W1_Pro

[quote name='Bassassin' post='761742' date='Mar 2 2010, 01:03 PM']Beautiful job bringing that back to health - I had one of these in 1981 (my first serious bass) and it was gorgeous. Don't think I really appreciated it at the time & wish I still had it.

Great restoration work from Mr Parker there, impressed by his technique for rectifying the truss problem, and the ebony fillet in the back of the neck - I'd love to see clearer pics of that.

Just one little detail though - this needs gold speed knobs, surely!

Jon.[/quote]

Aha, my very thoughts. The gold speed knobs are en route.
I'll post some pics when they come through
Best
S

[quote name='BigRedX' post='761726' date='Mar 2 2010, 12:37 PM']That's some nice looking work!

Do you mind if I ask how much it cost? PM me if you don't want to make the details public. I have the 8-string version of this bass that is in need of some major TLC and Mr Parker looks like the man to approach for this.[/quote]

Hello Big Red,
Graham charged a very reasonable £400 all in which included a set of d' Addarios's. Pretty fair for all that work I think?

Hello everyone,
I recently bought I rather knackered example of a Washburn B20 bass. It's been restored beautifully- and at very reasonable cost- by my mate Graham Parker a Lewisham luthier of unimpeachable reputation. Please have a look at Grahams blog of the build-plenty of pictures- and let me know what you think. The bass now plays and sounds fantastic. I'm very pleased with it, I've had a thing about these particular ugly ducklings for about 20 years!
Best
S


[url="http://grahamparkerluthier.com/2010/01/29/bass-guitar-repairs-london-vintage-washburn-b-20-bass/"]http://grahamparkerluthier.com/2010/01/29/...burn-b-20-bass/[/url]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='696455' date='Dec 30 2009, 04:41 PM']Greetings,

The main difference is in the neck profile - the SBs have a very nearly parallel string spacing between nut & bridge, whereas the SBRs have a noticeable taper (not as much as a Fender, but quite noticeable)

The easy way to spot the difference is that the SBRs have a rather fetching elliptical "eye" position inlay, whereas the SBs have plain dots. I'm not aware of any differences in construction & finish - they're all quarter-sawn maple/walnut laminated necks & ash bodies covered in nigh-on indestructible 2-pack Poly.

The story I've heard is that the SBRs were devised as a "hybrid" (somewhere around 1984?) based on the assumption that Western hands are bigger than Asian ones. Personally I prefer the original SB profile - definite "try before you buy" as it's a bit of a jolt.

Pics of the 700 if you would sir! They're quite scarce.

Pete.[/quote]
Thanks for this Pete, I shall bear this in mind, I'm looking for a fretted SB to go with the fretless, so I'll see if I can find and SBR to have a go on before I commit folding to the project. I'm away for a couple of weeks, but I'll post some pics of the SB when I return. It's a lovely bass, but I've always felt that the pickup is/was a bit lacking.
Stuart

[quote name='bassatnight' post='696170' date='Dec 30 2009, 10:55 AM']As an owner of several SB's in the past all I can say is that the SB series is of a higher quality particularly the 1000 series which is a very good instrument and I will always have one in my collection I just think the SBr's are a newer series with perhaps better quality electronics but poorer finishes.[/quote]
Thanks Bassatnight, I have an SB also- a 700 fretless bought new in errr...1984 I'm sorry to say...first decent Bass I ever owned- so were the SB-R's a later series then? Sort of late eighties ish?

Hello folks,
I've noticed a few SBR 60's and 80's up for sale- I wondered wht the difference was between them and the SB basses.
Can anyone enlighten me?
Many thanks
Stuart

[quote name='steve-soar' post='497276' date='May 25 2009, 01:58 PM']That's a lovely bass, so, are you going to keep it natural?
I quite like all the crazing, makes it look older and sexy, bit like Helen Mirrem. [/quote]
LOL
Yes definitly keep it natural, it's such a nice piece of wood. I think if you saw the whole thing.. the crazing does it no favours.. none of the luthiers/refinishers above have responded to mails, so I'm still in the same boat...I would'nt mind paying Sims prices if they'd do the back of the neck and the headstock...ho hum..

[quote name='steve-soar' post='495978' date='May 23 2009, 12:26 PM']I've never used Simms but I have done refinishing before for a living when I worked at KGB Music.
Have you got any pics of the bass?[/quote]
Here are a couple of pics showing the worst of it....

[quote name='tonyxtiger' post='491688' date='May 18 2009, 06:19 PM']Hi, I might have something you would be interested in. I have 3 all original RDs all in extremely good condition.

Black standard ebony board
Sunburst Artist ebony board
Maple Artist Maple board (highly figured body)

is there something specific you're after?

cheers, Darren[/quote]
PM'd

They are a great bass. Underrated as are most Gibson basses for some reason..never understood this...
I'll let you know about the Jack Cassidy case...I really can't face a flightcase...a bit OTT for my very occaisional gigging needs.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='495978' date='May 23 2009, 12:26 PM']I've never used Simms but I have done refinishing before for a living when I worked at KGB Music.
Have you got any pics of the bass?[/quote]
Not to hand, but I'll get some and post them SteveBest
Stuart

[quote name='MB1' post='491765' date='May 18 2009, 07:36 PM']MB1.
...."Is there something specific your after?"....Items Wanted Perhaps? [/quote]
Apologies! I'm new and I started this thread before I realised there was an items wanted forum.
If a moderator could move this thread, that would be great.
Thanks
Best
S

Another option. This guy looks promising also.
Many thanks
Stuart

Thanks for that Steve. You make a good point, refinishing is an awful lot of work I guess, and if it's done well, then it's worth paying for.....
I think my central concern is that I'm not paying way over the odds for the Sims Custom shop finish, and of course my other concern is are they any good?
Have you used them perchance?

Oh dear. Sorry about that...
Not intentional!
Anyhow, I spoke to a nice chap from Gibson today, and he reckons that the epiphone Jack Cassady case would fit the Grabber/Ripper and it is available as a separate accesory- which apparently the reissue grabber/ripper case is not.....

[quote name='maxrossell' post='493078' date='May 20 2009, 10:53 AM']Unfortunately refinishing is one of the most pricey things to have done to a guitar. £390 does sound a little bit steep for clearcoat, though.

Arun Repairs through Mike's Music will do it for around £250.

[url="http://www.aruninstrumentrepairs.co.uk/"]http://www.aruninstrumentrepairs.co.uk/[/url][/quote]
Thanks for that. I'll give them a go.

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='493342' date='May 20 2009, 03:18 PM']Hang on a sec... Isn't an Explorer a set neck? If it is, I would say that is about right for that job. It's quite time consuming... Obviously there is the skill in spraying the polyester but the difficulty is increased at the neck join as extra care is needed to be taken to avoid excessive build up. Then of course, there is the extra difficulty associated with the flattening and buffing. If you see it as £250 for the body and £140 for the neck... you can see where the cost is coming from...[/quote]

Aha. Now therin lies the rub. They are not prepared to touch the neck because it's got one of those Gibson stamped in serial numbers on the back of the headstock. Apparently it's beyond the wit of man to refinish this (nitromors anyone?). But thanks for the answers anyway. I think I'll probably go with this because it needs doing. Good to know that it's not quite as exhorbitanat as I thought!

Hello Everyone,
I'm looking for some advice/pointers about refinishing an Explorer bass.
I bought the thing in 2004 from the states and it had an awful spray can black finish. A luthier I use, Graham Parker (who is very good if you live in SE London btw [url="http://www.grahamparker.moonfruit.com"]http://www.grahamparker.moonfruit.com[/url] ) striped it back and refinished it in clear laquer and it looked lovely. I took the bass out of it's case a couple of months ago, and noticed that the finish had 'crazed' badly. I took it back to Graham, who no longer does finishing- lots of luthier seems to hate this part of the job eh?- he very reasonably offered to refund in full the £175 he'd charged me for this, and reccomended Sims Custom shop, who came back with a price of £390 which I think is kind of expensive. I'd like to know a couple of things really:
A) Is this expensive?
Are Sims worth it?
C) Can anyone reccomend an alternative.
all advice appreciated.
Many thanks chaps.

Hello Eveyone,
I'm looking for an all original Gibson RD Artist- I would also consider a standard. I'm not to worried if the bass needs a little TLC.
Please get in touch if you have one you are interested in selling.
Many thanks

[quote name='Basszilla' post='489180' date='May 15 2009, 06:36 PM']im in the same boat as you mate...doesn't seem to be much out there to fit this bass![/quote]

Hmmm, I suspected this might be the case, thanks for the reply though...

Hello Everyone,
I'm trying to find a case for my Gibson Ripper Bass. It's very wide and the usual Hiscox/Gator/SKB suspects won't fit.
I really don't want to shell out for a proper flightcase for this. I wondered if anyone has any suggestions?
Thanks

Hi there,
you have mail, and a message- if I've sent it correctly!
Beautiful bass!