Hohner "The Jack" Restoration

[PaulThePlug]

On 30/08/2025 at 14:40, Jackroadkill said:

PS - can also do you a pickup ring with a thumb rest designed for the Steinberger Spirit, which I think might well fit your Hohner.

 

https://makerworld.com/en/models/1434657-steinberger-spirit-humbucker-with-thumb-rest?from=search

Not wishing to 'Hi-Jack' the thread - see what i did there?.. 🤣

I got a B2 Basket Case for £Low on a whim... Strip Down and Clean Up of the bridge, Tuner Thrust Washers fitted, pots were seized, so simple Vol and 3 way selector.

If you have the file and are about to press Play, how much for a pair in Black?

Ta Muchly

[Jackroadkill]

23 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

If you have the file and are about to press Play, how much for a pair in Black?

 

PM inbound!

[Mediocre Polymath]

Righty, I'm back from a week's holiday on the Devon coast (lovely) and ready to put the finishing touches on this project. 

 

In my time away, the lacquer has had time to fully cure. So the first thing to do was the both tedious and nerve-wracking process of wet-dry sanding the bass to get rid of all the brush marks and runs. 

 

This is always a fairly scary process, as you just have to keep sanding (constantly checking things) and trust that you applied the finish thickly enough to be able to smooth out all the imperfections before you go all the way through the clearcoat somwhere. If you blow through it, particularly if its in a very visible spot, you essentially have to just throw up your hands, do a lot of swearing and start the whole process again, which can take a week or two to cure. It's maddening, but I've gotten pretty good now. No issues with this job. 

 

Here's what the bass looks like now – I've sanded and polished and polished and polished and polished and polished.  I then applied the shielding foil to the control cavity and added the ground wire before attaching the bridge (with thurst bearings fitted now, thanks for @PaulThePlug for the recommendation). I boiled the strings and gave it a rough set-up for intonation and action. No electronics yet. One of the great advantages of headless basses (especially double-ball end ones) is that you can string them up and de-string them over and over again without any problems. 

 

 

I've just spent the last half an hour or so playing it unamplified and it seems pretty damn good. No fret buzzes, and it's really surprisingly loud even with just the wood for resonance. One thing that has thrown me a little is just how chunky the neck is – I'd taken measurements and so I knew in theory that it was a big boy, but I was still a little taken aback when I got it in my hands. It feels more like my dad's 70's EB3 than the jazz and stingray style necks on my custom basses. I'm assuming I'll get used to it in time.  

 

Even with the chunky frets, the action could probably go lower than its current position (with the saddles decked on the G and D strings decked) with no fret buzz. Not that it isn't playable now, probably low enough for most players, but I'm picky. I think I can file the bridge saddles down a smidge without problems. 

 

Tomorrow I'll prep the 3D printed components from @Jackroadkill and put the electronics together. My plan is to put a basic vol-blend-tone circuit in it for now, and then replace it with something esoteric, filter-based and active down the line if I like the general sound and playability. 

 

[neepheid]

4 minutes ago, Mediocre Polymath said:

Righty, I'm back from a week's holiday on the Devon coast (lovely) and ready to put the finishing touches on this project. 

 

In my time away, the lacquer has had time to fully cure. So the first thing to do was the both tedious and nerve-wracking process of wet-dry sanding the bass to get rid of all the brush marks and runs. 

 

This is always a fairly scary process, as you just have to keep sanding (constantly checking things) and trust that you applied the finish thickly enough to be able to smooth out all the imperfections before you go all the way through the clearcoat somwhere. If you blow through it, particularly if its in a very visible spot, you essentially have to just throw up your hands, do a lot of swearing and start the whole process again, which can take a week or two to cure. It's maddening, but I've gotten pretty good now. No issues with this job. 

 

Here's what the bass looks like now – I've sanded and polished and polished and polished and polished and polished.  I then applied the shielding foil to the control cavity and added the ground wire before attaching the bridge (with thurst bearings fitted now, thanks for @PaulThePlug for the recommendation). I boiled the strings and gave it a rough set-up for intonation and action. No electronics yet. One of the great advantages of headless basses (especially double-ball end ones) is that you can string them up and de-string them over and over again without any problems. 

 

 

I've just spent the last half an hour or so playing it unamplified and it seems pretty damn good. No fret buzzes, and it's really surprisingly loud even with just the wood for resonance. One thing that has thrown me a little is just how chunky the neck is – I'd taken measurements and so I knew in theory that it was a big boy, but I was still a little taken aback when I got it in my hands. It feels more like my dad's 70's EB3 than the jazz and stingray style necks on my custom basses. I'm assuming I'll get used to it in time.  

 

Even with the chunky frets, the action could probably go lower than its current position (with the saddles decked on the G and D strings decked) with no fret buzz. Not that it isn't playable now, probably low enough for most players, but I'm picky. I think I can file the bridge saddles down a smidge without problems. 

 

Tomorrow I'll prep the 3D printed components from @Jackroadkill and put the electronics together. My plan is to put a basic vol-blend-tone circuit in it for now, and then replace it with something esoteric, filter-based and active down the line if I like the general sound and playability. 

 

 

Totally feel your stress with the wet sanding thing - I had a hand painted design underneath my clearcoat - no pressure then!

 

Glad it went well, it's looking boss!

[Jackroadkill]

Yes!!  It's looking good - glad it's playing nicely.

[Hellzero]

Very nice job, really. Congratulations!

[Mediocre Polymath]

Mostly wiring and electronics stuff today. I started by sawing the old broken tabs off the front pickup and installing the replacement baseplate suplied by @Jackroadkill. As this isn't going to be a visible part, I didn't bother doing any prep or refinement here other than cutting off a corner to accommodate the cable (which was in a slightly different position to where it was on the baseplate) and using a soldering iron to press some threaded inserts into the plastic. 

 

With that done, and the 3D printed surrounds sanded and lacquered, I started putting things together. 

 

I don't have any pictures of this, because anyone who has ever wired up a guitar will know that the process is extremely annoying and requires intense concentration. I did it without burning myself, and only had to desolder the whole thing, make a cup of tea, and start again once. Which is good going. 

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Mediocre Polymath

[Mediocre Polymath]

Oh, more importantly, it's finished!

 

 

I'll take some better pictures tomorrow when I have some daylight, but here's a decent enough shot of the completed bass. I think it looks rather nice, and it sounds good as well. I've attached a quick bit of noodling, recorded direct into my interface with no tinkering. It's neck position, both pickups on, and bridge position. I've since raised the bridge pickup a little, so it should sound a bit less feeble. 

 

 

 

Thanks to @Chienmortbb for being willing to part with this project bass, @PaulThePlug for his Hohner/Steinberger knowledge and @Jackroadkill for his 3D printing work. 

 

Also, special thanks to the cheap white-and-orange beach towel/workbench cover that stars in many of these pictures. My mum bought from a Leclerc in Brittany during a family holiday about 30 years ago, and it's only recently occurred to me that I have no idea how or when it ended up rolled up in a cupboard in my house. 

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Mediocre Polymath said:

Oh, more importantly, it's finished!

 

 

I'll take some better pictures tomorrow when I have some daylight, but here's a decent enough shot of the completed bass. I think it looks rather nice, and it sounds good as well. I've attached a quick bit of noodling, recorded direct into my interface with no tinkering. It's neck position, both pickups on, and bridge position. I've since raised the bridge pickup a little, so it should sound a bit less feeble. 

 

 

 

Thanks to @Chienmortbb for being willing to part with this project bass, @PaulThePlug for his Hohner/Steinberger knowledge and @Jackroadkill for his 3D printing work. 

 

Also, special thanks to the cheap white-and-orange beach towel/workbench cover that stars in many of these pictures. My mum bought from a Leclerc in Brittany during a family holiday about 30 years ago, and it's only recently occurred to me that I have no idea how or when it ended up rolled up in a cupboard in my house. 

 

It lives!

[Jackroadkill]

Looking and sounding very smart, sir.  Nice job!

[SpondonBassed]

Very nice.  Good sound too.

 

Have you considered trying superwound (piano) strings?  I have some lightish ones on my B2A.  Incredible sustain and harmonics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 19 minutes ago by SpondonBassed