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Encore Project / Rebuild


Sibob
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Hullo all, thought I'd start my Encore Refurb/Rebuild thread.

Basically, I've got my first ever bass, a mid 90's, maybe early 90's Precision style Encore bass. Pearl White in colour with a white scratchplate, it originally had a rosewood fingerboard.
In around 2000 i had it converted to fretless, i say that rather then de-fretted because the whole fingerboard was replaced, with an unlined maple one.
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

At the same time i changed the tuners for some no-name but much sturdier tuners, coated the cavity with foil and replaced the pickup with a DiMarzio DP122 pickup (which made way for the pictured Bartolini Model P about a year later), i also took the scratchplate to a car decal shop and had them add the black squares that made up the chequered look. I strung it with Black Rotosound Tru-Bass strings, giving a double bass-esque sound.

The bass in this form became kinda redundant after i had my Shuker EUB built and has been sitting in its case ever since.
"So" i thought, "I'll make it usable again". I decided that i wanted to put a Maple Jazz Neck on it, i wanted block inlays and binding but an Allparts dotted maple jazz neck became available on the forum at a price i could't say no to:

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

It actually has some really nice grain in it!:
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

It came yesterday, and i fitted it, with a pretty tight neck joint resulting, i've definatly seen loser joints on vintage fenders and other stock basses:
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

I purchased new mini-pots and a string retainer from Allparts, stripped the scratchplate of the chequers and replaced the Bart with the Dimarzio once again (higher output passively). All got wired in today, and although theres still a bit of buzz to sort out, its starting to all come together:
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Plans over the next week or two are to purchase some Gotoh GB-4N 'CBS era' Fender style tuners from Allparts, sort out the electrics good and proper, i also have some nickel barrel knobs to go on. I'm also going to order an S series Fender Jazz Bass Decal for the headstock, "WHY" you ask? Just because i like the Fender headstock aesthetic over a blank one really and the early 80's are when Maple Dotted Jazz necks appeared and pearl white became available as a colour. I have no plans on selling the bass anyway, worth nothing to anyone but me :).

So everything will be in place for an early 80's looking Precision bass with an early 80's Jazz neck :huh:. Finally, I've got some Warwick 40-100 strings to pop on while she gets setup etc then she'll be strung up with Newtone Diamonds 40-100 for her playing life :huh:.

Updates and soundclips ASAP :huh:

Cheers
Si

p.s.
i believe the body to be made of Alder as its a good weight and feels nice and solid!

Edited by Sibob
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[quote name='metalmaniac' post='55619' date='Sep 4 2007, 10:49 PM']Im prob gonna sound noobish.. but isnt putting a fender decal on a lil bit illegal.

Otherwise... I like it.. wish i still had my original encore :)[/quote]
Putting a Fender decal on it isn't illegal, although trying to pass it off as a real Fender would be.

Andy

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  • 4 weeks later...

Tiny little update:

The headstock logo transfer arrived a few days back from a very nice man called Trey in the US.
Its an S9 series Jazz Bass logo.
I'll affix it as soon as i get the tuners sorted

Nice
Si

Edited by Sibob
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  • 3 weeks later...

apologies for hijacking your thread Si

[quote name='Rich' post='55697' date='Sep 5 2007, 07:33 AM']Yeah... my Squier Jazz has a Fender decal on it, but I'm not selling it so it's not an issue. If it went up for sale, I'd remove the decal and probably get a humorous one instead. 'Blender Jizz Bass' or summat. :)[/quote]

Rich - how did you go about replacing the decal? - I [i]may[/i] do that to my Squier VMJ

Si, nice job so far - I'm considering some kind of project P with a jazz neck

Edited by steve
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Steve - Full instructions for fitting come with transfer if you buy from Trey, gimme a PM and I'll give you his email and prices etc
You can basically request anything logo wise.

I'm really looking forward to getting this finished, the tuners are on their way, then its just a case of affixing the transfer which might take a week or so to dry (lacquering etc), sorting the buzz in the electronics out, stringing her up, and off we go!

Si

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok so the tuners came!! :-D
They look great fitted!!

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

They're a little shiney, but i have my secret to dulling down hardware :-D

Next job is to quieten the buzzing electronics, i think i have an earth problem somewhere. I brought a new jack socket, so that'll go in to, hopefully making a difference.

Then I'll get the headstock decal on.

Si

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  • 2 weeks later...

Alrighty, better get this up before Jim posts pics of his 1960 Jazz lol

Heres the headstock with the decal applied:
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

The body:
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

So there we have it really........
I tried it at a covers gig last night, and it was great, one thing i will say about the DiMarzio is that is its fecking loud!! Like...REALLY loud lol. So we'll see how it goes, might drop a Wizard in for some Vintage tone if the DiMarzio doesn't work out.
Its been properly shielded now as well, by a friend, replacing my teenage attempt seen above. You could say that my efforts were 'FOILED'!!!!!! HAHAHAhAHAhAh...hahahahahaha...ha.<ahem>

So yeah, my first ever bass gets a new lease of life, and is getting gigged for the first time in about 6 years
Was a fun little project.

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]

Cheers
Si

Edited by Sibob
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[quote name='Sibob' post='86461' date='Nov 10 2007, 01:19 PM']Alrighty, better get this up before Jim posts pics of his 1960 Jazz lol

Heres the headstock with the decal applied:
[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url][/quote]


shouldn't there be another decal on that headstock... the patent one about the offset body...

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Oooo very possibly Paul, not sure

I've tried looking for some pictures of basses from the same era ('79-'81), a 1979 and a '78-'81 on ebay didn't have any other decals other then whats on mine

Again, i'm not really trying to fool anyone, i just like the way the decal looks. So if i need but can't find the 'contour/patent' bit to add, i'm not fussed really.

Si

Edited by Sibob
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