The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: drbassman on April 17, 2008, 12:22:34 PM
-
Hi All,
I just got off the phone with my machinist and here's where we are with the pieces. They are in final stages of polishing before plating. He's been working tons of overtime (60 hours/week) and has hasn't had as much free time as he had hoped. The pieces are completely cut and drilled (he said it took about 15 minutes per string slot to cut them cuz he had to do them by hand. Yikes!) So, he hopes to have them all polished up by Sunday and off to the platers Monday. He said I could call Monday to see if he got them done and sent out. Once the plater gets them, it only takes 3-4 days to get them back and I can ship 'em out.
My apologies for the time it's taken. We are getting a very good deal on these as he's putting an hour or more into each one of them with hand cutting, drilling and polishing. I'm sure glad we aren't paying the same rate as his usual customers! He also said he's really glad he didn't have to do 50 or 100 of them! This will probably be the last run for quite some time.
Thanks again for your patience. We are definitely in the home stretch.
Bill
-
Maybe Rob should get in touch with him?
-
Maybe Rob should get in touch with him?
Yikes, that could be dangerous based on his luck! I'm glad this little project isn't any more involved than it is. A lot of things happen in these situations. We aren't paying retail, so I can't be a demanding bastard like I usually am. :) He's trying very hard to make them as perfect as he can because we're friends, which also slows things down as well. So, all in all, we will get excellent reproductions for a third or less then the cost of having just one made.
-
Well, DrBassman and I spoke about that option very early on in this project. But the BaCHbird was already in the stage where BaCH had the measurements and technical drawings at the hardware tooler's.
Plus, the price of the tailpieces that DrBassman is making would weigh considerably on the total price of the BacHbird.
Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt they will be worth every penny. And especially if you look at the Ebay prices, I think this is the chance for perfectionists to have a perfect bridge (and upgrade their BaCHbird ;) )
-
Yikes, that could be dangerous based on his luck! I'm glad this little project isn't any more involved than it is. A lot of things happen in these situations. We aren't paying retail, so I can't be a demanding bastard like I usually am. :) He's trying very hard to make them as perfect as he can because we're friends, which also slows things down as well. So, all in all, we will get excellent reproductions for a third or less then the cost of having just one made.
You need to get him a nice bottle of something. kill them with kindness works so much better- the Catholic guilt will then take over.
-
You need to get him a nice bottle of something. kill them with kindness works so much better- the Catholic guilt will then take over.
I'm already planning on a case of beer, his favorite beverage! ;)
-
Yeah, as far as the Bachbird project, any tailpiece (or other part for that matter) made in the US would push its price over the edge!
-
The tailpieces are all buffed/polished and heading to the plater's tomorrow! Yeah! They should be back and in my hands by Friday or Monday. Watch for updates.
-
See, the case of beer worked!
-
See, the case of beer worked!
Case? More like 3!!!! :D
-
Can I have the tailpiece specimens he finished before finishing the first case of beer then?
-
Can I have the tailpiece specimens he finished before finishing the first case of beer then?
Ah, the good doctor won't prescribe the medicine until after examining the "patients" first hand. Once I see all 25 of the little beggars sitting before me in their nickel plated glory, I'll hand the brew-bribe over to the machine-man. 8) I'll see him tonight at a meeting and I'll make sure all is well as we commiserate over a draft in the basement pub.
-
waiting anxiously !
-
I had a couple beers with Bill the machinist tonight and he said he dropped the finished pieces off at the plater's today! Yahoo, now we're just a few days from completion. Oh yeah baby!
-
Cool! I'm excited to get them. They'll look great, no matter what project I use them for. ;D
-
Cool! I'm excited to get them. They'll look great, no matter what project I use them for. ;D
Well, I can't wait either! This has been like waiting for your pregnant wife to give birth! :P I feel like labor has finally started and we're in the delivery room at last! Whew!!!!!!!!!!!
-
The tailpieces have landed!!!!! They are finished and my son and I will be picking them up at the shop this afternoon. I'll post some pictures when we get them home and start shipping out Thursday (my son goes back to college on Wednesday, so I'm a bit booked up right now!)
Oh yeah!!!!
-
One word...........Cool
-
Sweet !
-
A Dawson Bridge and a Bassman tail piece would of looked sweet on my Blueshawk.
-
A Dawson Bridge and a Bassman tail piece would of looked sweet on my Blueshawk.
I agree!
-
Well, Murphy has a way of intruding on our serenity. We went to pick up the pieces yesterday and found out the plater has to redo them. Seems one of goof ups in his shop wrapped our newly plated pieces in bubble wrap right after they were plated. The wrap reacted with the new nickel and left little circles all over the pieces. Duh! :sad: I learned that freshly plated parts should ALWAYS be wrapped in paper! So, the plater is redoing them today and wrapping them properly. Since it was his shop's screw up, he promised them today so it'll be interesting to see if he comes through.
You can bet that I'll be sending them out wrapped in paper first!!!!!
Also, please let me know if your address has changed recently as I will use whatever I have from your payment info. Thanks!
-
Plating places would be fun place to work. Did you go in where they do the plating?
When I went to one near us it was the dirtiest most noxious place I have ever been. All the huge tubs of stinky chemicals, people in rubber aprons. The smell nearly knocked me off my feet
-
I didn't go to the plater's, my machinist sends it over for me. I agree, they are really unreal places. His comment was that they all are messed up over there from breathing all that stuff in for years. It's no wonder one of them forgot how to wrap finished pieces!
-
Chromium, cadmium, chlorinated solvent vapor degreasers, cyanide baths...just another day at a metal plating shop.
-
When I was 15 I worked in the foundry of a company that made wheels for amusement park rides like they have at Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and Magic Mountain. To be honest, I still don't think I've recovered from that 6 week stretch... :P
-
Yep, very toxic places! No wonder Uwe is so anti-chrome!
I talk to Bill and the parts are finished again, so I'll get them tomorrow. Finally!!!!!!
-
I had a similar experience to George - I worked with asbestos in the late seventies for a couple of weeks earning some money during summer vacation. The powder was all over me in the evening, there was no breathing protection or anything, it was seen as a splendid, easy to handle material at the time ...
I'm utterly unworried about asbestos contamination since then ... whatever I needed, I already got back then!
Uwe
-
My apologies to everyone, the tailpieces have been done since Friday and my guy hasn't been able to pick them up! If he doesn't show up with them tonight, I'm gonna ask him where the plater is located and go myself. Not a big deal. Thanks in advance for all of your patience through this. It's been much more of a struggle than I had ever anticipated. Don't think I'll ever try this again!
Bill
-
I know how you feel Bill, getting the bridges made was not easy, nothing ever is. People ask me why I don't make a brideg for this or that and I just sigh.
-
Yeah, I remember you trying to warn me when I launched into this. What did I say? "No big deal!" Duh. :P Boy, am I ever the quintessential optimist! I'd call him again tonight, but I've bugged him so many times, I feel like a real ass. I know I can trust him and he's a great guy (we're in the local Lions service club together), that's not the issue. He's just really busy with work and family and I've been trying to give him some space. So, I'll try again tomorrow............
-
Good things come to those who wait.
-
Finished at last! They are here. I've wrapped them up and will ship them out tomorrow. You'll note in the pictures below that they are plated just as I asked, in nickel which gives them a darker older looking patina versus a blinding chrome effect (which I prefer only on pickups ;D). Scott and I agreed a nickel finish would be best on our old basses and it matches his bridges exactly. If for any reason you don't like it, I will accept it back for a full refund minus shipping, but I won't be making any others for a long time. It was a little more stressful than I anticipated!!! I'm not a patient person!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/60s%20NR%20TB/100_1466.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/60s%20NR%20TB/100_1467.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/60s%20NR%20TB/100_1468.jpg)
Here's how the order shapes up, let me know if I missed anyone.
Mike Gray - 2
Jules - 1
George C. - 3
Scott D. - 2
Scott - Bass VI - 2
Uwe - 4
Gweimer - 1
Mojo Hobo - 1
DC10bass - Curt - 2
Bionic Joe - 1
Thanks!
-
I forgot to mention that the tailpieces take #6 screws and stainless steel oval heads look perfect with them.
-
I don't need one, but they sure did come out nice.
The waiting is the hardest part.
-
Beautiful! Those will look great with my Dasson bridges...
-
Beautiful! Those will look great with my Dasson bridges...
Yeah, they did. They really have a nice vintage look. They aren't all chromey and overdone. they will look right at home on an old NR or reverse bass.
-
Are my eyes deceiving me - do they come in two different sizes/spacings?
Look great, jawohl!
-
Are my eyes deceiving me - do they come in two different sizes/spacings?
Look great, jawohl!
Your eyes deceive you! They are all the same. Different sizes would have been really costly!!!!!
-
They really turned out nice. The nickel looks great on them.
-
Fantastic Bill ! Even the simple is complicated ! I have been toying with the idea of building replica Wright Built K Boats. They are a 16ft sail boat built on Keuka lake in the 20's-50's. I have a original one, simple and fun to sail, you start to break down the construction into sub assemblies and systems and it gets complicated real fast. :o
-
Fantastic Bill ! Even the simple is complicated ! I have been toying with the idea of building replica Wright Built K Boats. They are a 16ft sail boat built on Keuka lake in the 20's-50's. I have a original one, simple and fun to sail, you start to break down the construction into sub assemblies and systems and is gets complicated real fast. :o
Yeah, I can't imagine trying to recreate something like a boat! Let's connect this weekend and I'll give you your tailpieces. I have graduation ceremonies and stuff at the college but I'll be home in the middle of the day between 11 AM and 2 PM.
-
Excellent! my parts draw can't wait to hold it! Good work, and thanks for your efforts Bill
-
Excellent! my parts draw can't wait to hold it! Good work, and thanks for your efforts Bill
My pleasure Jules. It definitely was a labor of love! I would hate to do this kind of stuff for a living. I don't have the patience for it.
-
I stopped by and collected my two today. All I can say is they are fantastic ! They look perfect. I can't wait to install it on my bass. Thanks Bill for all your effort !
-
All tailpieces were shipped on Friday! Thanks Scott!
-
I should not be monkeying around with bases this morning, we have another open house today ! Yikes. But I could not wait to install the tail piece on my NR so here she is ! Again Bill Fantastic job ! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/godofthunder59/69TBnewtailpiece001.jpg)
-
Please note that my bridge is installed backwards ! The posts were both moved on this bass when I bought it ! It's cool the bridge works either way !
-
I hope to get mine on tonight or tomorrow. The weekend was a blur!!!
-
Dr,
Mine arrived today, great job! Maybe I'll get back to the Embassy project now. Of course that means I really need to finish the two SG (guitar projects) the Tele Thinline (again guitar) the Teisco/BassVI project and the lefty G3/Ripper clone...............................Thanks :mrgreen:
S.
-
Thanks again Bill,
mine arrived today in sunny England! Very nice indeed.
-
Mine arrived yesterday, but I'm in LA and won't see them until Saturday! :-[
-
Wow! England and CA just since Friday, that's amazing! Glad you like them, it was my pleasure to do this. I hope to install mine tonight!
-
Dr WWW - a belated, but grateful thanks. Wunderschön.
-
Very nice and thank you!!! Now I just need a NR to install it on . Maybe there is a green blues hawk in my second ones future :mrgreen:
-
Forgot to thank you. They are beautious. ;D
-
Your thanks are much appreciated. I put one on my 60's NR and forgot to take a picture. Will when I have a minute.
-
I am restoring a severely disrespected Epi Elite Tbird and would like to purchase one of your bridges.
-
welcome Mikey! Stay around and post some pics!
-
I am restoring a severely disrespected Epi Elite Tbird and would like to purchase one of your bridges.
godogthunfder has bridges for 60's era TBs and I have matching tailpieces. Does yours have the typical 3-point bridge or ar you looking for a vintage set up?