Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

NBD - 70’s Matsumoku “thing”


Pea Turgh

Recommended Posts

Spotted this on Gumtree a few days ago, picked it up this eve.  £30 with a straight neck - what could possibly go wrong?!

 I’m planning on stripping it back (or probably just sanding for a refinish as it’s probably ply-bodied).  Maybe oly white with a mint guard?  We’ll see…

 

IMG_7457.jpeg

IMG_7458.jpeg

IMG_7459.jpeg

IMG_7460.jpeg

IMG_7461.jpeg

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A quick Google shows it probably looked like this one originally:

 

https://reverb.com/item/72349185-matsumoku-short-scale-bass-killer-bass-insane-pickup-short-scale-but-formidable-feeling-instrument

 

The scratchplate and truss cover are WBW under the awful red paint.

 

Looks like it was sanded with a bag of rocks though, so might have to be a refinish 😕

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

Maybe. But if I told them I might have to kill them.

 

You know how it is.

I’ve read a lot of your posts - it’s how I spotted the Matsumoku connection (neck plate).

What ever it is, it’s already been ruined, so I can only make it better!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Pea Turgh said:

A quick Google shows it probably looked like this one originally:

 

https://reverb.com/item/72349185-matsumoku-short-scale-bass-killer-bass-insane-pickup-short-scale-but-formidable-feeling-instrument

 

The scratchplate and truss cover are WBW under the awful red paint.

 

Looks like it was sanded with a bag of rocks though, so might have to be a refinish 😕

 

Good detective work! It's also a close relative of the Mats-made Epiphone ET280 - basically the same thing with a 4-inline headstock & single pickup.

 

r6watr7htpqfnwhktpaw.jpg

 

It's possible if you can get the paint off the original finish underneath will be restorable. I've had good results with a healthy dose of T-cut & elbow grease on similarly Dulux-ed basses & guitars - once you get the paint off, the original poly tends to be pretty bomb-proof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm following this. You know me and tarting up budget basses. 😁

 

If it is a plywood body then you don't want to take it back to bare wood. It will take forever to fill all the end grain. If the original finsh is shot then try and leave the sanding sealer intact, assuming it has some. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Maude said:

I'm following this. You know me and tarting up budget basses. 😁

 

If it is a plywood body then you don't want to take it back to bare wood. It will take forever to fill all the end grain. If the original finsh is shot then try and leave the sanding sealer intact, assuming it has some. 

Yeah, it’s kinda your fault 😂

I remember you mentioning about not fully stripping if overpainting, so happy not to make things harder for myself.

 

I’ve attacked the body &neck with 120 grit.  The DIY paint is gradually coming off, and I think the original poly won’t budge much (maybe on the sharper edges).  

There are patches where it looks like the previous owner has used a section of pebbledash wall to sand it, so I’ll get it as flat as I can and use filler.

The neck and headstock seem to have escaped the scrapes, so might just be able to buff up the original finish.

 

I’d thought oly white for the body, but a nice Gibson SG bass in the classifieds in Pelham blue has got me wondering… decisions decisions!

 

Also bought a Fender style BBOT bridge from the classifieds to replace the agricultural original (similar spacing - 19 or 20mm).  Ooh and the nut is 43mm - perfect for my long skinny fingers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been sanding with 120 grit to get the black off.  Neck pretty much done, though I may have gone through the poly in a couple of spots.

@Maude - is it just a case of working up through grades to re-shine the pre-existing poly?  What grades should I use?

 

The body doesn’t seem as bad as I first thought, although I have inadvertently given it a slight home-made road worn effect on the top edge - mustn’t repeat that.

 

 

IMG_7477.jpeg

IMG_7478.jpeg

IMG_7479.jpeg

IMG_7481.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Pea Turgh said:

 

@Maude - is it just a case of working up through grades to re-shine the pre-existing poly?  What grades should I use?

 

 

Yes, just go up through the grades, although there is probably a very real risk of rubbing through. It all depends on how thick the original clear is and how much you've taken off with 120.

Theres no real method of which grades you should use. The more grades you can use, the less work you need to do with each grade. Ideally you want to remove all the scratches made by the previous, coarser grade, so if you jump too far between grades then you'll just have to work harder. Maybe move to 240 now, then 320, 500, 800, 1000. As you get to the higher grades you won't have to rub much at all. 

You will probably be able to polish it from 1000 but if you have it I'd go to 1500 and 2000 just to make life easier. 

Maybe when you see the black begin to thin move to the next grade to give yourself a better chance of not breaking through. 

 

It looks like it's had a neck pickup at some point in it's life. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice to reveal a 3-piece neck - a great little surprise. If you've gone through the finish on the neck at all, I'd just remove it all from the back of the neck, down to bare wood, and just finish with some tru-oil. I did the same to my fretless J bass a while ago and never looked back.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been spending some more time sanding.  Thinking “man, I got through to wood quickly there, I should take more care”. Slowly realising that it was actually my refinishing predecessor that got through to bare wood, then just painted over with black - evidenced by areas where paint has sunk in to the wood pores. 🤦🏻‍♂️

The original finish (aside from being pre-roadworn) is also covered in cracks, and generally not pretty.  Full respray it is!

 

Any tips on prep?  Take off original finish too, or just sand to what grit for undercoat?

 

IMG_7495.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve just lost an hour in a sanding trance. I feel I know this instrument intimately now.

 

I think what is left is sound enough to paint over.  I will need to put some sort of something on the bare wood sections, but after that it’ll be undercoat and then colour of choice (TBC).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Pea Turgh said:

Been spending some more time sanding.  Thinking “man, I got through to wood quickly there, I should take more care”. Slowly realising that it was actually my refinishing predecessor that got through to bare wood, then just painted over with black - evidenced by areas where paint has sunk in to the wood pores. 🤦🏻‍♂️

The original finish (aside from being pre-roadworn) is also covered in cracks, and generally not pretty.  Full respray it is!

 

Any tips on prep?  Take off original finish too, or just sand to what grit for undercoat?

 

IMG_7495.jpeg


 

that body is “Sen” Asian ash equivalent. I recently bought a 70’s jap Yamaha pulser 400 and its Sen body. Great find you have 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...