andytoad Posted February 14 Posted February 14 (edited) Off the back of the Vintage Fender thread I purchased a '74 P-bass on Reverb, beaten up just how I like them (not everyone's cup of tea I know). It needs work to get it up to scratch, the main things being: 1. A refret. 2. Replace the installed electronics back to the original (if they are usable) and earth wire 3. Change the scratch plate 4. See if I can free off the bridge from the body consider reconditioning or replacing. 5. Add my favourite flats. Happy to listen to constructive advice as I update this thread. Edited February 14 by andytoad Typo 10 Quote
andytoad Posted February 14 Author Posted February 14 (edited) First up, the bridge. Its in a hell of a state, I don't know if I can free up the screws? If not, I'm thinking of treating with a dash of penetrating oil (careful of the body) over the period of a few days and then gentle persuasion with the screwdriver. Dissassemble, try to clean back the rot and see if the components are still usable. Possibly replace with a quality aged replacement. Any thoughts? Edited February 14 by andytoad Forgot the pics Quote
Burns-bass Posted February 14 Posted February 14 10 minutes ago, andytoad said: First up, the bridge. Its in a hell of a state, I don't know if I can free up the screws? If not, I'm thinking of treating with a dash of penetrating oil (careful of the body) over the period of a few days and then gentle persuasion with the screwdriver. Dissassemble, try to clean back the rot and see if the components are still usable. Possibly replace with a quality aged replacement. Any thoughts? That’s in an incredible state. Bravewood eat your heart out! The biggest risk is you apply too much pressure and sheer off the top of one of the screws. Guess you could get it re-chromed but I think an aged replacement would be better. You might spend £200 on a replacement 70s bridge but I wouldn’t bother. Keep this one on the case and fit a usable and high quality new one. 4 Quote
wateroftyne Posted February 14 Posted February 14 I wish I'd gone for this one. Nice one! Following with interest. 1 Quote
andytoad Posted February 14 Author Posted February 14 34 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: I wish I'd gone for this one. Nice one! Following with interest. I've got to say, it does seem to have that instant playability, you know the connection you get when you first lay your hands on a bass? It feels right. I had an Olympic white '71 that should have been likewise, I really wanted it to be a keeper, but it just diddnt have 'it'. 1 Quote
Beedster Posted February 14 Posted February 14 39 minutes ago, andytoad said: I've got to say, it does seem to have that instant playability, you know the connection you get when you first lay your hands on a bass? It feels right. I had an Olympic white '71 that should have been likewise, I really wanted it to be a keeper, but it just diddnt have 'it'. Don’t try and change it then 👍 2 Quote
Burns-bass Posted February 14 Posted February 14 41 minutes ago, Beedster said: Don’t try and change it then 👍 That bridge looks like a human health risk to me. Love the look of this. I was in discussions with the shop owner before you bought this on Reverb! Well played, Sir. 1 Quote
andytoad Posted February 14 Author Posted February 14 Just now, Burns-bass said: That bridge looks like a human health risk to me. Love the look of this. I was in discussions with the shop owner before you bought this on Reverb! Well played, Sir. It does kinda of look like I need the WHO to advise on the way forward with it. I'm sure I saw it twitch. 2 Quote
Burns-bass Posted February 15 Posted February 15 8 hours ago, andytoad said: It does kinda of look like I need the WHO to advise on the way forward with it. I'm sure I saw it twitch. Sometimes an instrument speaks to you, and I think we all know that feeling. I recently picked up a Jack Cassidy bass and that was similar. Think we’re all really fascinated to see how this one works out. Fingers crossed the electrics are salvageable. I bet they are. Quote
velvetkevorkian Posted February 15 Posted February 15 Can you bill the seller for a tetanus shot? 3 Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 2 hours ago, Burns-bass said: Sometimes an instrument speaks to you, and I think we all know that feeling. I recently picked up a Jack Cassidy bass and that was similar. Think we’re all really fascinated to see how this one works out. Fingers crossed the electrics are salvageable. I bet they are. I'm hoping they are, I'm saving that discovery for after the bridge tho 🙂. I've got a multimeter so can check bits. Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 2 hours ago, velvetkevorkian said: Can you bill the seller for a tetanus shot? ..and any rash like symptoms Quote
jonno1981 Posted February 15 Posted February 15 That bridge looks like someone dropped some porridge on it when they bought the bass and never bothered to clean it! I’ve never seen chud built up like that before. Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 And so it begins... strings off. Deffo some serious wear on the frets.. Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 I've kept the earth wire soldered 8n place so I can default back if I need to, poor old bridge plate! Quote
bremen Posted February 15 Posted February 15 You could likely clean the bridge with a wet and dry sanding block without removing it. Just protect the paintwork (!) with a few layers of gaffer tape. I'd be very wary of shearing the screws; they'd be a bugger to extract if they lost their heads Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 (edited) 48 minutes ago, bremen said: You could likely clean the bridge with a wet and dry sanding block without removing it. Just protect the paintwork (!) with a few layers of gaffer tape. I'd be very wary of shearing the screws; they'd be a bugger to extract if they lost their heads They don't look too happy at the suggestion of movement that's for sure. Chance of getting them all out without breaking? Slim I reckon. Edited February 15 by andytoad Quote
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted February 15 Posted February 15 I'd be looking for an original 70s badass II to go on the bass if it was mine. Then the original bridge could be sealed up in a plastic bag before it gets the chance to spawn a load of evil little rusty porridge monsters like something from Dr Who. 1 2 Quote
JJMotown Posted February 15 Posted February 15 1 hour ago, andytoad said: And so it begins... strings off. Deffo some serious wear on the frets.. That's gonna need a refret. Shame. 1 Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 16 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: I'd be looking for an original 70s badass II to go on the bass if it was mine. Then the original bridge could be sealed up in a plastic bag before it gets the chance to spawn a load of evil little rusty porridge monsters like something from Dr Who. It's in an interestingly nasty condition, I don't particularly want to touch it with my actual skin!! Where's my HAZMAT suit? Quote
andytoad Posted February 15 Author Posted February 15 17 minutes ago, JJMotown said: That's gonna need a refret. Shame. Yup Quote
JJMotown Posted February 15 Posted February 15 40 minutes ago, andytoad said: Yup The positive here is that the wear on the body matches that of the frets, so definitely genuine. 1 Quote
GuyR Posted February 15 Posted February 15 That is an authentic looking bass. I would be inclined to give it to a professional to get the bridge off. luckily, period replacement parts for mid 70s Fenders shouldn’t be too prohibitive if required, but I think the bridge plate could be made to look ok if cleaned up. Congratulations on a handsome purchase. 1 Quote
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