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Squierly Benton


Bassmingo
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Some of you fine folks who frequent TB may have seen this discussion already, but I'm moving the topic over here.

I've been given a Squier Standard P Bass Special in Satin Pewter Metallic (circa 2009) like the one pictured below, for free as the neck is bent (classic ski jump, actual pic below). The folks at TB have advised that without significant work the neck is past saving. I've sourced a replacement neck from a Harley Benton (also pictured) for €40 and it should fit when it arrives. So this is where you folks come in, I'm sharing my plan for this bass and I would like general advice, and help sourcing parts. The plan is:

1. Replace the hardware for black. That means a black bridge that fits a Squier, black neckplate, black machine heads, knobs, and all screws. I'm not looking to go upmarket, just something that befits a Squier, so cheap and cheerful is the order of the day here. I already have cheapish heads on my Jazz, so I MAY put these on this bass and buy upmarket heads for the Jazz, I don't know yet. So maybe recommendations on both cheap and upmarket black machine heads.  I need a place where I can get all of this together that wont break the bank.

2. Reshape the headstock. I'm faced with two choices here. If I have enough real estate to work with on the HB headstock, I'd like to try shaping the headstock to a '51 P or a standard P. I've always wanted a bass with a '51 P headstock, but I think the standard P would look better in this case. Advice? 

3. Colour match the headstock. The original headstock was matched, so I'd like to do the same here. The colour code is 543, but I've no idea on how to do this. Any advice?

4. Pickups. I'm not familiar with the pickups on this bass, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do here. Again, any advice is welcome. 

5. Electrics. I might change out the pots, but I'll be shielding it with copper tape. 

So there you have it, if any of you can chime in with advice or suggestions please feel free! 

 

 

SPBS.jpg

IMG_20180801_084027 (1).jpg

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That's a nice looking bass.

A few years back I put a HB neck on a donor body. A Fender and a Squire neck fit perfectly, but the HB didn't until I'd reshaped the heel end of the neck pocket slightly. It wasn't a Fender/Squire body though.
I also had to plug the existing neck screw holes in the body and drill some new ones, as the neck holes weren't quite in the same position, relative to each other. Things may have changed though.

 

If you do reshape the headstock I'd go for a '51 P shape and I think colour matching it would be best.

Edited by bartelby
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Well the neck arrived today, and it fit like a glove. No drilling or sanding needed. In fact I'd say the pocket was a smidge too wide for it. There was no resistance whatsoever marrying the two together. 

 

IMG_20180810_173739.jpg

Edited by Bassmingo
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Hey @Bassmingo, I've got an identical bass, that had exactly the same problem. I hope you still have the neck, as the headstock is distinctive with a black finish.

All you need to do is loosen the truss rod and clamp it in a reverse curve position. Leave it like that for a few weeks, then re-assemble the bass.

I did this clamping with some wood blocks, a long spirit level and a G-clamp. It takes time, but worth doing.

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I've been assured that the neck is past saving, by an expert on such things over on TB. He's adamant that it would go back to the ski jump as soon as string load is on it. So that's why I got the neck so quickly. I want to teach myself fret levelling and polishing so I plan to use to Squier neck to practice on. 

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I've straightened a few necks and never failed.

Also, the first step to levelling frets is to get a slotted straight edge and check the wood part of the neck is totally flat. If the wood isn't flat the frets will, naturally be at different heights.

You can send me the neck and I'll be happy to give it a go. If it fails you'll only have lost the cost of postage. If it works, you'll have a good neck. It's your choice.

But what do I know? I'm not on TB so I must be an idiot.

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Hi @Bassmingo

Sorry if what I posted is a bit harsh but almost any neck can be rescued. Wood is wood. If required you can steam it and make it soft and pliable and curve if into exotic shapes. This is how bent-wood chairs are made. 

In the case of your neck, the worst case scenario could be if the wood has bent so far that the truss rod is bent. In which case,  yoy could take the fret-board off and replace the TR. The question then, If course, is is this worth doing on a £150 bass.  If you want further help do post here again.

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Grangur, it was never my intention to imply you're an idiot. It's just the some of the advice I received over on talkbass was from people with decades of experience so I deferred to them. 

If you feel confident that you could do something with my neck for the price of postage, have at it. I'm all for rescuing it if possible. But because of the monetary worth of the bass, my own lack of skills, equipment and experience, I though best just to get a cheap replacement neck and forge onwards.

Regarding the truss rod, I don't think it's bent, or at least I hope so. If it was then I'd definitely give up at that stage. A board-off repair would simply not be cost effective for me. 

If you still want to have a go at straightening it, just let me know. 

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