kevin_lindsay

You don't like the neck plate? I got it via eBay from Ron Kirn in the USA.

Okay, Chris has just completed the binding on the neck Here we go: Here's the neck blank cut to shape, the fingerboard and the binding material. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130920_122930.jpg[/IMG] Oh, and here's the truss rod [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130920_122953.jpg[/IMG] here's the fingerboard getting cut to shape - edges trimmed (with to low end being cut to shape following the headstock outline). The body end will be rounded off also [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130920_182743.jpg[/IMG] Chris then attached the fingerboard to the neck blank with double sided tape. He then used a router bit to take the fingerboard edges in by 2mm to follow the exact shape of the neck outline. The fingerboard was then removed from the neck blank to allow for the binding to be glued on [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130920_195447.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130920_195451.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130920_195459.jpg[/IMG] Then, with the binding attached, the fingerboard was glued in place [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130921_140553-2.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130921_140557.jpg[/IMG] the fingerboard, when it has been profiled and oiled, will be really dark and chocolate-ey. next stage will be to have the front pearl dots installed, side black position markers installed in the binding, fingerboard profiled, headstock front shaped for the slope from the nut to the headstock face, and then having the back of the neck profiled. The tuner holes will also need to be drilled - double stepped to accommodate the front edge bushings.

Looking very good!!

Here's Pauls headstock: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/photo-2.jpg[/IMG] and here's the decal for mine: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130921_114116.jpg[/IMG] For the lacquer, I'm using Steve Robinson's great aerosol cans: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130921_114033.jpg[/IMG] To keep the bass in good condition, I thought I'd get a nice Fender case: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130904_154820.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130904_155032.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130904_155042.jpg[/IMG] I'll post pics of the neck once its complete, and will detail the lacquer application, and the final assembly and setup once it's all ready to go.

Rumple - it'll be a "dot and bound" '66 style rather than blocks.

So, I've decided to creare a combination of both styles. So let's get the hardware sorted. First up is the body. This is made to 1962 specs with the router hump in the lower neck pocket cutaway, and is a couple of mm thinner then the later bodies. The wood is alder. As the early basses had the bridges earthed via a brass earthing strip running from under the bridge plate into the rear pickup cavity, there was no hole drilled from under the plate to the control cavity. As I'm not going for the earthing strip route, this pic shows the body before the earthing wire hole has been drilled. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130904_155449-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130828_170913.jpg[/IMG] The neck format of dot and bound isn't available pre-made by any aftermarket sellers, so I'm having to have this custom made for me. Chris McIntyre ( www.mcintyreguitars.com ) is making the neck for me. It's great having him do the neck as I can have it made to the profile I prefer. I didn't want highly figured maple for the neck. Rather, I wanted some old, seasoned, really solid maple. Chris had a piece of dead straight, old maple which we decided to use. For the fingerboard, we've got a great piece of old, dark coloured rosewood. Chris has cut the neck shape out, and the fingerboard is in place, with the fret and nut slots cut. He's just about to rout the fingerboard edge to accommodate the binding. It'll be good to see it taking shape. Once the binding and pearl dot markers are in place, Chris will then shape the rear neck profile, and prepare the headstock front. I'm picking up the neck and body from Chris on Monday 7th October. I'll then apply the nitrocellulose lacquer. I've got all the hardware ready too. The control plate is a 3 hole piece to accommodate the stack pots and the stacked concentric knobs. The pots are CTS items, and the output jack is a Switchcraft item. The knobs are genuine Fender ones. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130501_185010.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130501_185019.jpg[/IMG] For the "lollipop" tuners, I've gone for the Hipshot units as there arent any other ones readily avaikable to my knowkedge. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/hb2l_hi_g_crop.jpg[/IMG] For the neckplate I wanted one like a 1966 unit. So, I thought, "what does Pauls neck plate look like? A quick phone call and I had a pic of his plate [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/IMG_2173-1.jpg[/IMG] His serial number is 145185, so I thought...... "why not"? [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130429_155024.jpg[/IMG] I'm not a fan of the dark brown tortioseshell plates Fender currently use. They're just a bit too dark for my taste. I found a "New Old Stock" nitrocellulose plate from a batch made for Fender in the earky 1980s. I had that sent over from the uUSA. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130903_173854.jpg[/IMG]

Okay, here we go again. My new build has begun! So, what's the specification? Ive always liked my friend Paul Turner's 1966 Jazz Bass for its Olympic White finish, tortoiseshell plate and the neck withits white edge binding and pearl dot markers, topped off with the "lollipop" style tuner heads. here's some examples: Fender Custom Shop 1966 reissue [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/JBass66OWT-xlarge.jpg[/IMG] "Lollipop" style tuner heads: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/images.jpg[/IMG] However, I prefer the "stack knob" layout with a separate volume and tone for each pickup - like this: [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/Screenshot_2013-04-12-21-01-51.png[/IMG] I had a Fender USA reissue '62 Jazz Bass previously. That looked really vibrant when photographed using a flash, but in natural light was a duller cream colour. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/62_66%20Jazz%20Bass%20Build/20130804_113759.jpg[/IMG]

Ive had loads of instruments which I felt were "keepers". However, as is the way with most musicians, the joys of fluctuating income has meant I have had to sell them when times have been hard. However, some of you may already know this story - the very first bass guitar I played at around age 14 (back in 1978) after being inspired by The Stranglers' Jean Jacques Burnell, and the disco bass of that eras many hits, was my family friens Jimmy Davidson's 1974 Fender Jazz Bass. Jimmy was the first guy to take time to show me some bass fundamentals. Sitting in my bedroom at my folks place - Jimmy with his Fender, and me trying (and mistly failing) to mimic him on my shockingly bad Grant jazz bass copy, which I bought second hand for £10. Anyhow, three years ago last December, Jimmy wasn't feeling too good. He went to the doctor and was diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, he passed away 3 months later. His family decided to sell tge bass. My brother contacted me to ask about the best way to do that. I spoke to Martin at The Gallery to discuss the possible sale, then called Jimmy's wife Carol to let her know the anticipated price it would realise. 5 minutes later, Jimmy and Carol's eldest daughter Emma phoned me back to say "we're glad you contacted us as my dad said that if you showed any interest in the bass, he wanted you to have it", I was taken aback that he had said such a thing, but explained that, at that time, I wasn't in a position to be able to afford a purchase of that value. Emma then said, "no, you misunderstand, we dont want you to buy it, we want you to have it - no charge". There were a few tears shed, and a few days later gang of musician friends came over to my house, bringing the instrument withbthem (I didn't go to Jimmy's family house at that time as I'd just have been a mess). Jimmy had had the bass strung BEAD with a new brass nut and bridge installled. I decided to take it back to the original '74 spec. I spoke once again to Martin at The Gallery regarding this. Martin installed an original early 70's nut, and the bridge was put back to early 70's spec using a pristine condition Fender unit donated by Mo Foster (thanks again Mo, you're a star!). The bass was cleaned, and set up, and returned to me. It's a really great instrument which shows the bumps from almost 40 years of gigs, I still consider it "jimmy's bass" rather than my own, and the emotional attachment is very strong. An it's one I hopefully would never have to sell. Currently, my friend Paul Turner (Jamiroquai) has it at his home and loves it. He's used it on Jami gigs and with his side project Shuffler. [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/1974%20Fender%20Jazz%20Bass/CIMG0002-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y289/kevin_lindsay/1974%20Fender%20Jazz%20Bass/CIMG0003-2.jpg[/IMG] There was a memorial held for Jimmy where loads of musicians he had worked with (both as a bassist and as a sound engineer) were in attendance. A slideshow was shown on the big screen featuring many of the people he had worked with over the decades. The final pic was one of Jimmy in his first prooer band in the late 70's, holding his Jazz bass with the ashtrays in place - looking just like the restored instrument. That was a very special moment for me.

Steves lacquers are great as they drybto a hard shine, unlike some other manufacturers profucts. Ive got a load of cans from Steve for my own next project.

Ive used Thomann numerous times (the most recent being last week). Every time they've been excellent. Very quick to get the items despatched, and they supply tracking details so you can follow your items progress.

Marc runs this pizzeria in Whitchurch Village - http://www.pizzeriavillaggio.co.uk/ and yes, he's a drummer. They feature live music, often with Marc playing

Ha. Ha. Ha. Good. For, you. Mate! Don't. Listen. To, me. - If. My. Past. Choices. In. Life. Are. Anything. To. By. Then. I. Wouldn't. Suggest. Anyone. Listened. To. My. Opinion. Either! Ha. Ha. Ha.

It's. A. Reissue. Of. An. Oddball. Bass. Which. Was. A. Commercial. Failure. When. It. Was. First. Released. Due. To. Its. Unflattering. Looks. And. Muddy. Boxy. Sound.

That's not Thomann's fault, it's the joy of UK chatges - I it's a pain in yhe butt! incidentally, havr you reviewed your bass on Thomanns site? You get a credit bouvher for doing it. I reviewed a bunch of bits the other day, for a case, pickguard screws, thumb rest, neck screws, string guide and a chrome pickup cover. The next day I received an email from them giving me a 50 Euro credit notebto be used up to 31/12/13 - result!!!!!

I never think about it when I'm playing. I suppose it's down to developing an internal clock over the years, just reacting to the rhythm of the track.

I usa an Aguilar DB680 preamp through a 1,200 watt power amp, into Aguilar DB410 cabs. Sounds nice.

I always take a towel and liquid soap in my bag - so I can wash mybhands prior to gojng on stage. It's increfibke how grubby your hands get setiing up your equipment.

He's great. I bought Mullard valves for a guitar amp and a full set of vintage NOS valves for my Ampeg Portaflex. Really great advice and delivery.

Guy Pratt grooving in a Chic-tastic mode! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSjl8ZjjAGg&sns=em

Martin has made me 8 Sei basses so far. He's great - one of the truly "good guys".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ubH7dLJJiE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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Here's the Better Then Therapy video about the rehearsals for the Police reunion tour. Great stuff (it was included in the 4 disc CD / DVD Certifiable package. (Sorry, I don't know how to embed the YouTube link. Any suggestions?). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vx0H3ZbGmk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Fabulous video. I've actualky got that Tokyo gig on DVD. It's great seeing the songs performed live as a 3 piece again. Sting still sounds great.

They're great. I ordered a vintage style Fender jazz bass case from them yesterday, as well as a load of other bits and pieces. Ive also used them in the past and have always had fantastic service from them. The routine is: You place your order. You instantly get an email confirmation that it's been received. When the order has been processed, they send you another email confirming it's on its way. This email will also contain a tracking link. You can then follow your orders progress as it makes its way to you. My experience has been that delivery from Thomann in Germany to Scotland (where I live) takes 3 working days.