Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I treated myself to this fine Italian copy as i quite liked the look of it. Call it mojo, character, funk, whatever - this bugger is filthy and smells like a 60 a day smoker who's not washed their clothes in 30 years so I've decided to strip it down and clean it. First off are the tuners this reveals a hairline crack Not too much to worry about - I'll probably fire some clear glue down that to make sure it doesn't get any worse. Just as i thought - someone has taken the E tuner apart and put it back the wrong way round so now it slips when you're tuning it. The E is on the left and should be like the one on the right Check out the funk That's 30 years of mojo, or dirt as i would call it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 lovely. Off comes the scratchplate complete with pickup And I'm left with this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Now I have a fantastic idea - The scratchplate is warped nearest the bridge so I'm going to have to get one made. I'm thing about putting something else in there instead of the original pickup. There's a huge gap so pretty much anything else will go in there. I don't want to spend a lot of money but i would really like to do something. I may put a single coil P pickup in there as its my favourite but may go for something else. I'm going to give it a good clean and see how well it scrubs up and that will decide whether or not I'm going to paint it as well. More pics to follow as this progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Very nice. I'll be keeping an eye on the progress of this. Incidentally, there's another one of these on ebay if this is giving anyone GAS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 (edited) Just finished cleaning it and its come up not bad actually My TV is a rear projection and the sun is shining right in the window so I've probably over exposed these on photoshop. I've given the maple board a going over with 000 grade steel wool but haven't got all the marks off. I don't want to go too hard on it in case I introduce any dead spots Edited May 11, 2009 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 The one on Ebay has a different logo to mine and the tuners look a lot cheaper. Mine are more like Schaller type ones. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Melody-70s-lawsuit-Gibson-Grabber-G3-vintage_W0QQitemZ110387245696QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item110387245696&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A4|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A200"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Melody-70s-lawsuit-G...3%3A1|294%3A200[/url] Its also a lot more expensive than what I paid - either that or i got a really good deal on mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 The hardware has been soaking in cheap cola all afternoon and its now clean. I'm going to leave the bridge in overnight cos its really dirty I've found this site full of all kinds of crazy crap but can't see this bass at all. [url="http://www.fetishguitars.com/"]http://www.fetishguitars.com/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 DARKSTAR PICKUP! Nice btw What's the body wood? looks like maple? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 (edited) I think it is a maple body. there's certainly little difference between the body and the neck. The original ones, apart from a couple of years had maple bodies. I've just emailed Alan at Pickguardian for a quote for a custom guard. I have thought about a darkstar before but I want to keep the cost down and can't imagine having a use for it on another bass if I sell this one in the future. I have to think of these things cos I have a tendency to sell stuff on the spur of the moment. Edited May 11, 2009 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 [quote name='Delberthot' post='485409' date='May 11 2009, 10:55 PM']I have thought about a darkstar before but I want to keep the cost down and can't imagine having a use for it on another bass if I sell this one in the future. I have to think of these things cos I have a tendency to sell stuff on the spur of the moment.[/quote] Aye, that seems to be contagious on this forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) Started to put her together today. First on go the tuners. i can't believe how well they turned out. remember that these were practically yellow with cigarette tar. One touch meant that you stank like an old jakey. They look brand new now. The bridge didn't quite clean up as well as the restof it but it wasn't chrome like the rest unfortunately one of the adjustment screws was broken meaning that I couldn't easily adjust the height of the strings so I have to make do with one of these instead I also solved the problem with the warped scratchplate by putting in an extra screw. The pickup was black but the paint was peeling off it. I took a kitchen scourer to it to get the rest of the paint of and finished it of with some steel wool and its come up really well. Strung Up Edited May 12, 2009 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 (edited) Full body shot One problem I knew I'd have is that the Badass sits quite high so I've used a couple of piecces of worktop end stuff to shim the neck but clearly its not enough I changed the nut and its sitting too high but I have a Graphtech one that I am going to use but that's all for today. I was amazed that the E string didn't snap as the thick part just past the nut is beginning to wind round the tuning post. I may try a set of rounds instead edit - now that I've had a look at it, I don't think that the Badass goes so I may just take it back off again and work out something with the original bridge Edited May 12, 2009 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umcoo Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 That looks excellent! Congrats. I just sold a Gibson G-3 and looking at this again is making me question my motives! Great work buddy, I love a good restoration job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 looks nice your bridge is missing a screw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 Damn, spotted. Yes, I managed to snap one of the screws of the 3 holding it on. Must get their screws from the same place as Gotoh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 tomorrow I'm going to take the Badass of and put the original bridge back on so I can get the chrome cover back on it. I'll also put the original nut back on - it's still got that nicotine glow but its better than it was. I don't like having so much material in the neck pocket as a shim. More pics to follow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 Got right back onto it today and began by removing the strings and the bridge. Here's a pic showing what's left of the snapped screw. Luckily (or unluckily) its snapped flush with the body meaning that I don't have to worry about it getting in the way of the original bridge but conversely I can't take it out as there's nothing to hold onto. I lso noticed that after putting the original bridge back on, the saddles are both diferent. How queer. Anyway, that's all I'm showing you here. The rest is over in the gear porn section here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48512"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48512[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 And now on Ebay [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=140320517164"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140320517164[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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