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Antoria Jazz Revival


steve
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Here's my recently acquired from ebay Antoria Jazz, that's been around the block a few times

[attachment=34166:PIC_0606.JPG][attachment=34167:PIC_0603.JPG]
[attachment=34168:PIC_0604.JPG][attachment=34169:PIC_0605.JPG]

Seduced by my Jazz Gas, and the pearloid blocked and bounded neck, I'm concerned I might have bitten off more than I can chew, so I would welcome anyones thoughts and advice as this (hopefully) progresses.

I'm a bit confused about what is going on with the pickup routing - the bridge is routed for both a jazz and the smaller (I assume) original Antoria pickup, but the neck is just routed for a jazz. The easiest option for the body is to fit two jazz pups and a bridge ashtray to hide the extra rout and be done with it, but I quite fancy trying to get a faded daphne or even sonic blue body with a tort guard.

The other big issue is the frets - or lack thereof. The easy option would be to keep it fretless, but I really want it fretted. I'm not sure about how to go forward with this bit.

I'm also going to be looking for the following parts if anyone has any they want to sell

- battered jazz control plate (possibly loaded) [color="#FF0000"]NOW SORTED - thanks Dave[/color]
- control knobs [color="#FF0000"]NOW SORTED - thanks Dave[/color]
- some frets :) [color="#FF0000"]NOW SORTED[/color]
- (ideally an old) tort jazz scratchplate - [color="#FF0000"]NOW SORTED - thanks Russ[/color]
- one (or a set of) generic tuners - [color="#FF0000"]NOW SORTED - thanks Rich[/color]
- jazz neck pickup (I already have a fender bridge pup) - [color="#FF0000"]NOW SORTED - thanks Russ[/color]

Edited by steve
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Nice one. I saw this on the bay and considered it for a moment... just a moment mind. :)

Putting the frets back in wouldn't normally be a problem but with that binding you are going to have to be careful - for less hassle I'd be tempted to just saw through it and treat it like a normal re-fret job.

It wouldn't be too hard to block in that pup hole. And with position it's in you're probably going get it to blend in unnoticeable like.

I look forward to seeing this finished. Good luck.

P.S. if you're serious about trying second hand frets I think I could help out there.

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What put you off?

I think I'll follow you're advice regarding the bindings and the refret - where did you get your frets from?

Still thinking about the repaint, it would be nice if the original dings and wear to the body could be retained.

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[quote name='steve' post='621341' date='Oct 9 2009, 09:42 AM']What put you off?[/quote]Primarily probably the fact that it is a jazz (my jazz has a P neck) also I have a number of unfinished projects as it is - and let's face it we love doing it these jobs but they are a pain. :)

[quote]I think I'll follow you're advice regarding the bindings and the refret - where did you get your frets from?[/quote]I decided to play safe and bought some genuine (pre cut) Fender frets off evilbay. They had to come from the States but I felt the extra cost was justified to ensure some level of quality. I'm well chuffed with them too.

[quote]Still thinking about the repaint, it would be nice if the original dings and wear to the body could be retained.[/quote]Yeah maybe if it's too tatty but that natural P you did was/is a stunner.

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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='621386' date='Oct 9 2009, 10:28 AM']Primarily probably the fact that it is a jazz (my jazz has a P neck) also I have a number of unfinished projects as it is - and let's face it we love doing it these jobs but they are a pain. :)

I decided to play safe and bought some genuine (pre cut) Fender frets off evilbay. They had to come from the States but I felt the extra cost was justified to ensure some level of quality. I'm well chuffed with them too.

Yeah maybe if it's too tatty but that natural P you did was/is a stunner.[/quote]

sadly, the grain on this one isn't anywhere near as nice as the P - its made up of five or six pieces - actually as I'm typing this I'm picturing it with different segments stained different shades, hmm....

were the frets the vintage ones?

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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='622035' date='Oct 9 2009, 09:18 PM']It was [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-STD-Bass-Fretwire-Fret-Wire-Jazz-Precision-P_W0QQitemZ350261741499QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item518d3a07bb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]these[/url].
The fact that they are pre-curved was a boost.[/quote]

cheers, I think I saw some of them in an online shop based in the uk - I'll have a hunt through my history and see what I can turn up

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[quote name='dave.c' post='622050' date='Oct 9 2009, 09:51 PM']I've got a jazz control plate and a set of black plastic knobs if they are any use to you...you'll have to batter the control plate yourself though! Let me know if you want them. Nice to see an old Antoria being revived, I have fond memories of the brand from my yoof!

Dave[/quote]

Yep, I'll take them please Dave, how much are you looking for?

It gives the impression of once being a decent bit of kit - I hope I can do it justice

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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='622035' date='Oct 9 2009, 09:18 PM']It was [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-STD-Bass-Fretwire-Fret-Wire-Jazz-Precision-P_W0QQitemZ350261741499QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item518d3a07bb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]these[/url].
The fact that they are pre-curved was a boost.[/quote]

gah, out of stock, how long did yours take to arrive?

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Steve I saw your wanted. I have a set of Hondo tuners that are earmarked for a possible relic job that would be perfect but they don't have that big vintage style base plate yours have. I was gonna tell you about them last night. They've been stripped and cleaned and are working perfect and have a some great natural pitting and patination. If you're interested I can put a pic up. I probably don't have matching bushings but I should be able to turn something up. I also have some genuine Fender vintage style ones (from a 90's Geddy) that might fit but they are pretty new looking - you could get into a bit of the old chemical patination.

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I might well be interested in the set of geddys, how much are you looking for (pm me if you like). I'll investigate the aging process - I might need to do that with the control plate anyway.

As for the hondos, I think I still have the original set of tuners that came with my P bass where the plates are too small - they may well be similar to yours. Fitting them might be an option but it'll mean I'll have visible filled screw holes or have to refin the back of the headstock. I don't particularly want to go down that route tam, but if I did, I would probably go the whole hog and have the front matching the body

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thanks fellas.

I've been looking into aging chrome, I think I'll look into using pcb etchant (as I already have some) as detailed [url="http://www.stewmac.com/tradesecrets/ts0017_agedtuners.hzml?jrl=355336&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ts0017&clk=81341"]on the stewmac website[/url]. I've got some old bits lying around I can try it on

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  • 2 weeks later...

made a [i]tiny[/i] bit of progress today

[attachment=35014:Photo056.jpg][attachment=35015:Photo057.jpg]

I think I'm going to bring the plywood flush to the body with my router, unless anyone shouts up to advise against it, I don't particularly want to do it with a sanding block.

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I sanded my infills down with a sanding block... but then again I love sanding (dunno why - to me it's kinda like meditation but with sore hands)
The only thing I say is give the glue a few days to go off properly as mine retreated a bit after sanding down too soon and you could see the glue line. I was left to fill it with successive layers of primer and paint.

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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='634879' date='Oct 23 2009, 09:41 PM']I sanded my infills down with a sanding block... but then again I love sanding (dunno why - to me it's kinda like meditation but with sore hands)
The only thing I say is give the glue a few days to go off properly as mine retreated a bit after sanding down too soon and you could see the glue line. I was left to fill it with successive layers of primer and paint.[/quote]

I'll bear that in mind, it'll be a couple of days before I get the chance to get the router out so the glue (no nails actually :) ) should have gone off by then.

Unfortunately, I don't share your passion for sanding, so I'll be doing as much avoiding as possible - I'm intending to keep the existing lacquer finish as the base coat and just scuff it up for the primer to key to.

[quote name='Rayman' post='635368' date='Oct 24 2009, 03:56 PM']Nice lump of wood there Steve, which plate fits it best from those few I had?[/quote]

Some of the bits have really nice grain, but there's some not so nice bits and some strange laminations. Coupled with the fill I've had to do, it'll have to be painted.

I ended up choosing the one with the reddest, most 'focussed' tort pattern (it had no notch cut for a trussrod) - not only was it the best fit, it was the nicest looking one IMO

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  • 4 weeks later...

made a bit of progress....

[attachment=36668:Photo085.jpg]

frets in, tuners and bridge on and strung up temporarily. I thought I'd see how it played before deciding how much time and effort to invest in it, and it's actually quite nice. Definately worth the effort so far.

Next jobs are to

complete the filing of the fret ends (it's not too bad now, but could be better)
sand the back of the neck (too glossy)
tru-oil (possibly staining first) the fretboard
sand the body ready for the paint

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[quote name='Sibob' post='658926' date='Nov 19 2009, 09:35 AM']Love a good Jazz project! :)
Si[/quote]

yeah me too, I've finally come to the conclusion that precisions aren't my thing

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='658967' date='Nov 19 2009, 10:15 AM']Looking good man. How did the refret go? Have you decided on a colour?[/quote]

cheers, the refret was fairly painless - frets went in well and seem to be pretty level. As far as colours go I've been switching between sonic blue, daphne blue and surf green (all with a tort guard), without being able to decide on one for sure. I might give in to sentimentality and go for daphne blue simply because it's the name of our chicken that died when I was up in Moffat, just after I'd started the project

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