New Bass Day #2 - Washburn XB925

[bass_dinger]

The neck is due to arrive today, via USPS, HM Customs, and Parcel Force. 

 

So, it seems a good time to consider the finish on the body. I explored the possibility of using the blue of the 8 string Washburn bass shown earlier in this thread, and asked the original luthier what the colour and finish was.

 

 "Feibing’s leather dye cobalt blue. Can get it on eBay"  It turns out that it is actually the Navy blue (there isn't a cobalt blue).

 

Next I was asked "Are you going to be staining the bare wood, or spraying the color on after sealer coats?  We floated the color on between clear coats at Washburn. But you can stain directly to the wood before clear coats as well.  Staining the bare wood will bring out more of the curly figure."

 

I said that I liked the idea of staining the wood - but that I would be asking an expert to do it for me!

 

For staining the bare wood, the recommendation is that I should instead go for the Feibing’s light blue. "What I would do is get the navy and light blue.
Stain with the navy, then back-sand it with 320 grit, then stain again with the light blue.  Will really pop the curl." And he shared an example. 

 

 

"That is a combination of staining and floating color between clear coats. The bursted edges were separated."

 

It is also beyond what I can do!

 

I am thinking that this is way too ostentatious, and too flashy.

 

However, the alternative (a wipe of Danish oil) seems to waste the opportunity afforded by the wood.

Edited July 11 by bass_dinger

[Richard R]

That is a fabulous finish!

Go on - go for it!

[bass_dinger]

So, time for an update. 

 

I was expecting the new neck to click into the old body like a lego brick, but there is a gap.

 

The luthier tells me that he left a gap to accommodate the finish.  However, the original neck did not need a finish to bridge the gap.

 

Perhaps he is right - maybe the finish will bridge the gap.  Maybe I am right - I wanted a wood to wood joint.

 

Whatever, I was so disappointed that I put the bits under the bed, and left it....

 

Here's some photos - bank card included to show the tight but extant gap.

 

Very pretty, but not what I expected...

 

[bass_dinger]

On reflection, I like it enough to throw more money at it.  

 

So, I press on. Next step?

 

1. Find someone who can apply the finish

2. Contact the company who may have made the bridge, and ask if they have replacement parts. The company is based in Germany so I shall be asking my German wife to send an email in the appropriate language 

3. Decide on the strings.  I have a set of SIT strings on my other bass - pressure wound - that I like.

4. Find someone to rebuild the parts into a usable bass

5. Get a Hiscox Lite Flite case for it

6. Get a strap for it.

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, bass_dinger said:

 

 

If that had been the neck pocket gap on my old ‘63 P, I would have described it as airtight by comparison. Really, the gap was HUGE! Still sounded fantastic and never moved. I understand the reasoning and general consensus behind a tight neck pocket and I used to think the same way too, now I’m a bit more laissez faire about it.

[Richard R]

I think that is going to be quite something,  the fretboard is very pretty. 

I would trust the luthier about the gap, maybe check with him if he expects the finish to go into the sides of the pocket as it's not clear on the photo of the blue bass.

[LeftyJ]

Looks stunning, and I think the luthier did a steller job getting the dimensions of the heel that tight without having the body at hand to work with! I get that he was an original luthier for Washburn at the time and knows these basses like the back of his hand, but I still think that's incredible without having your actual body to work from. I'm with @Richard R, I would trust the luthier 

[bass_dinger]

The world's longest New Bass Day continues  - had I known, I would have posted this in Build Diaries!

 

A few people have confirmed that the neck-to-body gap is negligible, and acceptable. 

 

I am currently researching options for the finish, which will be paid for by the sale of another bass guitar, or two.  I am drawn to local luthiers, simply because the idea of posting a bass guitar in a case makes me nervous. 

 

I had an interesting comment from one luthier, about the saddle.   The solid lump of metal may not be to replace a lost adjustable saddle.  It may be designed as a high-mass, high-surface-area saddle designed to maximise tone transferral. 

 

In other news, I need strings. My other bass has a 5 string set of SIT Silencer half round strings, 40 to 120.  Where can I buy them in the UK?

 

Or should I try another brand of half-rounds?

 

Finally, I am missing the Washburn logo, which needs to be 2 ½" long.  I may not bother, if it proves too difficult or time-consuming to source. 

 

I am feeling that the end is in sight, and I will soon be playing a fretless bass.

[Grahambythesea]

With regard to the Logo, some years I had a Washburn guitar which had a broken headstock repaired and lost its Logo. I contacted Washburn and they kindly sent me one. Worth a try?

[Grahambythesea]

On eBay Washburn logo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125968877837?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=yumhzhf9qim&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=_-qNzvFMRiS&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[bass_dinger]

Well, that was unexpected. 

 

At 2.30 I dropped off three basses at the luthier - this thread's XB925, to ask them to price up the work; another XB925 with a stripped strap button screw, which needed a dowel in the screw hole; and a friend's Fender with the strings flat on the fretboard. 

 

The Fender needed a truss rod adjustment (5 minutes, 5 quid), done on the spot.

 

I took that bass back home, went to the osteopath, visited my dad, and at 5.30 called to ask when I could pick up the bass that needed the dowel. 

"It’s already done. £10"

 

And the other bass? 

 

"We priced up the  respray, inserted 4 ferrules into the neck, reinstalled the bridge, cut the nut, did a trial fit of all the bits..."

 

Happily, the total cost is very acceptable, and I want them to do the rebuild and the setup - I am very pleased with their previous work. 

 

As for the respray,  the luthier will get someone called Toby (Diggins?) at T Dog customs to do it on their behalf. 

 

Suddenly, I need the Washburn logo and the S.I.T strings!

Edited August 30 by bass_dinger

[MichaelDean]

Toby is the grandson of John Diggins, aka Jaydee Guitars. You're in good hands. 

[bass_dinger]

11 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

On eBay Washburn logo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125968877837?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=yumhzhf9qim&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=_-qNzvFMRiS&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

This is an 8cm logo, whereas mine is the 6 ½cm version (shown here on the chopped off headstock).

 

I will contact Washburn and see what they have, but will also consider the one on ebay, given that it is so close in size.

 

 

In other news, I contacted the previous owner of both basses, and asked him if he could help me to source the strings. 

 

https://lordofthestrings.com/en/bass/electric/5-string/sit-strings-nrl5-45120l-silencer-nickel-semi-flat-bass-strings.html

 

https://gitaarsnaren.nl/bas-gitaar/5-snarige-bas-gitaar-sets/sit-strings-nrl5-45120l-silencer-nickel-semi-flat-bass-strings.html

 

 

 

[bass_dinger]

An update.

 

The bass is with the luthier, undergoing a little bit of fettling - fine finishing of the body's surface before it goes off to the spray shop. I think that we are waiting for a slot, as availability is limited. 

 

In the meantime, I have purchased a cheap second-hand Hiscox case for the luthier to use to transport it - I could have used my existing case, but didn't want to risk damaging it.  So, the option of a case for little more than the price of 5 packs of bubble wrap, seemed sensible. 

 

Once the spray shop is ready to take my bass, we will send them an email setting out the important parts of this thread (in essence, "it's Feibing’s Leather dye, blue. Subtle sunburst on both the front and back, make the front look like the pictures, as much as possible.")

 

One issue with the neck and trussrod   arose.  

 

The previous one was so badly made, that it warped. So, the American luthier that made the new neck made sure that this new one would be solid. 5 piece laminate, thick slab of macassar ebony....

 

It seems to be so solid, that the truss rod doesn't seem to affect much adjustment at all! 

 

I await an update  - it may be that the neck already has the right amount of relief, or that the truss rod is very slow-acting. Or perhaps the fretboard can be reprofiled?

 

And finally, the strings have arrived from https://lordofthestrings.com/en/bass/electric/5-string/sit-strings-nrl5-45120l-silencer-nickel-semi-flat-bass-strings.html

 

Robert  

 

 

 

Edited September 15 by bass_dinger

[bass_dinger]

On 15/09/2024 at 17:55, bass_dinger said:

 

It seems to be so solid, that the truss rod doesn't seem to affect much adjustment at all! 

 

So, the truss rod does move the neck, but not much.  However, the neck is "right", and very rigid, so doesn't really need the truss rod to adjust it.  All is well. 

 

I have dropped off the spare case at the luthier, and they will contact Toby Diggins for a date to send the bass to them.

 

I have decided not to have a logo on the headstock  - I can't find the right one, so, best to leave it off.

 

As for the bridge saddle, I will let the luthier tell me whether the genuine article is necessary, or if the lump of metal was designed to transfer more vibration to the bridge and body.

[bass_dinger]

I have found what looks like the right Washburn custom shop headstock logo, on ebay. Genuine article, from the Washburn factory.  

 

Washburn didn't get back to me, sadly.

 

"NEW GENUINE WASHBURN BLACK MADE IN THE USA GUITAR HEADSTOCK DECAL I picked this up from Washburn a couple years ago. This is a brand new stick on black decal. This decal is about 2 5/8th inches long and about 5/8th of an inch high. This is not a copy; I picked this up from the Washburn factory. This is over 10 years old and made for one of Washburn’s Custom Shop guitars.

 

[bass_dinger]

On 18/05/2024 at 14:13, bass_dinger said:

I see that I am missing a few bits.  Adjustable bridge saddle and a machine head retaining screw. 

 

Can anyone help?

 

Full wanted advert here: 

 

 

 

 

It may be a  Warwick 3d adjustable saddle. So, if I need it a new saddle, I have a choice between the Warwick and the ABM part.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325082459218?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=MTGobot6TTu&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=N6aXlrGTR5O&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

 

[bass_dinger]

 .  . . and the bass is painted, a turquoise-to-blue-burst finish. Even the headstock has the same 'burst.

Although it is ready to ship back to my luthier to be rebuilt, we all agreed to wait until the start of January 2025, once everyone is back at work after the holidays.  That allows the finish to rest and cure a little more, and ensures that the item is not stuck in transit over the Christmas holidays.  

Right now, it looks like someone else's bass, or something out of a custom-shop catalogue - certainly, it doesn't feel like I can possibly own this!  I rather like it.  @AndyTravis - that colour was inspired by the image of the 8-string that you shared.  Woof, indeed!

Edit  - the colours are Candy Blue, and Candy Royal Blue. Not the Feibing’s leather dye used by the Washburn custom shop. But I am very happy with the finish. 
 

Edited 19 hours ago by bass_dinger

[Woodwind]

2 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

 .  . . and the bass is painted, a turquoise-to-blue-burst finish. Even the headstock has the same 'burst.

Although it is ready to ship back to my luthier to be rebuilt, we all agreed to wait until the start of January 2025, once everyone is back at work after the holidays.  That allows the finish to rest and cure a little more, and ensures that the item is not stuck in transit over the Christmas holidays.  

Right now, it looks like someone else's bass, or something out of a custom-shop catalogue - certainly, it doesn't feel like I can possibly own this!  I rather like it.  @AndyTravis - that colour was inspired by the image of the 8-string that you shared.  Woof, indeed!

 

 

I've been enjoying every update as this progresses.

Brilliant!

Can't wait to hear/ see some sound samples once it's all together.

 

 

Edited Monday at 20:30 by Woodwind
Missed out the word enjoying

[AndyTravis]

[Andyjr1515]

Absolutely splendid!! 

[Grahambythesea]

That’s looking real good. Glad you found a decent logo.