Bassfinger

Tried painting the headstock, but bring the perfectionist that I am wasn't happy with the result. So went carbon instead. Should provide a nice contrast to the white truss rod cover. Once the glue is dry I can finish sanding the edges.

I guess I'll know soon enough! I've a few old sets I can try for fit before spending cash. Meanwhile, I've been working on the shielding.

Retrovibe pickup has arrived...

I do bear more than a passing resemblance to sasquatch in height, build and hairyness.

Built up the Danish oil on the neck like varnish. You can do this but it takes an age to dry, sometimes months. Fortunately a week of 40C temps in the workshop have done the trick. Rubbed back with 0000 wire wool and T cut, then buffed and waxed. Lovely.

Right, DV247 are arsing me about with the pickup. Luckily I paid via PayPal and got a refund right quick. Retrovibe toaster duly ordered instead, so I have to wait again. Still, other things to be done. There was quite a build up of Danish oil on the neck and a week drying in a 40°C workshop has cured it so it's now harder than a Ross Kemp documentary. Given a good T cut and buffed to a high shine and it looks and feels lovely.

Is that a smarties lid?

I've not fogotten! Have finished the front in danish oil, 5 coats. Gives a nice shine and makes it more resistant to mucky hand prints. Also done the neck in danish oil, and it looks lovely. Left the sides and back with the wax over tung oil, which looks pleasant and adds a nice contrast to the gloss front. Its hanging up in the workshop curing. In this hot weather its 40°C out there if the door is kept shut, so it should cure and harden nicely. Now it's a waiting game while the new neck pickup and bridge work their way ro me through the post, then I can press on with some assembly.

My MB4, with Wilkinson tuners and Warman pup, is a snarling beast and has now become my main gigging tool. Not only does it growl like an angry rottweiler with a deep tone that would make Brian Blessed take a respectful step back, but it's fun to play, not too heavy, looks good, and the boys in the band reckon its the best sounding of my basses. It's arguably the best combination of attributes and price of any new bass anywhere and a ripe platform for fun, cost effective modding. Were it not against God's law I'd marry it!

I had Yandles in my Martock. The doc gave me some cream and it did clear up, but left some terrible pitting on my weapon.

Yes, I often gain 18 inches in height during a gig and need to extend my strap.

MU is good. Your arriss is covered, and it solves all sorts or arguments that arise when insurers try to argue you were still acting as your own free agent and not on band business at that precise moment in time. Of course, to satisfy the venue youd probably all need to be members. But my mob are all in the MU, so we're good. They also give you 2 grand of free equipment cover, which is jolly handy.

Not caused me any problems.

Thank you! Ok, the no name jazz pickup for the bridge position is headed for the bin, as I've found the Entwistle pickup I knew I had somewhere. I love Entwistle jazz pups, bags of volume and clarity with a tasteful touch of grit, so I am most pleased. Why people pay up to 10 times as much for something no better is beyond me, but hey ho. Thinking i'll dispense with the neck pickup and replace it with a Retrovibe job. I've Retrovibe pups in several basses, including the mudbucker conversion in my '54 CV, and have vnever been anyrhing less than highly impressed. I want to to look, at a glance at least, like a real Rick-O so have ordered one of the made in USA stickers for the pickguard. It's for my own satisfaction, I won't be trying to pass it off as a real one and it's highly doubtful that anyone with functioning eyes would be fooled anyway. Still, ill be using a sharpie to write inside the cavities and under the pickguard "THIS IS A FAKE", so in 200 years when Im gone and this bass crops up on the Antiques Roadshow no one will be deceived or ripped off. It's a bit of fun for my own pleasure, not an attempt to cash in.

Now to let that well and truly cure for a few weeks while I start sourcing the other bits and bobs I need to finish.

A rub down with 0000 wire wool, and black bison wax. Don't be alarmed. The camera shows differences in shade between the different pieces of wood that aren't actually visible to the eye.

When did the late 70's suddenly transition from merely "old" to "vintage"? It's an unremarkable bass, from an undesirable year of production, in an uncared for condition.

It's drying very, very nicely in my workshop/bike shed, which is always very warm this time of year. Another day of so then I can reveal the next stage.

It depends on the piece. I've done one paulownia body and it wasn't too bad for the pores. It was a very attrective poece of wood once finished.

Wonderful patina. Well used, but well cared for.

Oh. Not a thread about 90's Yamahas.

5th coat today. It's getting boring, I know, but the end result is in sight.

4th coat of oil today. No pics as still not much to see.

I love gigging. Ive been sensible and never tried to make any money off it, so never been frustrated or disappointed when I haven't. I get to play with my mates, insist on all the Coca Cola I can drink, and the boozed up groupies flash their thruppenies half way through a song to try and put us off. What's not to like? While I'm in a position to treat it as a laugh and a social event then Im sorted. I do quite understand how musicians quit big, successful, financially lucrative bands because of the pressures of touring - the cash might be nice, but the hassle of everything else that goes with it must be staggering.