Ou7shined

Just as a comparison here's how it used to look.... before coming to live with me.

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure that steam or any heat would have killed it - especially when the glue was so fresh. Veneer is very susceptible to moisture and will ripple like a mofo given a chance (I killed a lovely oak veneer finish on a guitar that had been dry for months just by putting a wet varnish on it not so long ago) also heat is used to re-adhere veneer when it has become unstuck as it melts the glue underneath. I wouldn't mind making up a test piece just to test your theory for future jobs though.

So I decided to make a maple truss rod cover to match my veneered headstock. I made a rough template out of paper that covered the general length and width dimensions. I cut 3 pieces approximately the size of the template making sure that the grain went long ways on 2 and transversely on the last one. I sandwiched the transverse one between the first two, glued them up and clamped the lot between some blocks. I waited a few hours and had a peak. They seemed to be stuck together pretty solidly so I lined up the paper template and drew around it, then cut out the shape with some tough scissors. I then spent ridiculously too long tweaking the shape with 180 then finally 400 grade sandpaper. Once happy I marked then drilled the holes on my Dremel drill press with a 2mm bit. I noticed that one of the layers hadn't glued properly at a corner so I worked some glue in with a scalpel tip then screwed it down to a flat block of wood for a couple more hours to dry. Then the tricky bit... making it fit. In this state the 3 flimsy veneers became quite tough and I feared that bending the stiff TR cover to the headstock contour might snap it - I proceeded with maximum caution. I put the tip screw in first and bit by bit started clamping my way down the TR cover until I reached the sort of apex of the curve then sent the remaining 2 screws home. Once I was happy that they were all tight I held my breath, bit the bullet and removed the clamp. And Ta-dah it worked.... a matching truss rod cover for my maple veneered headstock. Just need to lacquer it now.

I have a sneaky feeling he might be doing the right thing selling it as is (although the missing saddle is a pain and the really bad buckle rash off putting) I think an obvious repair would devalue it more and the bass is not worth paying for an invisible repair. It's much better going to folk like us that can do it ourselves.

[quote name='jonny-lad' post='502870' date='Jun 1 2009, 12:05 PM']Wouldn't it be easier to covert it to a four-string by just removing the B-string instead of ruining a decent bass?!...it'd certainly look better as a 5-string with a string missing IMO![/quote] That bit was probably knocked off by accident and they are making the most out of what's left.

........... ............ !!!

[quote]I am reluctant to sell because....[/quote]

Metal does mellow with age.... Just look at Ozzy.

That's coz it's bin relic'd.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='501783' date='May 30 2009, 05:27 PM'][quote] Roll on incontinence...[/quote] The deodorant choice of senior citizens the world over. [/quote] I s-h-a-t! Would it work on skidders?

from the link above... Some folk just don't have a clue. but the comments though..... [b] [i]Nice work man, that looks really cool! I'll bet it's a beaut to play... That is smokin'! Nice work. The more I see people building basses like these the more I want to make one myself.[/i][/b] The world's gone mad!

My main bass has individual bridges per string (so one would presume a comparatively low mass) and yet it sustains no problem. I just ran an almost scientific test against 2 other basses one with a standard MM "bent tin" bridge and the other a high mass brass 5 string job. I have them all suspended on the same wall on identical hangers and simultaneously pinged a string. Of course we have ash, poplar and maple bodies to factor in and for that matter it is the only one out of the 3 with a maple fretboard. Anyway it out rang them both. The thing is why would I want it to?

Oh you definitely need one of these. Shep bought my [color="#48D1CC"]DOD FX25B[/color]. Apart from Royal Fails interference in the matter, the transaction went smooth. Great guy to deal with. Cheers.