6feet7

Here’s the finished product. Still needs a proper setup but it’s playable.

I replaced the lace alumitone pickup with a Rickenbacker 4003S5 triangular style one. Had to use the cutoff Ricky pick guard to hide my adapting (butchering) of  the pickup cavity for the new pickup. To say it’s ‘different’ is an understatement, but I love it.

To restate what’s parts have been used. A custom built Gretschalike billy bo Thunderbird aluminium body, made by molindar in Scotland. A 2002 (Korea) Epiphone Thunderbird neck. Schaller tuners. An Ibanez AGB2005 tun-o-matic tailpiece/bridge. 2 Gretsch chrome knobs on a Kiogan wiring loom (bought for another project that never materialised) and finally the Rickenbacker pickup. 
I haven’t weighed it yet but it’s heavier than my Gibson non-reverse Thunderbird and Rickenbacker 4004L basses but lighter than many other basses I’ve owned.

Anyway, here’s a few photos.

PS. The 1964 decal on the headstock is my YOB.

Finish has just been completed. 

Just now, BigRedX said:

The Tokai Talbo Bass which has a similar construction with a hollow aluminium body weighs the same as a typical wooden bodied bass. 

 

Mine was full of the sort of foam you find in cushions in an attempt to prevent the hollow body inducing feedback, although @Bassassin has reported it's not very effective when using high-gain sounds.

I absolutely adore the look of the Talbo, and have looked at converting one to a 5 string - I’m sure Simon at GUS Guitars could fashion something up, though I’m going to see how this one goes first.

13 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

I do hope so, but my aluminium 3/4 DB weighs roughly 50% more than a plywood 3/4 DB.

 

Just saying ...

 

Ouch

2 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Sooner or later, you'll have to tell us what this beast weighs ...

 

When it arrives - though it is mostly hollow, so it might be bearable 

Here are the next few photos. Almost there

Just now, Happy Jack said:

The guy who did that moved to Perth years ago. Strangely enough he's back in England (I think right now) visiting relatives but I don't think he'd be up for it. 😉)

 

They call that 3D holographic. Post my photo on the right FB pages and you'll find someone, I'm sure.

Thanks. I think I've found someone literally 20 minutes from me. I've just messaged them so will hopefully find out next week. Photos to follow.

1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

If he can do laser etching, then with the right design it can look breath-taking.

 

Wow. He doesn't do any finishing (except paint, which I don't want). I've found people who can polish it, but I love that etching. I don't suppose you know who could do it?

Ever since selling my Alusonic Django bass I've had severe regrets, and, unfortunately, I just can't afford to get another one, so I've been looking around for a cheaper way of getting something made out of metal. I found Paul Miller of Molindar Ltd in Scotland who makes aluminium bodies for guitars and basses at a very fair price.

My second thought was that I didn't wan't a Fender shaped bass (I play a Ricky 4004L and Gibson non-reverse T'bird - both converted to 5 string), so it had to fit in with these. Paul makes a Gretsch Billy Bo Thunderbird shaped guitar body, so I've asked him to make a 5 string bass this shape instead. 

First things first was to source the parts needed, so I found a 2002 Epiphone (Korea) thunderbird neck, an extra schaller tuner to convert to 5 string (I already had four). A 5 string Ibanez AGB2005 tun-o-matic bridge, a Lace Alumitone pickup, a Kiogan wiring loom and a couple of Gretsch metal knobs. These have all been sent up to Paul so he could fit the body to the neck and pickup.

I'm not sure what finish I'm going to go with though. Should I just leave the body rough? Polish it to a shine? Get it chrome plated? Get it chrome plated then acid etched to look rusted up? Any help gratefully received.

Photos below and I'll post more when it's finished.

On 06/02/2024 at 19:49, briansbrew said:

What size are the bushings

12mm

I used to have a Retromatic B2. Stupidly sold it. If anyone hears of one going for sale do let me know

Whats the nut width and string spacing please?

Can you see what the string spacing is and the width of the nut?

2 hours ago, Grahambythesea said:

That sounds an interesting project, @6feet7. Are your having to put new pickups in or do the “no poles” type on the thunderbird cope? It’s said the EB has thunderbird pickups but it does have massive visible poles.

Don’t need new pickups. Even if they were separate pole pieces (which apparently they arnt - thanks JLP) the string spacing is close enough to not make any difference (thankfully).

I've just bought a 'secondhand' one like yours in red. Having it converted to a 5 stringer at the moment (it'll be about 14mm string spacing, but as my Rickenbacker 4004L 5 string conversion is 14.5mm I'm used to that and actually hate anything over 16mm anyway). Also, I had an old Epi T'bird scratch plate in faded white lying around that I'm having cut out for the truss rod cover so that the Thunderbird is on the headstock as well. Photos posted when I've got it back from it's 'conversion'.

OMG. I think I’ve had a little accident. It’s gorgeous.

Quick question. How wide is the nut (in mm)?

2 hours ago, Stofferson said:

I'm not socially attuned as I used to be, is the customer attitude as bad as it seems? I really can't be arsed with dealing with it haha

 

 

I've never had a problem with customer attitude. In fact they've always been very friendly and welcoming.

Can't make it now. Sorry. Wife has to have a medical check.

Totally. Blues/rock - yes. Some pop - sometimes. Anything else I am unable to even listen too.

3 minutes ago, lee650 said:

I'm needing an acoustic bass for a new project next year, alas Sussex makes it unattainable. 

I do travel a bit so could meet up if I were somewhere near your part of the world - though just having seen where you are I’ve no plans to go near there in the foreseeable future  

23 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

 

 

Apologies to @6feet7 I'm still trying to justify buying it.

Go on. Give us an offer 💰

57 minutes ago, binky_bass said:

It was... looks like the seller has put it back up to the original price. I have gone completely mental, yet...

No one wanted it at the reduced price so I put it back to the original price. 
There’s one on evil bay at the moment and the guy is wanting £400, so this is still a good deal compared to that. 
I’ll accept sensible offers though.

I've just bought a beautiful red 4004 Laredo and converted it to a 5 stringer. It's so much lighter and more comfortable than the 4003 and just as cool looking

Met Dave in a dodgy layby off the M23 to do the deal. Great guy and many thanks for buying the Ibanez EHB1505 bass.

BUMP