Andyjr1515

Both

One thing you learn messing about with guitars and basses is that, especially in terms of geometry, everything affects everything. Until you start unscrewing stuff and lifting covers and components, you can't be certain what has changed in the past 56 years, and what was always like that...and, even then, was it 'right'. It's one of the most interesting aspects with working on old instruments (that and the 'exhilarating' terror of making a mistake ). And then there is the other aspect - even if something always was wrong - is it better to correct that...or correct everything else around it. And here a different type of logic might apply - and often this is where pragmatism and experience come in. Let me explain. The bridge is at an angle, but the strings are lined up well down the fretboard: The centre dots are in the middle of the A/D string gap at both nut and heel ends; the distance between the E and G and their respective fretboard sides are even. Andyjr1515 Golden Rule: If this is the case, and the bass plays well (it does) and the action is able to be low without buzzing (this is perhaps the lowest action - in terms of across all strings - of any bass I've worked on) then assume, unless some aspect later-on is irreconcilable, that this is the datum. So my plan, as it stands, is to do NOTHING with the neck. In fact, if I can be sure of protecting everything, I probably will not even take the neck off. Ideally, I don't want to touch it at all. And so, for the time being, I have a datum. And so what about the bridge? If the string runs are assumed to be correct, how are they in relation to the bridge? Have a look at the strings relative to the lines of the saddle adjustment grooves: Note also that gap between the control plate and the scratch plate - it's askew. So - critical question. Has the bridge been repositioned? Did the modder who installed the pickups erroneously put them in at an angle and then had to twist the bridge? Only one way of finding out Golden rule with working on old basses...make sure you know which particular screw came out of which hole...it matters! Hmmm...interesting. I would pretty much guarantee that this bass has never been been resprayed and, as such, any adjustment of the main screws would show. I'll come back to the two small screw holes next to the pickup cavity. The four large holes at the back are the string-through holes. I reckon that bridge was askew from new: So next question - could it be straightened without affecting the string runs?

In terms of bits and layout, not quite. In terms of putting a smile on @ped 's face, then hopefully

Now, folks, stop right there! I know, I know, I KNOW!!! And more to the point, so does the owner of this 56 year old beauty (the bass, that is), our very own @ped And the bass is a delight. My Canon SLR doesn't cope well with reds, but this gives you at least an essence: OK - to stem the torrent of 'DON'T DO IT' posts, it is clear that it has already, in its past, been significantly and irreversibly modded. I'm pretty sure this is closer to what it would have looked like out of the factory: So, originally: no bridge pickup; early, smaller, split neck pickups. And so to @ped's wish and desire: - The present PJ pickups, while parallel with the bridge, are absolutely not square to the strings and neck. So is it the bridge that is wrong? And if so, was it always? Or was it the replacement pickups that were put in skewwhiff? Or is it the neck? Or all of the above? - The pickups aren't as originally fitted. Neither the bridge nor the neck pickups are original. Nor is the P the original size. So the body has already been retro-routed and the scratch plate has already been retro cut. - And so, if @ped fancied some different pickups, there would be no major impact on the value...and it's probably a keeper anyway (and if he doesn't want to keep it, then I will - and I don't even really play bass! It really is a thing of beauty) - And if different pickups were to be fitted...well could the bridge be straightened up at the same time? And there was a long PM discussion And it's now on my workbench

Decent thought, @Si600 but I agree with @Chopthebass. If you remember, Si, the Psilos fretboard is actually at body level - and so the strings are close to the body top: That would not be the case in this build where the fretboard sits higher than the body top.

Wow!

Absolutely - never... Looking splendid.

It's coming on very nicely

Those pickup winds look splendid! Nice work with the hand tools

Beautiful, @Maude.

Hi Just a quick run through of a small job I've just finished for @3below - changing the binding and repositioning the side dots on his bass ukulele neck to give him on-the-fret-line dots rather than the existing 'fretted' positioning. I don't have a photo of the removal, suffice to say that it was a straightforward 'warm it up and ease it off with a single-edged razor blade. This was it with the binding removed. The original dots were drilled and inserted through the binding into the neck wood and so are still visible: A micrometer check all the way round flagged that the deepest point of the binding slot was 1.4mm deep so I opted for 1.5mm. A check all around with a small length of offcut confirmed it: Next task was to cut flush the old dots and clean up the channels all round - especially in the corners: Next, with the neck fully masked up, it was the careful job of gluing the new binding . I used medium-slow setting CA glue and did it a few inches at a time, holding the binding firmly against the two sides of the channel with a heavy-duty-glove'd hand until it was cured and then moved on to the next few inches: For the two tight corners, I heated the binding (very carefully!) with a heatgun to get it round the corners without leaving a gap (too cool) or distorting (too hot). Great relief! And it was done. Next job would be trimming the excess and shaping the binding into the neck. So next was scraping the binding flush with the fretboard top and neck sides. For this I used a cabinet card scraper, being very careful to scrape down to the masking tape but not deep enough to dig through the paper into the neck finish. Off with the masking tape with fingers crossed that there wouldn't be any gaps! Big 'PHEW!' @3below had asked for the new dots to be in Luminlay. Happily, they have started shipping from Japan again after a few months of no shipments due to having to fly the other way round the world to avoid Ukraine/Russia. The Luminlay method and equipment is simple, but essential is a good quality brad point drill...especially for the 2mm dots fitted to a narrow binding strip. I use a sharp-pointed punch to mark the holes for the bradpoint to follow. This shows those two and also the Luminlay stick being pushed into one of the two dots at the 12th. After a trial fit, I pop a drop of CA on the end, push it in and then cut flush with a single-edged razor: And after some final tidying up, here it is:

There's nothing at all parallel about my universe! More like ziggy-zaggy with a few loop the loops that make me feel airsick. That and strange flashes - or was it flashbacks - of pink

Splendid! Seagull it is, then

Lovely job

Spot on

The journeys, both ways, were simply dreadful... ...but the Bash was sublime. Some great basses, great playing, great bunch of folks, great venue and organisation and great talk and ultra precise playing by @Kingbassist. Perfect day and well worth the pain of getting there and back Thanks, folks!

Nice job

I would avoid the 8th as that is in the Easter weekend, but any of the others are OK with me at the moment.

A Bitsa Build is a great, great way of starting to understand: the basic geometry and mechanics of a bass; the things that matter; the things where you can take major liberties without affecting anything. You also start to realise (eg with your headstock example) how much of what lots of us see as 'the right way' or 'the right look' is simply what someone did 50 years ago that happened to work OK. Welcome to the slippery slope

Splendid!

It's worth looking at the 'Technical Spec' page for this one and check if it is the same size or close enough (ie a bit larger) to be able to sand down to the exact size: www.axesrus.co.uk/43mm-Bass-Graphite-Compound-Nut-p/43mmgraphitebass.htm **Ignore - this one isn't a 5-er**

#1 Andyjr1515 Had to be number one at least once in my life

^

And very lovely it is too!

It is also so that I don't inadvertently cut the nut too low. The different materials used on nuts file at markedly different rates and on some it is ever so easy to go that tenth of a mm too deep...which is a challenge if it happens. And so I initially file the front edge down to the feeler - which is a teeny bit thicker than my target slot depth - and then do a few final passes without the feeler in place to finish off the break angle and also take the front edge down a smidgen more and to its final depth.