Triggers Broom Bass

[Grangur]

Does anyone here have a bass like Trigg's broom?

With folk changing necks and bodies, pickups and such, has anyone ever changed the neck and body etc over a period of time and still consider it as the "same bass" they've had for years?

How much can you change on a bass and still think of it as being the same bass?

 

[fretmeister]

Personally - if the body or neck have been changed, then it's a bitsa and not the original.

[JohnR]

My 1988 Wal Custom. Without going into a long story the only original parts are the neck, preamp, pickups and bridge. Everything else has been replaced.

[Grangur]

Nice @JohnR, is the replacement body still a Wal, or from another source?

[JohnR]

All of the work was done by Paul at Wal.

[mentalextra]

Why was the body replaced?

[JohnR]

The bass was originally black polyester overall. During the 90's I stripped the body to the wood which I later came to regret. For several years I wanted to have it restored to Wal specs and, last year, I sent it to Paul for evaluation and refurbishment. His assessment was that I had unevenly sanded the body and a black gloss polyester finish would only serve to highlight the flaws.

After discussing options he agreed to make a new body which I decided to have  built with birdseye maple facings to have a clear distinction between the new body and the original neck and hardware. I also loved the idea of combining Ian’s original work on the neck with Paul’s contemporary body build.

Paul also did work on the frets and serviced the pickups and electronics. The tuners, string tree and strap locks were all replaced with black versions. The tuners are now lightweight Schaller M4S versions which look identical to the original tuners. I also bought a new Wal case which the finished bass was shipped back in.

[Grangur]

Shame about the uneven body, @JohnR I see no reason, though, why it can't go through a drum-sander thicknesser and have a new top put on it if necessary. Or maybe that's too much messing about?

But it's not like all this isn't beyond the scope of Wal. Maybe they just wanted to sell another body.

[JohnR]

Not at all.  Wal were incredibly transparent and helpful and offered several options which would have cost much less. I think I had been planning this for so long and I was the one who pushed to have the new body built. Paul has such a long waiting list so I don't think selling a body would have been a factor.

Wal's communications and advice were exemplary throughout and I couldn't have been happier with the results.

[Telebass]

My triggers broom is a 2003 MIM P-bass, and the only original parts left are the body, bridge, and knobs.