W1_Pro

That looks in really good condition @TheJay, the frets and fingerboard look fine and that cream dimarzio is a handsome thing. As @Hellzero says, looks like you might have to tweak the bridge a touch. Those holes behind the bridge...what do people do? Its just weird......😂

Thanks for the various likes and comments everyone. Much appreciated! A bit more done. Its going back together nicely. So far... Neck back on. Bridge fitted. The various metal plates back in position New jack plate fitted. Old strap button holes plugged with toothpicks & glue. I'm waiting on new covers for the pickups. Someone up the thread suggested cream/white and I like that idea. I'm also waiting for pickup screws and a step drill bit to ream out the tuner holes.The new Grovers are a fair bit more substantial than the original own brand Hondo ones. I hope to have it finished by the end of the month, if all the various bits arrive.

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've done quite a bit to the bass. I decided to leave the finish as is, so I gave it a bit of a buffing which left it nicely battle scarred. Its been rewired and the cavity shielded as you can see from the pics. I wish I could say I was this good at soldering, but I'm not. I paid someone to do it. The neck has been stripped, sanded and tru- oiled, I've also put new frets in (currently in the process of de sharpening the fret ends, which is thereaputic). I clear coated the fingerboard, not that you can see it here for the masking tape. I also handily managed to dot some superglue on it (the fingerboard) at various points during the refret, so there will need to be a bit more sanding and clearcoating done, I think. One quite nice touch, I needed to make the fret slots a little bit deeper, and I found an old fret saw of my fathers (who was a very handy amateur carpenter) which acomplished the task nicely. The old man has been dead for nearly forty years, but I like to think he was smiling at me from somewhere whilst I was doing this... What else...I've bought a set of SD Curlee accurate Grover machine heads and I found an old Gotoh P bass bridge in my bits box which will fit the bass nicely. I need to get a step drill to ream out the tuner holes. The original Hondo tuners were in pretty bad shape, one was entirely knackered, and the other three were pretty ropey forty years ago when they were put on the bass, so best replaced.

Thanks Rich, Curlee did a double P, the Curbeck, pic of mine further up the thread. I've buffed it up a bit today and its looking pretty good for a frst time relic job😆..I'll post more pics shortly.

Thanks Andy. When the time comes I'll give that a go. Much sanding yet to be done though!

Thanks Andy, which way do you prefer to do it?

I'm also going to leave the finish on (I hope). I quite like the dark green colour, I've given it a clean and its actually quite nicely battle scarred. So I'm going to buff it and see where we get too. Pics to follow.

On the laquered fingerboard tip...has anyone done one? I assume you put the frets in first and then give it a seeing to with a can of clear coat? It all sounds so simple when you write it...

I'm going to refret it. I've done it before with a Westone guitar after a false start (having levelled the fretboard I neglected to deepen the fret channels and then wondered why I couldnt get some of them in..(cough) Ahem...In the end it came out OK but it did take two sets of frets....

So I have defretted the neck and started the process of sanding the fingerboard back - the laquer is worn through in several spots so it'll all have to come off. I'm also going to take a little bit of weight out of the back of the neck with my trusty cabinet scraper. A process I find massively relaxing...Here's a pic of the defretted neck, and the dogs leg...

Apparently 'its only going to go up in price'.......Well then, wheres my wallet?

As others have said, this question is as broad as it is long. I do tend to concur with the folks that say if your singer wants a lightweight vocal PA, then he should probably pay for it....For something like a soundcraft Ui12 with a couple of TheBox Pro speakers & Thomann own brand stands its not even that much money as compared to buying a decent amp or a set of cymbals.

Lovely. Probably plays nicely too. How do they do it for the money?

I have to say I have TI's on an old Birchenbacker that I have (because of the lack of mass at the heel and the tendency of the whole thing to basically fold in half with rounds on it) and they are utterly lovely and such good fun to play. TI's it is, I think.

I eneded up buying a Hofner Contemporary Series. Very nice it is too. I was a little dissapointed to see it come minus the tea cup knobs (it has those funny little black ones) but its a lovely bass and great fun to play. Any suggestions as to a set of flats that won't break the bank? I know, its a big ask these days...😆

Hello Maude, Thats absolute genius. I did exactly what you did, took the pickups apart, and lo and behold, Dimarzio's! Many thanks for the help and for taking the trouble. The pickup seems to be OK too, so thats going back in. Best Stuart

Amazing! Thanks @Bassassin.

Thanks Andy, Much appreciated. I may well contact you in a blind panic at some point in the next few months...😅

This will be the repair thread..I doubt I'll be anywhere near as efficient (or competent) as the likes of @Andyjr1515, but I shall try....😆

Hello Maude, The US ones are awesome machines. I've got one of the two pickup ones (the Curbeck its called I think) and that has the same pickups as your one. The woodwork on these is phenomenal. I read somewhere that they were called 'the poor mans Alembic' because the workmanship was so good. I'll put a meter on pickup out of the Hondo and see if its still a thing. Incidentally, my Curbeck has been signed by Victor Wooten. Thats how it came to me and I don't know why or how, but its a nice thing.

Thanks for the info Bassassin. Here it is taken apart. Its such an innovative design. 'Nearly neck thru'😆 The body is indeed mahogany, might even be one piece! I think you are right about the bridge. A cheap and nasty chrome item which does not look as deep as the brass originals. The pickups...I don't know...no markings of any sort visible but the wiring colours seem to check out. Anyone recognise them?

I picked this up a while ago from a chap in Norfolk. Didnt pay a lot for it, about £90 iirc. Its been languishing in my office, but I have finally gotten around to it. Cosmetically its pretty beaten up, but the neck is straight and there doesnt seem to be anything terminal.....I hope! So, the plan is: Strip the paint and refinish (looks like quite a nice piece of mahogany, if it is, tru-oil if not, paint). The fingerboard is pretty worn and pitted, so that'll need sanding and a refret. I understand that the pickups on these are Dimarzios. Anyone know for certain? @Bassassin perhaps? If it turns out to be decent I shall try and clean it up and salvage it. The cavity is a mess, it'll need a complete rewire, new pots and knobs. There is a hole for a micro switch, I think this is a series/ parallel. If anyone knows for sure please let me know. Thanks! Stuart

Also China, I believe.

Hi everyone, this has probably been covered before, but I can't find a thread so here goes. I want to replace the vol & tone pots on my P bass. I'm planning to use CTS 250K log pots with a .047 orange drop cap. One thing I am confused about, are there specific volume and tone pots or is a pot just a pot? Advice appreciated... Many thanks Stuart