The black cherry jazz is complete:
Post in thread 'Rattle Can Refinish Club'
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/rattle-can-refinish-club.738410/post-28694826
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What's On Your Workbench?
- Thread starter HaMMerHeD
- Start date
Post in thread 'Rattle Can Refinish Club'
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/rattle-can-refinish-club.738410/post-28694826
Turned a foam mat into soft jaw inserts for my vise. Seems to hold nicely, though I probably wouldn't trust it in contact with a finish for an extended period of time.
Given my track record for project completion, I decided it would be unwise to delay finishing the saw. I found time earlier this afternoon and got it done. If I had let inertia take hold I would have used the saw in an almost complete state for another year (or more).
Now I really can cross it off the list!
Tapering the old-school way (couldn't be bothered with the rigmarole of setting up a router trench with precisely the right angles, and kinda-like hand tools):
Sometimes a simple, 5-minute jig is all it takes to save tons of aggravation.
After 30 years of using Schaller strap locks I’ve decided to return to just using plain old strap buttons and these cheap, plastic Dunlop jobbies:
They don’t squeak, fall apart or poke holes in the bottoms of my gig bags.
In digging out the original strap buttons from my old Ibanez basses, I found that 30 years of sitting in a tub of parts had left them…. a little unappealing:
I wanted to shine them up a bit but they’re tiny and hard to hold onto.
A simple handle from a discarded foam brush and an old, rusty strap button screw later and - instant strap button mandrel!
I realize that this isn’t exactly high craftsmanship, but it demonstrates that the simplest solution is often all it takes to make a tedious task far less tedious.
The buttons are back on the basses and they’re shiny enough to be seen in public.
Total investment for three instruments: one used screw, one scrap of dowel, a couple dabs of metal polish and less than 30 minutes.
After 30 years of using Schaller strap locks I’ve decided to return to just using plain old strap buttons and these cheap, plastic Dunlop jobbies:
They don’t squeak, fall apart or poke holes in the bottoms of my gig bags.
In digging out the original strap buttons from my old Ibanez basses, I found that 30 years of sitting in a tub of parts had left them…. a little unappealing:
I wanted to shine them up a bit but they’re tiny and hard to hold onto.
A simple handle from a discarded foam brush and an old, rusty strap button screw later and - instant strap button mandrel!
I realize that this isn’t exactly high craftsmanship, but it demonstrates that the simplest solution is often all it takes to make a tedious task far less tedious.
The buttons are back on the basses and they’re shiny enough to be seen in public.
Total investment for three instruments: one used screw, one scrap of dowel, a couple dabs of metal polish and less than 30 minutes.
I’ve been using those Dunlop locks for a long time. No issues and no this strap only fits this instrument concerns either.
Just started my second Bartender Precision Bass last week. (My first one is in my avatar picture on the left !)
Trying new assembly techniques and lighter body on this one.
I will also take this opportunity to give a try to a quarter pound pickup set to see how it sounds on an ultra light bass. I might also need to use some light tuners and a high mass bridge to balance the bass because of the extra light weight body……….lots of fun !
Trying new assembly techniques and lighter body on this one.
I will also take this opportunity to give a try to a quarter pound pickup set to see how it sounds on an ultra light bass. I might also need to use some light tuners and a high mass bridge to balance the bass because of the extra light weight body……….lots of fun !
These are great.Just started my second Bartender Precision Bass last week. (My first one is in my avatar picture on the left !)
Trying new assembly techniques and lighter body on this one.
I will also take this opportunity to give a try to a quarter pound pickup set to see how it sounds on an ultra light bass. I might also need to use some light tuners and a high mass bridge to balance the bass because of the extra light weight body……….lots of fun !
Just started my second Bartender Precision Bass last week. (My first one is in my avatar picture on the left !)
Trying new assembly techniques and lighter body on this one.
I will also take this opportunity to give a try to a quarter pound pickup set to see how it sounds on an ultra light bass. I might also need to use some light tuners and a high mass bridge to balance the bass because of the extra light weight body……….lots of fun !
I like what you're doing with these Bartender Basses. It's a great overall concept. Keep it simple, high quality, a nice rich sound, and you'll have customers lined up throwing money at you. And the bills will probably smell like whisky.
And yes, I think a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder is the perfect pickup for this bass. I recommend that you fit it with some nice stainless flatwounds. LaBellas or D'Addario Chromes. Many people don't like the sound of Quarter Pounders when they use them with bright roundwounds. But they really bring out the sound of flatwounds. A nice fairly even EQ curve; plenty of highs and deep lows, but not overpowering. And that's the sound character that this bass should have.
I used QP coil assemblies in my Scroll Basses, with Chromes flatwounds, for about 10 years. Up until I started making my own pickups. QP's and Chromes are a great combination.
Oh, I was also looking for an opportunity to give it a try to those famous chromes, could be on this one……….
Thanks for the suggestion.
First layer of Tru Oil applied on Bartender Bass no. 2.
It became more orange/brownish right after the first layer, looking good for the final result :
It became more orange/brownish right after the first layer, looking good for the final result :
And the back of this sycamore body isn’t bad either after one layer of Tru Oil :
Well, this little guy is moving to a new home:
My friend Jim, an outstanding guitarist, had to give up playing because of repetitive stress injuries. He can still play piano (really well) so he didn’t have to give up playing music but he missed playing electric guitar and “getting his stank on”, in his words.
I got this lap steel, an early/mid 1950s Gretsch, over 20 years ago and never really got excited enough about it to learn how to play it well. I played it maybe a dozen hours and it’s sat in its case ever since.
Giving it to Jim means it will get played and he’ll be able to play electric guitar again (in a manner of speaking) without hurting himself. And it gets it out of my house. A win-win-win.
By some miracle I actually had a fresh set of strings for it that was still in good condition after 20 years (thank you, D’Addario packaging!) and I was even able to find my old Stevens bar (an even bigger miracle). A quick wipe-down, a string change and some pickup pole-piece adjustments and the little Gretsch is ready to start making music again.
My friend Jim, an outstanding guitarist, had to give up playing because of repetitive stress injuries. He can still play piano (really well) so he didn’t have to give up playing music but he missed playing electric guitar and “getting his stank on”, in his words.
I got this lap steel, an early/mid 1950s Gretsch, over 20 years ago and never really got excited enough about it to learn how to play it well. I played it maybe a dozen hours and it’s sat in its case ever since.
Giving it to Jim means it will get played and he’ll be able to play electric guitar again (in a manner of speaking) without hurting himself. And it gets it out of my house. A win-win-win.
By some miracle I actually had a fresh set of strings for it that was still in good condition after 20 years (thank you, D’Addario packaging!) and I was even able to find my old Stevens bar (an even bigger miracle). A quick wipe-down, a string change and some pickup pole-piece adjustments and the little Gretsch is ready to start making music again.
I have a 1954 Supro that matches this 100% except the logo plate on the headstock. Even the case is the same.
Guitarist in my band has a Squier Tele that he dislikes. Just lackluster. So we discussed to do some updates and make it a bit more personal. He wanted a few things:
Budget 4-500 usd
3 pickups ( Nashville Tele)
Extended pickup selection options
Comfort contours
Retain a signature on the finish
Give it the impression of age without it being a “relic” job
Gold hardware.
Let’s get to it!
Selecting pickups is ongoing
Xentric White pearl knobs, and switch tip
Freeway 10 way blade switch on order.
250k Dunlop super pots
.22 uf tone cap
Switchcraft jack.
White pearl pickguard
Gold Engraved cut down modern tele bridge
Matching Gold Engraved control plate
Gold US Fender tuning keys with white pearl knobs
Adjustable brass nut
Gold roller string trees on order.
Progress:
Before:
Hand cut contours
Strip poly off neck
Stain basswood body and neck with Aqua Fortis.
Will use Tru Oil on contours and neck, will add light Nitrocellulose Lacquer coat to neck afterwards.
Yet to be done , Route for middle pickup.
Full fret dress.
Will come back and provide more status updates.
Budget 4-500 usd
3 pickups ( Nashville Tele)
Extended pickup selection options
Comfort contours
Retain a signature on the finish
Give it the impression of age without it being a “relic” job
Gold hardware.
Let’s get to it!
Selecting pickups is ongoing
Xentric White pearl knobs, and switch tip
Freeway 10 way blade switch on order.
250k Dunlop super pots
.22 uf tone cap
Switchcraft jack.
White pearl pickguard
Gold Engraved cut down modern tele bridge
Matching Gold Engraved control plate
Gold US Fender tuning keys with white pearl knobs
Adjustable brass nut
Gold roller string trees on order.
Progress:
Before:
Hand cut contours
Strip poly off neck
Stain basswood body and neck with Aqua Fortis.
Will use Tru Oil on contours and neck, will add light Nitrocellulose Lacquer coat to neck afterwards.
Yet to be done , Route for middle pickup.
Full fret dress.
Will come back and provide more status updates.
OK, I'll bite: is this just terrible color correction between the before and after pictures, and if not, how did you get from white to green with the signature intact?
It’s Seafoam. Artificial light vs sunlight
Frets dressed.
TruOil first coat.
Pickguard arrived
Quick mockup
Parts on order->
Tuners:
Bridge and control plate
Last edited:
Almost on my workbench, anyway. The Woodworkers Source was having a Veteran's Day sale, including 20% off maple. So we stopped by and I found a couple of nice pieces in the "cut-offs" section which seemed to me to be dirt cheap, and relatively light weight. Perfect for the coming winter build off. I'm thinking I'm feeling well enough to enter this winter, in the partial build category. Also picked up some plywood for a couple of non-luthier projects.