BassTool

So, to start, I ordered some Tightbond as used by everyone on here, and set about removing the lacquer as my plan is a laquered ash look BlazerRay - providing the wood underneath is as good as it looks...

It took less than an hour to strip, and I know some will wonder why I stripped it before glueing, but curiosity got the better of me with that amazing grain waiting to be unveiled.....hmmm, turns out it's a transfer of some sort!

Well, after diligently following the build diaries of some fantastically talented folks on here, I've decided to have a go myself at a bit of a revamp.

Back in August 2017 I was given a 1980 Ibanez Blazer and posted on here asking, can this body be saved? I got some good replies, and have been inspired by @TheGreek amazing bass which was saved by the guru that is @Andyjr1515 in this thread below - quite an astounding transformation IMO.

I've always liked the look of the MusicMan Stingray, but never took the plunge and got one. So, I've sat and looked at the Blazer for a year and thought, what have I got to lose by trying Andys suggestion of gluing it up?

With it's big headstock, it's probably the only bass neck I could transform into a MM style head - Ibanez didn't skimp on wood in their oar like headstock design! The body shape could facilitate a small tweak of the horns, and refitting a MM pup should be feasible underneath where the P style pup sat.

Now, before I start, I am no luthier, but I like to dabble a bit DIY wise, me and my two sons built a large shed/workshop a year back, so refurbing a bass can't be that far removed can it? I'll be unorthodox most probably, and highly likely to give some of you a good laugh at my methods, but I'm going for it anyhow, and I'm determined to turn this into a usable instrument with the advice I've gleaned on here....😎 

Yup, orange gets my vote too, I like the tiger look 

Amazing 😍

Wondered if you'd considered a Truoil finish on that beautiful wood before plumping for shellac?

Oh my, the figuring on that neck 😍

Kim Jong Un?

🤪

I'll get me coat..........

I hope you managed to fit in a cup of tea between finishing the SwiftLite 2 and starting this one Andy 😲

Here we go again....😎

Following 

Walnut 😄

I'm gutted 😥

It's finished 😁

What the hell do I look forward to reading next?  🤣

Top marks to Andy on an awesome thread and amazing looking bass 😎

On 11/01/2019 at 12:39, Andyjr1515 said:

Sorted the nut height and then put my 'see if it all fits together' set of strings on.

At my action height starting point (medium) there are no buzzes at all so I think the basic levelling job was OK.  When the proper strings are on, I'll set it up properly and do a double check with the fret rocker and the buzz check at low action in case there are some high spots anywhere.

This is how the tru-oil slurry and buff has ended up, finishing at 1500 grit.  This is an oblique shot to the light so you can see the surface finish:

 

...and this is tilted to see the figuring better:

It's LOVELY to the touch. 

Still got to do the final 1500 slurry and buff on the back - and I've still got to do the final buffing of the fretboard and neck - but this is how the whole thing is panning out:

 

 

All being well it should be finished by the end of the weekend

 

Deary me... 😍😍  beauuuuuuuuutiful!

On 10/01/2019 at 07:41, LukeFRC said:

Here’s the finished body and a few of it built into a bass... it’s a good instrument, obviously nails that stingray sound on the rear pickup as it essentially is a stingray (ie pup position and circuit are correct) 

on the neck pup it’s got more of a p thing going on, it’s got the brighter classic series pup on the neck which I don’t like as much tonally as bartolinis original series in the bridge... but select that pup and change your right hand attack and it gets to P bass territory. 

The single coil option gets towards jazz type sound, you have to majorly rebalance the preamp to get it sounding good, so it’s not quite as easy as turning it on, but it’s passable. Favouring the bridge pup with that switching option in single coil also sounds good 

 

so it’s great! The downsides for me is that: 

I Finished it slightly too dark to the point it looks a bit boring- I should have gone for a glitter finish! 

And ive got three other amazing basses that get played first, And like a lot of self builds the parts secondhand cost more than together... I’ve always bought basses kinda knowing that if you buy secondhand you can usually move them on and not loose to much. Building yourself, unless you are really skilled nobody will want your bass and you built it more for the joy of building. Different mindset.

Currently a friend is borrowing this. 

Great job Luke thanks for those 

On 06/01/2019 at 13:08, Andyjr1515 said:

 

 

 

Absolutely stunning pics, that finish is sublime, and IMO previous shots never really showed that body carve to it's full extent, Andy that is awesome work.

😎

On 02/01/2018 at 22:21, LukeFRC said:

So an update... I played this a bit, it needed a bit more of a set up and I wasn't sure about the sound, nothing sounded good!

Then in an unrelated incident my amp blew up and I was without it for two months...

Got it fixed and first thing I wanted to do is finally finish this bass... 

Switched the pickups around. The "Classic bass" in the neck position gives more high end and slightly hollow mids which does kinda P bass type sound.
The "Original bass" in the bridge gives me the tone that I enjoyed in the pink bass, more of the punchy low mids with a bit of fatness to them... sounds good. 
The "jazz setting" needs the preamp set up differently but gets a kinda jazz bass like single coil tone thing going on. 

So the thing that I've learned is I think I've over build the bass - the super tight neck joint and and good bridge and thru body make it all feel very solid. It is quite bright resonant accoustically and it sounds quite clean and controlled. The 'warmth' of the wood isn't there as much! 

What's been really nice is since I got my amp back is that it's the "go to" bass. It's fun to play

Any chance of a pic or two of the finished bass? Realise it's an old thread but it's a shame the originals have vanished.. 😣

On 01/01/2019 at 03:21, therealting said:

In case you need ideas on what to do with one... or four. Plus bridge ones.

 

WOW, not seen anything like that before, amazing 😲 thanks for putting it up.

+1 for The Hipshot from me, great bit of kit on two of my basses 👍

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/163442555763

TYG

On 29/12/2018 at 15:28, Andyjr1515 said:

Another job off the list, other than the dots (I've put luminlay as an option to the customer, @TheGreek  - thanks for the suggestion) and the tru-oil, I've done the knobs

 

Same method as on @Len_derby 's:

Drilled a hole in some thicknessed ash:

Without moving the drill or wood positions, then used a forstner for the nut relief:

 

 

Then a plug cutter to cut it out:

 

Drilled a grub-screw access hole and pressed the insert in, with grub-screw lined up with that small hole and also used the plug cutter to cut out a disc of top wood:

 

Then, adding a disc of veneer between the two, glued and clamped it together:

 

 

Finally sanded to shape:

 

So just the dots to add once I've had an answer of luminlay or MoP

Awesome and great pics too.

Bought pickup and preamp from Frank, really well packaged, good comms, recommended BC'r, deal with confidence as said many times above 👍

Deary me.....😍

Superb 😲

What a tease....😆😆

On 21/12/2018 at 16:42, scrumpymike said:

I'd say you've got that spot on Andy - proper eye-candy!

On 21/12/2018 at 17:20, RichardH said:

Yup, that looks spiffing.

Agree 👍

No pressure, but I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms it's gone so quiet on this beauty.... 

😩🤩🤩

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 10:43, Andyjr1515 said:

Don't panic about the squiffy bridge - it's just plonked there for me to see which bit of the figuring is covered. 

 

 

I gulped when I first looked at the pic! 😣

😂

Big thanks to Andy for sharing this revamp, really enjoyed it, superb skills as usual, and of course congrats on getting YOUR dream bass Eude, it looks great ;)

Get the blue paint back out! 😂

Oh that is dreadful news and an awful ordeal for you to go through.

I hope you get all your hard earned belongings back, and the thieving scum get caught.