The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Denis on December 01, 2012, 05:55:56 AM
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Saw this the other day. Not sure who the manufacturer really was. Thoughts?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fenderbird-Bass-Body-Loaded-Basslines-Pickups-Thunderbird-Entwistle-/110981656886?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D3848418851161938460%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D150952346818%26
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I am guessing it's a refined Epi.
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A little pricey I think.
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If it is an Epi refin, they did a lot of work making changes to the control layout. Could explain why the control cavity seems so large.
(http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab239/Nokturnalbass/P1000905.jpg)
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A little pricey I think.
Yeah, I was interested when it was $46, but at over $200 not so much so. On the other hand I do have a neck here that could use a body.
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That was mine - I built it. I had a MIM Fender neck on it when I sold it to, was it Ray(?), who was a member here. I sold it a couple of years ago. When I shipped it off it had a Gotoh bridge on it and was unscathed ;) It's a two piece African mahogany body finished in ReRanch Fiesta Red nitro. Switchcraft barrel jack, CTS pots, and Sprague orange drop cap. I think I sold the entire bass for $400 or $450 - I've slept since then ;D
I have plenty of construction pics if anyone is interested.
I sold it because I didn't like the reach to the 1st fret - it wasn't bad but I found it was a little longer than the reach on a Pbass and it felt funky. I discussed the reach issue with Carlo - I'm not sure if he's set his necks closer to the bridge but I would set mine back about 1/2" if I built another one. This was built to NR specs - meaning that distance to the nut is the same as a Gibson NR. It sounded very nice though - IMO.
Hell, at the price this one's going for maybe I need to churn out a couple of bodies real quick and pop them up on Ebay. I still have all of my templates ;D
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At second look obviously not epi :-[ Nice looking piece of work. :thumbsup:
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Material for body is around $40-50 today.
SD pups $100+
Pickguard, bridge, paint, pots, etc...?
LABOR?
I think it's a great job, and at current Ebay price ($200) a bargain. Anyone who thinks it isn't is invited to come work for me ;D
Mine are pretty much to NR specs. No problem with reach to first fret, I'm 5'-8" on a good day with 33" sleeve length.
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Knowing that Buzz built it puts it in a different light than an unknown body made of Unknown Epi Wood.
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Knowing that Buzz built it puts it in a different light than an unknown body made of Unknown Epi Wood.
I agree.
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Thank you kindly gentlemen! :-[ I thought it came out half decent at the time.
John AKA Redbird, AKA Barkless Doggy, AKA Doby sent me the original tracing. George (I take pictures of chrome pickups in the nude) did a killer job of providing an excellent picture with all measurements overlayed.
Carlo is correct - add up the component cost and it gets pricey - I think that I had almost $50 in rattle can lacquer alone - absolutely not cost effective.
I'm very pleased that Carlo has carved a corner of the market for his own and is doing quite well at it. I'm doubly glad that his bud is doing the same thing with pickups.
If anyone is interested I still have the scaled drawing that I would be happy to email.
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Labor of love/cost=blank cheque ;D
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Went for $400 even!
Dang, I may bang out a body put it up for auction afterall ;D
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Now don't go tredin' on the "swamper's" business... ;D
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Nah. Unless you have some semblance of a production setup, especially for finishing, you won't be selling it for enough to make it worth your while.
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I wouldn't think that I would try the production angle but when you look at jigged construction techniques I could have an an unfinished body done in about two hours total time. The question is what is my time worth?
Kenny, if the economy doesn't improve soon I'll be in Florida working for Carlo :P
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I wouldn't think that I would try the production angle but when you look at jigged construction techniques I could have an an unfinished body done in about two hours total time. The question is what is my time worth?
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It's not just your two hours. There's the cost of the wood, pickups and finishing materials.
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My thought, such as it is/was, was to sell a body only - ready to paint. Painting is a royal pain and the only way is mix your own and spray which, in a neighborhood, is not a viable option. If I could do it in a couple of hours and clear $125 it might be worth it.
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Now don't go tredin' on the "swamper's" business... ;D
The more the merrier!
My thought, such as it is/was, was to sell a body only - ready to paint. Painting is a royal pain and the only way is mix your own and spray which, in a neighborhood, is not a viable option. If I could do it in a couple of hours and clear $125 it might be worth it.
All you need is a cnc router;D
For Scott's Pelham NR I used decanted Reranch. Prep is the most important process. There's around 6 ounces of actual color, 1 coat. The rest is sealer, filler (drywall mud), white primer and clear. About $20 in paint materials and 4 hours of total labor starting with a body sanded to 180.