1970 Teisco bass restoration

[Pea Turgh]

Don’t know what these are like, but they look the part and are cheap;

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/295852157562?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ofxqbxantho&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=tEgOCJh6Qn2&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Rayman]

29 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said:

Damn.  Sorry to hear about the pickups.  However, if it plays nicely, it’s worth doing something with it.  Maybe see what off-the-shelf jobbies you can fit in the original covers, or maybe a couple of Artec or Retrovibe mudbuckers?

Mudbuckers…… 🤔 …… I hadn’t thought of that, nice idea, I love the sidewinder in my Epiphone Newport. Shame though, I really like the look of the original pickups. I just think getting those up and running will be way more than the bass is worth.

[kodiakblair]

1 hour ago, Rayman said:

Back to the drawing board.

Maybe go with the Entwistle humbuckers Rapier are using in their Watson/WEM/Wilson Saffires.

 

[Rayman]

21 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Maybe go with the Entwistle humbuckers Rapier are using in their Watson/WEM/Wilson Saffires.

 

Yeah, that’s an option, I need to take some measurements, I also might get a quote for the repair of the original ones, but I fear the worst.

[kodiakblair]

54 minutes ago, Rayman said:

but I fear the worst.

I wouldn't worry too much, depending on who you use it might not be that expensive to fix.

 

I was looking for a hum cancelling single coil ( twice the work + custom bobbin) with a ridiculously high wire count ( 3 times the standard length required), extra long slugs were needed to accommodate all the wire. This considerable move from standard off the shelf spec cost me just £10 more 🙂 

 

There's not a great deal can fail in pickups. Hook up wires can detach (spot of solder/ job done), slugs can lose power (recharge by passing between neodymiums), magnets can detach (glue them back on or replace).

 

Most of the UK folks charge about £30 to repair single coils, £40 - £45 for humbuckers. It's roughly the same for rewind work 👍

 

 

[Rayman]

Thanks very much for all that, it gives me hope 👍🏻

[Geek99]

4 hours ago, Rayman said:

Ok well, bad news, for me at least.

 

The pickups are not well. The output on the neck pickup is very low, around 2.2, but the bridge pickup with that stretched wire, is unresponsive.

 

My guy says the whole lot needs re wiring including opening up the pickups to see what the craic is under there, something he doesn’t want to tackle, but has suggested Matt @ House of Tone in Chester for the work. Also…. is it worth it, spending considerable money to get it fixed….
 

Back to the drawing board.

Where are you located ?

[Rayman]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

Where are you located ?

Macclesfield, Cheshire

[Geek99]

Ok was going to suggest someone but sounds like it would be too far

[Rayman]

11 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Ok was going to suggest someone but sounds like it would be too far

I travel all over the country for work, so nowhere is out of the question, unless it’s Cornwall or Aberdeen …. Y’know.

 

So any suggestions are welcome 

[Geek99]

Asking 

[Rayman]

Ok, I’m in contact with House Of Tone, who tell me they can absolutely fix the pickups and wiring.

 

So, I’ll make the decision after the quote.

[Rayman]

So the whole assembly has gone in to House of Tone.

 

After pulling everything apart, one pickup looks great, one needs starting again with a new bobbin and rewind. 
 

New pots etc will also be installed.

 

Yes, I know…. more money than it’s worth, but I’m all in now.

 

Matt is fully booked till January, so the next update will be in 2024.

[Pea Turgh]

Nice!  When it’s done, it will be awesome.  Also not too many of them about, so that’s also a plus.

I’m concerned about the pickup in my very old Japanese bass that I decided to strip and refinish before checking out the pickup, so I may need those House of Tone details from you in the new year!

[Rayman]

Absolutely. Matt is a fan of all things retro, and if it’s worth bringing back to life, he’ll do it for you.

[Andyjr1515]

Just picked this thread up. Splendid project - I just love old basses.

 

Ref the fretboard finish - are you OK with that now?  If it still bugs you then I have a suggested way of making it look like new with minimal risk and cost.  But it looks OK in the photos

[Geek99]

2 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Just picked this thread up. Splendid project - I just love old basses.

 

Ref the fretboard finish - are you OK with that now?  If it still bugs you then I have a suggested way of making it look like new with minimal risk and cost.  But it looks OK in the photos

Word …

[Rayman]

9 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Just picked this thread up. Splendid project - I just love old basses.

 

Ref the fretboard finish - are you OK with that now?  If it still bugs you then I have a suggested way of making it look like new with minimal risk and cost.  But it looks OK in the photos

It’s satisfactory I guess in terms of the fretboard. It plays fine but looks patchy close up. I’d thought about removing the frets, lightly sanding it back and replacing the frets, but that’s a bridge too far for me.

 

The error I made was using a stripper that was way too aggressive and lifted the grain. Because the fretboard is bound, I have no clue how thick the rosewood is, so sanding isn’t something I fancy doing at all.

 

Any suggestions for how to make this thing even better are very much welcomed.

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by Rayman

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Rayman said:

It’s satisfactory I guess in terms of the fretboard. It plays fine but looks patchy close up. I’d thought about removing the frets, lightly sanding it back and replacing the frets, but that’s a bridge too far for me.

You don't need to do anything as drastic as that.

 

Just use a single-edged razor blade or a Stanley knife blade as a scraper:

- Use it two-handed for best control (my right hand was taking the picture!  )

- scrape the surface up from fret to fret moving progressively from one side to the other, repeating until you are happy with it

- use medium pressure first to scrape any finish off and then, if necessary, the wood below to scrape out any ingrained dirt, dips and dints

 

 

Generally, the dots,whether synthetic or natural, will be cooperative to this treatment so just carry on as though they weren't there:

 

And, honestly, you can't overdo it.  You would be having to do it for hours non-stop before affecting any of the fret security or strength 

 

When it's all done, vacuum all the dust away and then add whatever your preferred finish is (I use either decent quality lemon oil or tru-oil just wiped on and buffed off)

 

Except for maple fret-boarded Fenders, where they fully gloss the fretboard, I do this ROUTINELY when I am doing a full setup on basses and guitars -.  It makes the fretboard look new and it only takes me about 15 minutes for the full fretboard.

 

But, of course, don't rush it on your first go!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by Andyjr1515

[Rayman]

WOW...... that's absolutely fantastic, thanks so much for that. I would never have thought of trying something like that, but I'm absolutely going to have a go. Thank you.

[mrbacco]

Wow ... this is an amazing journey! Thanks for sharing!

[Rayman]

So after months of no activity, I’ve finally finished this bass off, pretty much. Just a bridge cover left to fit.

 

It’s been a bit of a journey to get this thing up and running, and it’s far from perfect, but then I doubt it was perfect when it was new.

 

I Ended up relocating the bridge to get the strings to go over the pole pieces correctly, and to get some level of intonation, which to be frank, is only really there or thereabouts even now.

 

I Also had to make a decision on the non functional pickups, and in the end, I forked out to have them completely rebuilt by House of Tone pickups in Chester. Fabulous job, but way more in cost than the bass is worth.

 

The tuners are junk, but they’ll have to do for now. I’m not spending any more money on this thing.

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, I’ve saved a junked 1960s/70s Kay/Teisco bass, and have ended up with a fun bass, very different from my others and very cool indeed. Proper old school tone with the nylon tapes, but still plenty of sparkly top if needed.

 

Great little vintage short-scale bass.

[Richard R]

If a job's worth doing, then it's worth doing well. That's a very nice restoration,  and the House of Tone sticker sets it off nicely too.

👍

[Stub Mandrel]

Fantastic result, well done!

 

Inspires me to sort my tulip properly.

[Rayman]

Update…..

 

The final touches are almost done.

 

The Zero fret it came to me with, was pointless. It was some random, brass coloured fret, that had been stuck on there, very badly. It was also too small, and didn’t actually do anything.

 

So I’ve fitted a jumbo fret and cut the nut down so that the strings sit nicely on it. 
 

 

I can actually tune the bass now.

 

Speaking of tuners…. I hated the ones that came on it. So having found some 60s Teisco elephant ear tuners in the states, I bought those and chucked them on today

 

 

and as I really hate the closed backs, I’ve converted them to open gears

 

 

so that’s almost it…… I’m just waiting for a Teisco headstock badge to arrive from the US, and that will finally be that.