PaulThePlug Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) I love the worn pebbled body and neck of the Ibby SR's but... just want a plain passive P. So after years of going on about it, I decided to do something about. Ebay ad by Gear4Music for a SR300 with faulty electrics, Spares or Repair. Body/Neck/Bridge/Tuners Sorted... Pots Ordered and some Adagio Flats. Scratches on the body, with a few cracks. I was hoping this was just on the finish, but after a few hours of heat gun stripping (more to come tommorow...) shows some surface cracks. Hopefully all will be OK. Neck is OK, Sanded and Furniture Waxed the back, Polished the Frets and Cleaned and Lemon Oiled the fretboard. Got to sand off the headstock finish. Wish i weighed the Body before stripping! sealer or filler is real thick in places, and really taken hold of the mahogany, so a few digs, and some possibly already there and filled. Plan is get the pickup cavities filled, and re routed for the Single P with the extra EQ holes 'doweled' - Calling Basschaters! Finish is going to be plain wax, maybe a light coat of thinned Danish Oil if this will help with the surface cracks. Edited February 22, 2023 by PaulThePlug 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 (edited) I've been on to Armstrong Music (Previously WDMusic) who got back to me with a deal on a Kent Armstrong Hot Vintage Alnico P Bass Pickup... Nice. Alpha Pots and Tone Capacitor from 'sgarlets' on ebay, great price and quick for guitar odds 'n sods... Edited January 23, 2023 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 More Heat Gunning Today... That sealer is bloody thick... and the wood finish rough with a few cracks Start Sanding tomorrow, will have to give it a Danish Oil 'Slurrying' to try and fill the cracks and even it out a bit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I rather like the old floorboards look of the body under the black tbh! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 PTP Custom Shop Roadworn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 23, 2023 Author Share Posted January 23, 2023 Let's see if i can get it more chopping board, than floor board. The sort of thing they use to serve a fancy brioche bun burger in a poncy pub with chips in a mini shopping trolly!.. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 25, 2023 Author Share Posted January 25, 2023 (edited) Luthier / Woodworker required for Fill 'n Route Job... Anyone able to help? EDIT: Andyjr1515 has kindly offered to take this on.. i think the state of it upset him and he felt sorry for it! Edited January 30, 2023 by PaulThePlug 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 29, 2023 Author Share Posted January 29, 2023 (edited) Body is with @Andyjr1515to do his magic... Mark at Spartan Music did me a great deal on an Artec QTP Passive 5 Position Tone Switch instead of a standard tone pot... Adam Davis of Maida Vale Pickups, on Reverb, has kindly wound me a Low Rider with some blemished Alnico IV poles he had knocking about to support my build, so i'll look forward to try that by way of something different... Been on to Ben at Vanson Guitars on ebay for a pair of their FULL dome knobs that i like and have on my other Bitsas... And Amy and Colin at Advantage Music for some Adagio Flats... Edited February 22, 2023 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 2, 2023 Author Share Posted February 2, 2023 (edited) Look what the Postman delivered today... BIG thanks to the above for supporting my build... Sorted! Edited February 2, 2023 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 (edited) Of course entirely up to you, but may I suggest a reverse P pickup orientation, to even out the natural tonal difference (I am talking even of notes of otherwise the same octave, due to the gauge difference) between the lower thicker gauge and higher thinner gauge strings, rather than ascending it, as a traditional oriented P actually does. That is getting a more even tone and response across the strings. Edited February 7, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 (edited) @Baloney Balderdash... I thought on similar lines some time back, and raised a similar comment when @Andyjr1515 was doing @donslow Fill n Route job for PJ on his SR Body. I've got 2x Ibby GSR200 that as you know are Reverse P and J I've been after this Custom Ibby for a while, so i'm going Single P in Standard Orientation... Edited February 7, 2023 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 On 07/02/2023 at 16:40, PaulThePlug said: I've been after this Custom Ibby for a while, so i'm going Single P in Standard Orientation... And all being well, should be able to get to it in the next few days 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 It's on the bench! Update soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 OK - we're off. First off is filling the existing chambers. And yes, Andyjr1515 still hates routers, but for cleaning up the bottoms of old chambers including the conductive paint well, they have their uses. And with a bearing bit fully enclosed in the chamber so that the word not allowed-ing thing can't leap out and damage the bass body or Andyjr1515's own body parts it's worth a bash: And it does do a decent job, s'pose... Next is another 'this could spoil your day machine' - the band saw. Note the essential pusher stick. As a factory manager once said to me, 'always remember that butchers use these to cut through cattle bones...' Everything squared up and corners rounded to suit the existing chambers, final dry check that you can ease it down and back out again: Then a generous amount of Titebond in the chamber bottom and sides, press it fully home and bash the hell out of it: Fit the second one in the same way and then, once the glue has hardened, a quick whizz over with the block plane: And yes - it's cross-grained. Partly stylistic (if you can't hide it, then flaunt it) and mostly practical (suitable wood available thick enough for the chambers' depth). Next job is the battery chamber at the back, which will be done the same way, and then cutting some plugs to fill a number of the controls holes that will be surplus to requirements. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 A bit more progress with the filling - the back battery chamber is done and the surplus controls holes likewise: Next steps are cutting the new chamber and widening the hole for the tone control. Hopefully will be able to do both tomorrow. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 Looking Good... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralf1e Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) On 22/01/2023 at 21:51, PaulThePlug said: I love the worn pebbled body and neck of the Ibby SR's but... just want a plain passive P. So after years of going on about it, I decided to do something about. Ebay ad by Gear4Music for a SR300 with faulty electrics, Spares or Repair. Body/Neck/Bridge/Tuners Sorted... Pots Ordered and some Adagio Flats from @Bassybert Scratches on the body, with a few cracks. I was hoping this was just on the finish, but after a few hours of heat gun stripping (more to come tommorow...) shows some surface cracks. Hopefully all will be OK. Neck is OK, Sanded and Furniture Waxed the back, Polished the Frets and Cleaned and Lemon Oiled the fretboard. Got to sand off the headstock finish. Wish i weighed the Body before stripping! sealer or filler is real thick in places, and really taken hold of the mahogany, so a few digs, and some possibly already there and filled. Plan is get the pickup cavities filled, and re routed for the Single P with the extra EQ holes 'doweled' - Calling Basschaters! Finish is going to be plain wax, maybe a light coat of thinned Danish Oil if this will help with the surface cracks. Your there! It's already reliced 😀 How about an oval ray type scratch plate to cover the routes. It will save trying to get good fit and timber match for the routeing. Just a thought Sorry didn't realise you have done it already Edited February 20, 2023 by Ralf1e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 It was looking a bit more than reliced... Body makeover is by the deft hand of @Andyjr1515 who proffered a veneer front reminiscent of the high-end Ibanez models, but i opted for a more honest look. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 32 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said: It was looking a bit more than reliced... Body makeover is by the deft hand of @Andyjr1515 who proffered a veneer front reminiscent of the high-end Ibanez models, but i opted for a more honest look. You could call it "Honest Paul's Plank" (Guv') 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) Unexpected Weight Loss... Weighed up the OE PowerSpan Pickups, Pre Amp, Pots, (prior to posting out) and factoring in for the Knobs... 700g - Monster Heavy Pickups!... Just weighed the Vol Pot, Artec Tone, 2 Knobs, and the Maida Vale P and Kent Armstrong P (100g each)... 150g Thats a MASSIVE saving of 550g... Half a Kilo!.. now with a bit more weight saving with all the filler 'n finish gone... and my other SR300 weighing 3.8kg... This could be down to 3.2kg / 7lb.. Edited February 20, 2023 by PaulThePlug 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 And so to cutting the new chambers. @PaulThePlug has given me loads of photos and accurate measurements of the positioning so this morning was all about marking on the body the centre-lines and corners of the pickups and then the outline of the two halves of the P pickup, including a 1mm clearance at the sides and ends: On point worthy of note for other builders is the lugs on these types of pickups. The lugs are offset. And the radius of the lugs is actually MUCH bigger than you think. Including the clearance I had to use a 14mm drill!! Surely not???? Yup So first job is the drilling the radii for the lugs and corners: Then roughing out part-depth and up to the line with a large forstner bit: Followed by tidying up of the edges exactly up to the external pencil line with mallet and chisel to create an accurate and smooth run for the router bearing: And finally routing to depth: And new chamber done: Next and pretty much final job is sanding down and a quick slurry-and-buff, which I should be able to get done by the end of tomorrow 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 (edited) Mate... such a neat 'n sweat looking job! Taking the pickup pair that 8 - 10mm further forward to the neck, from the measured P position, really gives it a look of balance and symmetry, spanning the old cavity... Pleasing to they eye... great job by @Andyjr1515 it's those little details that make all the difference... Thanks. Edited February 21, 2023 by PaulThePlug 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lidl e Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 7 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: And so to cutting the new chambers. @PaulThePlug has given me loads of photos and accurate measurements of the positioning so this morning was all about marking on the body the centre-lines and corners of the pickups and then the outline of the two halves of the P pickup, including a 1mm clearance at the sides and ends: On point worthy of note for other builders is the lugs on these types of pickups. The lugs are offset. And the radius of the lugs is actually MUCH bigger than you think. Including the clearance I had to use a 14mm drill!! Surely not???? Yup So first job is the drilling the radii for the lugs and corners: Then roughing out part-depth and up to the line with a large forstner bit: Followed by tidying up of the edges exactly up to the external pencil line with mallet and chisel to create an accurate and smooth run for the router bearing: And finally routing to depth: And new chamber done: Next and pretty much final job is sanding down and a quick slurry-and-buff, which I should be able to get done by the end of tomorrow That is absolutely amazing. Looks perfect. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 My new Avatar... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 11 hours ago, PaulThePlug said: My new Avatar... Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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