Andyjr1515

By the way, get the pick guard done first so you can trace EXACTLY where the channelling out of the body needs to be done

[quote name='timmyo' timestamp='1418916708' post='2634825'] Thanks folks As the pickguard will be on show I'm wary of doing that myself - I'd prefer to trust that bit to someone experienced. I don't mind buying a chisel - would that be simpler than Dremeling do you think? [/quote] Safer certainly - a dremel freehand is not for the inexperienced. Even with a precision routing attachment (such as the Stewmac one) you can do a heck of a lot of damage in a very short time. If it is hidden, I would suggest you drill the bulk out (make sure you wrap a piece of Sellotape around the drill as a depth gauge so you don't go too deep) then finish off with a chisel. Hope this helps. Andy

I can see why you would want it back...it looks cracking

Put a bit of soap on the screws too and tighten 2, back 1, etc, to make sure the screw cuts a thread in the wood. The neck wood is often very hard and it is easy to shear off the screw

Hi, James My Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar certainly is. It is 2.5" at its widest and 3.875" long - just found a ruler with inches and measured it! I've seen all sorts of strange claims of differences on various threads but so far I have always found that Squier and (genuine or licenced) Fender standard necks and pockets are the same sizes. Anyone found any different? Andy

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1417432913' post='2620189'] That looks fantastic... [/quote] Thanks! If anyone is interested in the 'before and after process' by the way, [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/246859-thunder-jet-yesanother-westone/"]the full refurb thread is here[/url] Andy

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1417427155' post='2620096'] Absolutely awesome job Andy. I will have to start a "magnificent unique green Westones" thread for Bryan and myself to post in. [/quote]

Here's Allighatt0r's Westone Thunder Jet - just finished a veneer and green stain refurb for him...do you think it qualifies us to join the green basses special thread??? Pretty Please!

Thanks for the kind words, folks It is now - as near as dammit - FINISHED Sounds good too! Thanks for all the encouragement, folks Andy

Decisions made (pickguard / final finish, etc) and reassembly in progress. We've gone for no pickguard and let the tru-oil gloss de-gloss itself (Tru-Oil progressively loses the high gloss after a few weeks) rather than accelerate it with a satin buffing compound. I put the electrics back this afternoon and reassembled the main components ready for restringing and set-up tomorrow. In the process, I put a new Switchcraft jack in but have left everything else alone so that the tone is unaffected. Here are a few shots in the fading light of a dull grey day! Dogs b******s or wot! The credit for the colour scheme and choice of veneer all down to Bryan Andy

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1417181792' post='2617878'] Perhaps for guitar a touch higher means you can really jangle those open chords? But for bass, I have always set up mine in the same way, Nut height the same as the frets for those without a zero. Ergo zero fret the same as the other frets would seem to be the most logical. Higher and the 1st fret will be harder to play, lower and it'll rattle. BUT I'm not a luthier, just someone who sets up my own basses the way i like'em. [/quote] Matches my experience (phew!)

Hi again, By coincidence, just this morning, I read in 'Guitarist' that the zero fret is a little higher than the rest but that is news to me and doesn't quite seem logical - ie zero fret to fret 1 is surely geometrically identical to a fretted fret 1 to fret 2, etc.. Certainly the ones I have built have always been the same fret material so therefore the same height... However - re-reading your post - lower than the others would give you some issues. Anyone else got a view? Andy

Same as a standard fret Hope this helps

Hi, Tom I presume you've seen Sharkfinger's thread above...sounds to be a good thought... Andy

[quote name='Sharkfinger' timestamp='1416685987' post='2612678'] kiOgon loom + Seymour duncan SPB-1 + new rotosound strings = clarity and snarling mid. Sorted. Seriously, the SPB-1 is almost a completely different animal to the fender original. Really didn't suit the bass or me. [/quote] Great news, Sharkfinger! Andy

Looks pretty much the same but this is with the Tru-oil finish coats starting to build up: There are various ways of using Tru-oil - it will build up to an 'almost-gloss' hard lacquer coat or you can apply it onto unstained wood with fine wire wool that creates a mush which grainfills with the dust from the wood itself, then buffed up you get a satin, wood-grain finish (which is how you would apply it to a shotgun tailstock which is what it is designed for. When you have a stained finish, you can't use the latter technique because it would wire wool most of the stain off too. However, tru-oil applied as gloss always does tend to dull down a bit over time (it is a finish I like very much) or you can accelerate that with either very fine sanding with 00000 wire wool or with mild auto T-cut type products. The one thing I haven't tried yet is the Birchwood Casey product mentioned above. I'll try that first, but it will need to be after leaving the final coating to harden properly (7-14 days). Bryan and I have plumbed for satin rather than going for high gloss (and thus using Tru-oil), because it is more compatible with the age, the neck and the original finish of the Thunder Jet. When it is then mocked back up, we'll see if a bit of subtle wear would look good or just leave it to wear naturally. Probably, like the comet lander, the thread will go into temporary hibernation for a few weeks before bursting back with the final, reassembled product As always, thanks for looking Andy

Been away from the day job for a few days that has given the Birchwood Casey Sealer / Filler time to properly harden. This evening, I've given it a good rub down with 00000 wire wool and started applying the first coat of Tru-Oil, which has gone on well I've never used their Stock Sheen & Conditioner before but have ordered some to try it - it is reputed to have a slight cutting content to tone the gloss down a bit towards the satin finish Bryan and I are aiming for. Allowing for drying time (they recommend leaving at least 7 days from the last coat before using the stock sheen and from experience of similar final processes, 2 weeks to harden would be better) I reckon this will be finished in around 3 weeks time...day job allowing! I'll post some shots when there's something worth posting. Andy

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1415816999' post='2604113'] They are indeed, and if you look closely at the sticker you'll see they are approved by the Royal Horticultural Society, which is a boon! [/quote]

I think I would be tempted to buy a new bottle, @MoonBassAlpha. As @MantonCustoms says, you have to be sure it is going to COMPLETELY cure...and it's not expensive for the number of basses a small bottle can potentially do...

I love Guilds. Class act.

I've finished the sealing coats and this will give an idea of the final colour. The irony of finishing is that you get to this stage and then basically have to sand / wire wool it all off again! The sealer/filler dries clear but is there really just to fill the pores. Then the Tru-oil coats will be applied. These will start off quite glossy but after a few weeks settle down to a soft satin (and, contrary to its name, does dry to a lacquer hardness...although no where near as tough). It's a good finish for an old bass because the final article doesn't look uncharacteristically pristine - it takes on a pleasing patina. The colour, though, is pretty representative. What I am pleased with is the darkened edges and back cutout. Where there is end grain, it is almost black, but where the side grain is, the green shows through. You can see this particularly well on the back cutout: In real life this looks the absolute dogs b******s - when it's finished, I think we'll be able to post it on the 'In Praise of Green Basses' thread, don't you Bryan?

Hi, Randythoades Yes - providing that the nut to bridge length is the correct distance (see the Stewmac calculator for the exact distances), it will be fine.

Thanks, folks I'm pleased with it so far and it should get better and better. The next bit will be a bit slower. Bryan would like a slightly satin look so I will be using Tru-oil rather than good-old hardglaze, that should give it an 'old bass in good condition' look rather than an old bass trying to look like a new bass. Along the same lines, I will try to put some very subtle arm wear on the top edge of the arm rest. We have also agreed to let the finish undulate with the veneer - I tried a sample sanded smoother but this particular veneer loses a lot of its texture when you do that. I won't post any shots until there have been a few coats of clear filler and tru- oil applied so probably the weekend before the next post. Thanks for looking Andy

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1415112222' post='2596795'] Awesome!!!!! Beats the hell out of the picture I had formed in my head. Love it. [/quote] That'll be a 'phew...!' then

It was a perfect morning for the edge sanding - dry and low sun casting shadows to spot the rough edges - so I'm afraid the day job simply had to wait I sanded the veneer edges. Basically, you run along the join line of the veneer using a block with coarse sandpaper aiming to get a smooth and continuous curve and all of the PVA off the join line. You also need to get all of the PVA off any of the body wood - it will not take stain. The easiest way of finding if you've got it all off is to wipe it with a damp cloth - any remaining PVA stands out as white. This is during the process: Also this morning the bigger bottle of the green ink shade Bryan chose arrived in the post so - well why not... There's some tidying up to do but the middle is the chosen colour and the burst is simply adding a little black ink to the green. I don't think it's going to need a great deal of additional work prior to the finishing. In real life it is a bit greener than it looks in this shot. Once the finish starts building up, it will darken slightly and visually gain more texture: Exciting! Although, this is where the progress slows right down...finishing - don't you just love it... Andy