Hector Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Anyone have any experience of this kind of damage? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Wow, I'm really sorry to see that and hope you are ok Hector. I'm sure others will offer better advice than me about what your repair options are, but I just wanted to say that I'm sure a good luthier could put it right. I expect you would need the top off, but that would be a chance to check and amend all other old repairs. Good luck mate, I really feel for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) Good afternoon, Hector... It looks dramatic, and is certainly not a morale booster, but this kind of work is meat and veg for a decent luthier; they do these jobs fairly routinely. There are worse problems on an acoustic instrument..! No addresses for you (I'm in France...), but there will be someone here to recommend, I suspect. Don't mess about with the damage, collect up any pieces lying around and get her to a 'bass hospital' as soon as practicable. It won't be uber-cheap, but could have been much worse. That's about as positive as I can make it; commiserations having on a bad day, lad, hope it all works out. Keep us posted, please..? Edited October 20, 2013 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 I've not had the work done myself but I'm pretty certain - judging by the patchwork on my 1880s flatback - that my bass has been through similar misfortune and has come out fighting. What about DB luthiers Thomas Martin, aren't they in your neck of the woods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Ouch! So sorry for you Hector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Have fired off an email to the Martins so will see what they say. Any other recommendations for luthiers in the Oxford area greatly appreciated, in the event that they are busy. Thanks for the kind wishes chaps, will let you know how she gets on. It's just quite tough to see something you love so much and have such a strong bond with damaged. There's an odd sort of symmetry in a way - about two years ago I had a nasty fall and badly broke my ankle. Like bass like owner it seems! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtroun Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 The Martins are a fairly big operation as luthiers go so they should be able to slot you in fairly quickly, hopefully. A nice place to visit anyway! Tom's a gent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Ouch, every bass players nightmare. Good luck with the repair. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Good grief, that must of been a rough crowd Hope you get it sorted soon. As others have mentioned, it looks like a some what common thing to repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) Yikes! Horrible to see your bass in this condition Hector. What happened?? You will need a new rib made and unfortunately this is not going to be a cheap job. The top needs to come off and you will need a luthier who has rib bending irons who is able to match the curves and profile of the existing. They will make up a template and will also need to source some similar flamed maple and blend the tone and sheen of the finish to blend in with the existing varnish. All do-able but labour intensive. Are you covered with insurance? Edited October 20, 2013 by ubassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steeve85 Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Eek. Gutted for you mate, but I've got to say, there's a guitar that I playted a while back, a 1963 ES 175, that I thought was gone forever; there was a split almost halfway around the rim. I've recently seen if after the repair and it's as good as new, you'd never have known that there was ever any damage - and it sounds better than ever. Hope yours works out the same. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) [quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1382295472' post='2250325'] Yikes! Horrible to see your bass in this condition Hector. What happened?? You will need a new rib make and unfortunately this is not going to be a cheap job. The top needs to come off and you will need a luthier who has rib bending irons who is able to match the curves and profile of the existing. They will make up a template and will also need to source some similar flamed maple and blend the tone and sheen of the finish to blend in with the existing varnish. All do-able but labour intensive. Are you covered with insurance? [/quote] I was just clumsy - I use a bass buggie ([url="http://www.kcstrings.com/bass-buggie"]http://www.kcstrings.com/bass-buggie[/url]), which allows the bass to stand freely whilst you open doors etc. Obviously, I would never leave it unattended like that, but it can be very briefly freestanding for using both hands for opening a door or similar. I managed to knock it over whilst opening my front door and it landed on the clasp that sits on the shoulder, which made the hole. Sods law my insurance has just expired and I hadn't got around to renewing it yet. Got a quote from George Martin at around £1000 for the work, so that's an expensive lesson in being organised. It's just money after all, and I'm sure she can be made good as new, but 1/7 of my yearly disposable income is steep. EDIT - Have renewed with Allianz. This cannot happen again. Edited October 20, 2013 by Hector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 ...I guess its something to just do and not think about too much ! The thing is that the new rib wants to be invisible and although spending £1000 is a lot of money, the Martin workshop will I'm sure achieve that and so worth every penny ( is it a Martin bass to start with? - if so then thats the only place I would contemplate going ). Hope you are back playing soon ( silly question ...but have you loosened off the strings? ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Yeah, it's probably worth it, but it stings. I haven't loosened off the strings - should I? Also, I can still play it, but is that advisable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 I would definitely loosen off. There are a lot of forces on the top ribs. They act as a stiff rigid plates resisting the leverage of the neck . The bass probably wont 'explode' if you left the neck in tension but you could find the bass will twist / distort with one or two seams starting to open up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) Oh right. Great info thanks! I'm in the dark a bit. Do you mean take the tension right off the strings or just tune down a few tones on each string? Edited October 20, 2013 by Hector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) I would take the tension right off - thats a big hole ! Otherwise the seams may end up like this :- Edited October 20, 2013 by ubassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Aww mate, I feel for you That's just so awful to see... on the upside, basses are made of wood, glue and cracks, it will be fine in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 [quote name='Hector' timestamp='1382296643' post='2250359'] I was just clumsy - I use a bass buggie ([url="http://www.kcstrings.com/bass-buggie"]http://www.kcstrings.com/bass-buggie[/url]), which allows the bass to stand freely whilst you open doors etc. Obviously, I would never leave it unattended like that, but it can be very briefly freestanding for using both hands for opening a door or similar. I managed to knock it over whilst opening my front door and it landed on the clasp that sits on the shoulder, which made the hole. Sods law my insurance has just expired and I hadn't got around to renewing it yet. Got a quote from George Martin at around £1000 for the work, so that's an expensive lesson in being organised. It's just money after all, and I'm sure she can be made good as new, but 1/7 of my yearly disposable income is steep. EDIT - Have renewed with Allianz. This cannot happen again. [/quote] Contact Peter in Beverley +44 (0) 7901 591965. I know it's further but he's very good and very reasonable. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandShef Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Aw Hector, this pic made me wince. Hope the Martins can get it fixed for you, and that it doesn't take too long. Do you have anyone you can borrow a bass from to tide you over? When mine went in for restoration work I was surprised by how many lovely people were able to offer me a bass to use while I waited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 When mine went to the Martins for a repair they offered me a loan bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 sorry to see that, i hope the repair goes well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Heartbreaking sight. The very best of luck. Hopefully, you will manage to get a loan bass as folks have suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 That picture actually made me feel a bit sick.... Good luck with getting it fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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