NBD: Enter with Caution - Marlin Slammer content

[Grangur]

This has been an interesting weekend. I've sold one and got 2 new projects. This one seems the most straight-forward so far.

Here are some initial pictures. The body is black and chipped, the bridge is mucky and strings are knack'd. But the maple of the neck is beautiful and the electrics are a sight to behold.







I've had these connected and the pots actually work amazingly well considering how they look.

The wiring is really thin and all the earth wires have no insulation. So any slight move and something could short out.

I've connected a jack and fired her up and I really like the tone.
It needs a new pick-guard, or for me to fix up the old one a bit as the holes for the old pots and jacks aren't big enough.

The question I'm not too sure about is if I should try to preserve the electrics, or go for a significant improvement.
I guess the answer there is the simple truth that this will never be a real "historical treasure". So I may as well hit the soldering iron and get the good stuff in place.

Do I go for a re-spray, or stick with the "mojo" look? Not sure on that.
I recon I'll stick with the existing pups - they give a good sound.

[gary mac]

Lovely bit of grain on the neck Rich.

I would have to have those electrics out though

[planer]

Aaah, my first bass was one of these, bought from a previous incarnation of GAK if I recall.

Sadly mine had a neck like a Quaver and wasn't really worth repairing.

(edit: it wasn't bent when I bought it, just realised my comments may look like a moan at GAK; ftr GAK are great)

I would pimp the hell out of yours and build a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Edited September 27, 2015 by planer

[JapanAxe]

I recall Marlin guitars when they came out. They looked like a bargain, but the hardware was made out of cheese, and not a particularly hard cheese at that!

[Dandelion]

Ahh the nights I spent with a "Making Music" free mag from the local music store, with the Marlins advertised on the back.

[HowieBass]

I say stick with the mojo, get new pots in with decent wiring and give the badge snobs the surprise of their life when they hear how good it plays and sounds.

[Grangur]

Well, so far I've stripped down the bridge and tuners and cleaned them up.

New pots are on order and I picked up a new jack socket from Marlin. So, things are under way.

Better quality fret wire would be good. But that can wait for now.

[Andyjr1515]

That is a cracking looking neck, Grangur. No reason at all why this shouldn't turn out to be a giant killer....