Bridgehouse

I’m a Precision Guy. I have a few of them, I love the sound and I love the look. I tried Jazz bass after Jazz bass trying desperately to like one. I used to think it was the body shape and the thin nut. But over the last few weeks I’ve played a few non-Jazz basses with thin nuts and odd body shapes. What gives? Am I just weird?

On a practical and serious note, I wouldn’t change the bridge on my 64 Precision - not just for value/authenticity reasons, but because the threaded barrel saddles make adjusting string position really easy.

Looks like my sarcasm filter is jiggered again. I should have took it out and washed it under the tap.

Gorilla tape. Lots of it wrapped round quite a few times.

6 pages in and nobody has yet definitively stated who are the “best pro-players” let alone whether in percentage terms they play 4 strings more than any other strings

Clearly his amp is letting out white noise.

I’m not doing any more today 😄 (famous last words) as it was bad enough getting that screw out! State of the nation tho:

They are lightweight. And they seem to be as good as the regular full price ones (screws excepting). Job two is probably the one I dislike the most - fitting strap buttons. The idea of drilling into a nicely finished body is not my favourite at all. However, I have a routine. Masking tape - mark up the position with a sharpie. Use a good drill bit and don’t go too deep. When screwing in, I apply some soap. In fact, I have a bar of dove in my drawer for such occasions. Rub the screw in the soap and don’t be sparing! It goes in so much easier - less chance of splitting the wood too. And here’s the result: They are Dunlop straplocks - I use them as for gigging I like the straplocks on my mono strap and they are dual purpose just in case.

Well, much swearing and plier action later..

The trials and tribulations of a partscaster builder. Lol. After finishing work I decided to do a few small “minor jobs” Job one was to fit these: They are cheapo “licenced by” ones - but they look ok: What they don’t tell you is that the screws are made of licenced cheese... It wasn’t even like I was tightening them too much - just snapped clean off, leaving me with a bugger of a job to remove it and make good. Doh. Oh, and I had to find another matching screw...

It's like insurance.. if you didn't have one of those adjusters you'd have the neck on and off like a chuckle brothers sketch..

Agreed. I’ve done quite a few partscasters and they have all had an element of “not available in the mainstream” about them. For this one, I tried long and hard to find what I was after - and when it clearly didn’t exist, I decided to do my own. I would highly recommend it to anyone who might be wavering - it’s not hard and the results always feel like more than you’ve actually spent. I’d have happily paid £800+ for a MiM version of what I’m building - but in the main it’s made in the U.K.!

Just under £500 I would say. Give or take a bit.

It’s had a good dry last night and so I cracked on with the final stage. Raided Mrs B’s furniture restoring drawer and stole some of her posh finishing wax. Two coats applied - sparing but not too mean. Work it in, let it dry (15 mins) - then buff with a clean lint free cloth. It’s taken on a lovely lustrous deep satin shine and it has made the grain pop a bit more. Really pleased. It’s onto the build up next.

Badum-tish

Always the way. Stable neck - easy neck adjuster. Wibbly wobbly all over the shop neck = remove 16 screws and resolder 8 wires just to get to the adjuster

Henry the hoover or Henry CEO of Gibson?

My wife would have complemented me on that

There’s been a few occasions with this type of adjuster where I’ve been weirded out by there not being a “proper size” tool and sort of hesitating and thinking “but it doesn’t feel right!” I now have a screwdriver with the right diameter shaft for this job and it’s a right pain in the proverbial when I can’t find it

Welcome to he English language. Vocalist has a Latin/old French origin, whereas Singer is Germanic. Both correct. Vocalist has some traction as a singing descriptor in French music, including plainsong. But as voca is voice rather than speech it’s often used in French and Latin for sung word rather than spoken word. You say potato and I say no ta.

Couple of last minute jobs for tonight - nothing major.. made up the bridge grounding wire and trial fitted the electrics harness.. And whilst I was at it, trialled the knobs.. Yeah, they don't look too bad...

See you could come over to me to try out the QSC, and bring this for me to have a drool over.. you could compare and contrast to my 74 Fender P, or the 64.. or even some of my partscasters which have a bit of this vibe going on!!

Stick to your guns.. most of the other notes are overrated anyway.

Gave it a good few hours to dry out - and I’ve now done a wet and dry pass (1200 grit) with water. Body and neck are both silky smooth, and so I will leave it overnight and give it another pass over tomorrow. It’s looking pretty much how I wanted it to now: