donslow Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Hey all, I’m due to pick one of these up for a VERY good price in the next couple of days or so http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/San-Francisco-Semi-Acoustic-Bass-by-Gear4music-Red-Wine/1ICK I have plans which I will progress through these very pages but I need some advice before I take to the tools and land of the unknown Bit of background, I’ve “built” guitars and basses before, I’ve refinished guitars and basses before but this project is going to be all kinds of new for me so I’m hoping some of you guys might be kind enough to offer valuable advice before and as I go along The plan....... Add wood and reshape the headstock to a more “traditional” open book (ok, ok, G****n type) I’m thinking template on top, template on bottom with added wood sandwiched in between, would this be unnecessary if I’m refinishing after? Strip and refinish the neck and body as the headstock rear won’t be matching any more Advice needed / questions before I start...... What would be the best way to add wood, strip headstock as is and match wood to it, or, sand it square, add wood bigger than my template and sand according to template? Best way to add wood so it won’t fall apart? Use existing tuner holes or fill with dowels and drill new ones? How would drilling new ones affect any added wood? How would I know where to place new tuner holes if this be the course of action? Stripping paint is no problem, refinishing is no problem but how would I refinish and still retain the binding round the body without removing it or does it HAVE to be removed? I’ve never worked with binding per Se so am new to this sort of thing Happy to be corrected / told what to do / follow ANY advice that is within my capability For this one, I’m in the hands of others as to what to do and how to do it Any help and advice before I get started would be darn grand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Cut the headstock to make it square, glue the additional wood required, cut to size...feel dissatisfied with the result, contact Andyjr1515 or Jabba the Gut to do the job properly.... See?? Easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Dowels would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted September 30, 2017 Author Share Posted September 30, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1506807787' post='3381309'] Cut the headstock to make it square, glue the additional wood required, cut to size...feel dissatisfied with the result, contact Andyjr1515 or Jabba the Gut to do the job properly.... See?? Easy. [/quote] I’ll be honest, I did think of them first but, admittedly without asking first, I fear my budget wouldn’t stretch to the deserved prices of such skilled craftsmanship, although, if and when it all goes wrong, I may not be left with much of a choice ha ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 (edited) I've done this many times when making a right handed neck left handed or in one case making and 8 string from a 4 string. My method is to cut off the bit you want to change make it perfectly flat and square, then do the same to the bit of wood that you want to add. Glue the 2 together and when the glue is dry, clean up and shape and finish as desired. Works great. I bought a box of maple offcuts on Ebay a few years ago and I've been working my way through that. Just re-read your post, do as above to both sides of the head making a paddle and then shape and finish as desired. Edited October 1, 2017 by bertbass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted October 1, 2017 Author Share Posted October 1, 2017 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1506862090' post='3381555'] I've done this many times when making a right handed neck left handed or in one case making and 8 string from a 4 string. My method is to cut off the bit you want to change make it perfectly flat and square, then do the same to the bit of wood that you want to add. Glue the 2 together and when the glue is dry, clean up and shape and finish as desired. Works great. I bought a box of maple offcuts on Ebay a few years ago and I've been working my way through that. Just re-read your post, do as above to both sides of the head making a paddle and then shape and finish as desired. [/quote] I figured that would be the best course of action so thank you for clearing that up for me, What do you find is the best glue for this sort of thing? Do you think there would be a need to insert dowels through the new wood into the old sideways to help straighten the joint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 (edited) Titebond and as many clamps as there's room for. No need for dowels Edited October 1, 2017 by Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted October 1, 2017 Author Share Posted October 1, 2017 Once again, as I suspected so many thanks for clearing that up On to collecting in a couple of days and then the fun begins! Just got to work out the refinishing and retaining the binding issue now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Any progress here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donslow Posted October 21, 2017 Author Share Posted October 21, 2017 (edited) Sorry guys, should’ve said, some other person offered the seller a little more cash so he sold it before I managed To get to his place to pick it up despite the original agreement It’s not something I would do myself as an agreed Sale is an agreed sale but as they say, cash is king and will come trumps if there’s more of it Gutted! Edited October 21, 2017 by donslow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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