Reverb Fender '74 purchase

[Burns-bass]

7 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

They aren't fool proof. On the window in our bathroom, the head on the screws for the handle was so far gone a screw extractor didn't work. I ended up having to cut the thing off with a dremel after the handle fell off.

 

Yeah, this. I had a strap button screw sheer off under the wood. A screw extrator also didn't work there. It had to be extracted like this and then the chip out sorted. It chipped out quite badly due to the location. The fix is invisible with a new strap button installed though. Hawker Repairs in Bristol did such a good job that I recommend them to everyone. Also did a great stainless steel refret on my Mustang.

 

That is an excellent job.

[diskwave]

Had one one in similiar condition. Looks earlier than 74... bridge is (correctly) in the wrong place as installed by the factory with worn out jigs. They came from Fender with a very long G screw to compensate.

Anyway, what a piece. Great patina. Clean it up a bit, refret, get it working and play the heck out of it... If its a good one then it'll be real nice. Mine had a weighty tone to it that Ive never found in a modern P bass.

Edited February 20 by diskwave

[andytoad]

Ok so....update...

 

As expected the screws on the bridge were not budging, I did not want to leave as is with the horrible earth wire attached externally, the internal earth was buggered due to bridge corrosion. 

 

Attempt 1 with this:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296857049181

 

Whilst the initial tool happily rounded off the screws, the secondary tool would not grip the screw enough to move it and kept slipping. Probably not designed with heavy corrosion in mind,but rather just rounded off screws.

 

 

[andytoad]

Attempt 2...

 

After further Internet research techniques and tools, I though stuff it, drill the heads, remove the bridge, using one of these:

 

6PCS Broken Head Screw Removal Tool, Alloy Steel Remove Stripped Damaged Screw Tap Extractor Tool M4, M5, M6, M8, M10, M12

https://amzn.eu/d/aSQRkUs

 

to remove the screw bodies, afterall, no corrosion now, just buried in wood right?

 

Nope. Stuck in there good and proper, the Tool just would not grip.

 

On a positive, I did get the rotten bridge off, earth wire intact, but due to bridge corrosion, not doing its job. Images below are post cleaning of the bridge, it was in an appalling state, you might say it still is!

 

 

Edited Thursday at 22:40 by andytoad
Added photos

[ossyrocks]

3 minutes ago, andytoad said:

Attempt 2...

 

After further Internet research techniques and tools, I though stuff it, drill the heads, remove the bridge, using one of these:

 

6PCS Broken Head Screw Removal Tool, Alloy Steel Remove Stripped Damaged Screw Tap Extractor Tool M4, M5, M6, M8, M10, M12

https://amzn.eu/d/aSQRkUs

 

to remove the screw bodies, afterall, no corrosion now, just buried in wood right?

At the end of the day, no one is going to criticise you for getting these out using whatever method you eventually use. If you end up having to fill the existing holes before refitting the replacement bridge, then hey ho I say. It's all stuff I would do to get it right too. All of this will be hidden under the replacement bridge, so it's not going to be seen.

 

Crack on my son.

 

Rob,

[andytoad]

Attempt 3:

So, I then considered building a wooden clamp to fix the body in position and slowly pillar drill the remains out, but decided to option for the method suggested by @bremen via the stumac product.

 

It is in the U.S and subsequently found it not fully available, so sourced an alternative:

 

 sourcing map 5mm Diamond Drill Bits Hole Saws for Glass Tile Porcelain Marble Ceramic Bottles Pots Brick 5 Pcs

https://amzn.eu/d/imAbBRB

 

I purchased 5mm and 6mm, but found 5mm to work perfectly removing said offenders. Still waiting on the hardwood dowels to arrive, fit etc.. Will keep you posted.

 

[andytoad]

13 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

At the end of the day, no one is going to criticise you for getting these out using whatever method you eventually use. If you end up having to fill the existing holes before refitting the replacement bridge, then hey ho I say. It's all stuff I would do to get it right too. All of this will be hidden under the replacement bridge, so it's not going to be seen.

 

Crack on my son.

 

Rob,

 

Cheers Rob @ossyrocks,

I can imagine there are a few who will say holy sh*t what's he doing??!

 

But, I think in general its a fair way to go about it and gives some information on what I found worked and what diddnt.

[ossyrocks]

2 minutes ago, andytoad said:

Attempt 3:

So, I then considered building a wooden clamp to fix the body in position and slowly pillar drill the remains out, but decided to option for the method suggested by @bremen via the stumac product.

 

It is in the U.S and subsequently found it not fully available, so sourced an alternative:

 

 sourcing map 5mm Diamond Drill Bits Hole Saws for Glass Tile Porcelain Marble Ceramic Bottles Pots Brick 5 Pcs

https://amzn.eu/d/imAbBRB

 

I purchased 5mm and 6mm, but found 5mm to work perfectly removing said offenders. Still waiting on the hardwood dowels to arrive, fit etc.. Will keep you posted.

 

Hurrah!

 

What glue will you use? I have used Titebond for this kind of job in the past and it's been very good.

[andytoad]

I'm tempted to retain the bridge now its 'cleaned up' 😅 if I can get it to earth properly.

[ossyrocks]

Just a suggestion, whilst you have it in bits, get some Virtuoso Guitar Cleaner and really go to town on the body and neck. That stuff is amazing and might really bring out the best in the worn finish. I've revived even the dullest opaque looking finishes with it in the past.

[ossyrocks]

2 minutes ago, andytoad said:

I'm tempted to retain the bridge now its 'cleaned up' 😅 if I can get it to earth properly.

I'm sure there would be something you can soak it in the revive it.

[andytoad]

2 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

Hurrah!

 

What glue will you use? I have used Titebond for this kind of job in the past and it's been very good.

I just assumed wood glue, but if you have experience of tight bond as good, I will look into it.

 

Got to say, I'm liking doing this thread, listening to the opinions, ideas, experience, it's almost like a community rebuild!

[andytoad]

1 minute ago, ossyrocks said:

Just a suggestion, whilst you have it in bits, get some Virtuoso Guitar Cleaner and really go to town on the body and neck. That stuff is amazing and might really bring out the best in the worn finish. I've revived even the dullest opaque looking finishes with it in the past.

 

Yup, it's on my mind, initially for some oil on the rosewood, but will look at that too! 😁

[ossyrocks]

3 minutes ago, andytoad said:

 

Yup, it's on my mind, initially for some oil on the rosewood, but will look at that too! 😁

https://titebond.co.uk/products/titebond-original-wood-glue?variant=29688250335331

 

https://virtuosopolish.com/shop/

 

I did buy my cleaner in the UK I think, but it was over 10 years ago, and I still have it. There's nothing like it, really worth the money.

 

If you can't find any in the UK, I will send you what I've got left.

 

Rob

 

 

[andytoad]

7 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

https://titebond.co.uk/products/titebond-original-wood-glue?variant=29688250335331

 

https://virtuosopolish.com/shop/

 

I did buy my cleaner in the UK I think, but it was over 10 years ago, and I still have it. There's nothing like it, really worth the money.

 

If you can't find any in the UK, I will send you what I've got left.

 

Rob

 

 

Ah cool that's nice of you! I really appreciate the offer. 🙂

[bremen]

Great idea using tile drills, a lot cheaper than the fancy-assed luthier tools I found.

 

Dyou think the bass was previously owned by an Alien? Surely no human could produce sweat that corrosive without rotting themselves from the inside out...

 

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, bremen said:

Great idea using tile drills, a lot cheaper than the fancy-assed luthier tools I found.

 

Dyou think the bass was previously owned by an Alien? Surely no human could produce sweat that corrosive without rotting themselves from the inside out...

 

I do know a guitarist who can rot a set of strings in an hour. He has custom made titanium saddles in his Les Paul because his corrosive sweat destroys the regular ones. Some people are just like that.

[tauzero]

On 27/02/2025 at 19:58, andytoad said:

Attempt 2...

 

After further Internet research techniques and tools, I though stuff it, drill the heads, remove the bridge, using one of these:

 

6PCS Broken Head Screw Removal Tool, Alloy Steel Remove Stripped Damaged Screw Tap Extractor Tool M4, M5, M6, M8, M10, M12

https://amzn.eu/d/aSQRkUs

 

to remove the screw bodies, afterall, no corrosion now, just buried in wood right?

 

Nope. Stuck in there good and proper, the Tool just would not grip.

 

I know you've now got it sorted, but for future reference, if you have a drill (ideally in a stand or a pillar drill) that will run in reverse, a small left-handed drill bit would be worth using to drill the head off as it can loosen up the screw.

[LukeFRC]

On 27/02/2025 at 19:58, andytoad said:

I didn't know they had a bass player on the Mary Rose!

[Geek99]

10 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

I didn't know they had a bass player on the Mary Rose!

That’s a part of a Tudor longbow, obviously 

@LukeFRC must have guitarist dna 😳

[Mrbigstuff]

21 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

I didn't know they had a bass player on the Mary Rose!

Looks older than that! Roman era possibly. Was the bass found near Hadrian’s wall?

[andytoad]

In response to the above queries of the bridge, a mere fool could google bog bridges and I quote:

 

 

'A bog bridge is a bass part cadaver that has been naturally mummified in a peat bog. Such bridges, sometimes known as bog bridges, are both geographically and chronologically widespread, having been dated to between 8000 BC and the Second World War.[1] The unifying factor of the bog bridges is that they have been found in peat and are partially preserved; however, the actual levels of preservation vary widely from perfectly preserved to rust particles and dead skin.[2]'

[Geek99]

12 minutes ago, andytoad said:

In response to the above queries of the bridge, a mere fool could google bog bridges and I quote:

 

 

'A bog bridge is a bass part cadaver that has been naturally mummified in a peat bog. Such bridges, sometimes known as bog bridges, are both geographically and chronologically widespread, having been dated to between 8000 BC and the Second World War.[1] The unifying factor of the bog bridges is that they have been found in peat and are partially preserved; however, the actual levels of preservation vary widely from perfectly preserved to rust particles and dead skin.[2]'

Masterly done, Sir. 
 

[Geek99]

24 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Looks older than that! Roman era possibly. Was the bass found near Hadrian’s wall?

Guitars hadn’t been invented then, so a win all round 

relic bass part for us and people spent hundreds of years “not being guitarists”

Edited Friday at 23:32 by Geek99

[Mrbigstuff]

8 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Guitars hadn’t been invented then,

No way 😮