explain a lot.

Take your time and enjoy tinkering with it until you get it just the way YOU like it. I bought a little Epiphone EB-0 a couple of years ago for a hundred bucks and have slowly turned it into the perfect bass FOR ME.

Hey! My first bass is my EB-0. I'm interested to hear what you've done. When I take it to my lessons my 70 year old teacher always wants to switch basses with me. He digs it the most!

Mod the crap out of it

Yeah. My wife bought it for me so I better make it nice. She's worth it.

 

[BadSanta1281]

The problem with the loose jack output might be fixed by unscrewing the output jack, bending the tip connector inward, and screwing it back.

That did the trick, thanks!