antnee Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) So, I want to give my Teisco Jazz Bass a new lease of life. It is in bits at the moment and doesn't get played. I'm considering stripping the paint off, refinishing it, which I have never done before but given enough time I can do that, seen a couple of guides, anyone got any suggestions? Any preferences for types of paint? I have no idea what the wood is either... It does have a couple of dinks, which I will attempt to rectify. I also want to put a new pick up in, but not in their current positions, I want just one MusicMan Style Pick up in that sweet spot, would I need to fill the gaps of the previous Pick Ups or could they be left? I would be putting a new pickguard in, always liked the Mark Hoppus Jazz Bass pickguard, so would go for that or something similar to hide the screw holes! Probably go to Bass Doc for a custom job. Eventually I would also put a fretless rosewood Precision Neck on, I can measure when I get home, but I've got a feeling the nut width may cause issues, any ideas? I am on a SERIOUSLY tight budget, so would be trying to do most of the work myself... Any feedback would be much appreciated or any advise! [attachment=153629:jazzbassfront.jpg][attachment=153630:jazzbassneck.jpg] Edited January 30, 2014 by antnee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Does it actually say "Teisco" anywhere on the bass? If so you might be better off selling it to a collector and buying something that suits you better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antnee Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) It's official title is a Kimberley - I've been informed that its' just another name they traded under... [attachment=153631:jazzbasshead.jpg] Edited January 30, 2014 by antnee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 You'd need one of the "Jap-Crap" experts like Bassassin or Noelk27 to be sure that's the case. You could have a look [url=http://www.mark-cole.co.uk/teisco/]here[/url] to see if there's one that matches your bass, but if you can't find it then it's probably not a Teisco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antnee Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 It doesn't seem to be on the website provided, so I would agree its' not a Teisco. I will make contact with the resident Jap-Crap experts then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommorichards Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 you could sell the pickups on ebay at extortionate prices like others do and recoup some money for upgrades? Or just sell the pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Is it not fairly straight forward to identify these basses ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Not familiar with the Kimberly brand but I don't think this bass is anything to do with Teisco - they did make a Jazz-inspired design, but it was nothing like this: [url="http://www.mark-cole.co.uk/teisco/bass.htm"]http://www.mark-cole...teisco/bass.htm[/url] bottom l/h corner. All the Japanese manufacturers built to contract & would put any name on an instrument that the customer wished. Pin-badge instruments like this would be as likely been badged up by the distributor prior to going to retail. This bass looks early 70s to me, pin badges had pretty much disappeared by around 1975. I wouldn't think it's earlier than that, for reasons I'll get to. This is quite an unusual little bass and not very common - it would be a pity I think to butcher it, simply because you're unlikely to ever find an identical one. The other reason I'd be loath to spent a lot of time, cash and effort modding it is simply that they're really not very good. I can say this with some authority because my very first bass, bought in June 1978 for £59 from Unisound in Chatham High street was pretty much identical to this, apart from having clover-leaf tuners and "Grant" on the headstock. And it was [i]hateful[/i]. [sharedmedia=core:attachments:53794] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:53795] Not mine (I killed it with extreme prejudice years ago) but identical. It is short scale (so your neck-swap plan may be complicated), the body is plywood, pickups are weak single-coils in fake Hofner staple cases and I suspect it's difficult to do better than approximate decent intonation. Considering that what you plan on doing is to bin everything apart from the body, and the body of this bass is cheap plywood, I'd recommend you hang this on the wall and just build a decent parts bass fro scratch! Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antnee Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Lurksalot - Haha, Lidl more likely! Jon - That is almost identical, I've taken on board what you've said and I think I am going to refurbish it lovingly and then hang it on my wall as an antique! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire5 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Found this little item in my travels today.Its a page fro an old Bells Musical Instruments catalogue from the 60s.That looks a little like your bass in the lower right hand corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antnee Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 [quote name='squire5' timestamp='1391180817' post='2354256'] Found this little item in my travels today.Its a page fro an old Bells Musical Instruments catalogue from the 60s.That looks a little like your bass in the lower right hand corner. [/quote] That is awesome! I wish I had the waterproof cover to match! Can't believe my bass was worth £31 quid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) I've built 1 or 2 basses and have to agree with the above. If you're on a tight budget, then you'll be able to buy a reasonable fretless bass for less than the cost of the replacement pups and a fretless neck, especially as the routing for the pups is not where you want them. Edit: Hey this is a v-cool fretless Aria. It was on here but got little love. I was seriously tempted, but I've got enough. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-SB-40-Fretless-Bass-with-Hard-Foam-Case-/331112999547?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4d17df6a7b The BC thread: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/220888-now-ebayed/page__p__2271467__hl__fretless__fromsearch__1#entry2271467 Edited January 31, 2014 by Grangur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antnee Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) I have lost the original ash tray from the Bridge that was on my Kimberly (didn't like the styling when I first got it) and after a quick scan on the t'interweb, I've found a couple, but http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Fender-American-Vintage-Precision-Bass-Bridge-Cover-Chrome/QX2?origin=product-ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+General&utm_content=WlfiSmxu|dc_pcrid_38200326199_plid__kword__match__ Currently is winning, as it has no logos but if you have any thoughts on a "boxier" version that is closer to the original, I'm open to suggestions! Going to get the Doc to make me a one piece pickguard in black and then new ones of the originals. Edited February 6, 2014 by antnee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiipopes Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) My first guitar was a mail-order guitar which also had a similar, if not the same bass, in the catalog I ordered it from in 1975. Yes this was basically (pun intended) the last year before everybody went to straight Fender copies. These have a great cult following in the USA, as you can see from this website: [url="http://drowninginguitars.com/"]http://drowninginguitars.com/[/url] Mine is the same as this one, but with black pickup switches: [url="http://drowninginguitars.com/2012/10/21/a-tele-is-a-tele-is-a-tele-1970s-sears-japanese-telecaster-copy/"]http://drowningingui...elecaster-copy/[/url] It plays really well, and sounds great with a coil cord into a Vox Pathfinder amp. Please "restore" it as is. When you get set up properly, you may be pleasantly surprised how good it sounds. Edited February 6, 2014 by iiipopes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 [quote name='antnee' timestamp='1391691701' post='2360201'] I have lost the original ash tray from the Bridge that was on my Kimberly (didn't like the styling when I first got it) and after a quick scan on the t'interweb, I've found a couple, but [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Fender-American-Vintage-Precision-Bass-Bridge-Cover-Chrome/QX2?origin=product-ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+General&utm_content=WlfiSmxu|dc_pcrid_38200326199_plid__kword__match__"]http://www.gear4musi..._kword__match__[/url] Currently is winning, as it has no logos but if you have any thoughts on a "boxier" version that is closer to the original, I'm open to suggestions! Going to get the Doc to make me a one piece pickguard in black and then new ones of the originals. [/quote] One like [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/collections/covers-bridge-pickup-metal/products/bridge-cover-for-tele-bass"]this[/url]? Might be an idea to get the dimensions first, although you could always rely on the distance selling regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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