The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: drbassman on April 22, 2008, 04:22:33 AM
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OK, here's our first subject. A 1970 Guild M-75 that is begging for restoration and a "sex-change" operation. It will become that often sought after, and rarely caught, M-85 bass! Ain't modern science wonderful, said the mad professor! Advance thanks to Shadowcastaz for his help with headstock and bridge tracings/copying. Having a thing for this style bass will push some of my other projects down the line for a little bit!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/c8a5_3.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/cf5a_3.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/d3c6_3.jpg)
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Very cool. What is the projected end result?
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Meaty,Beatie,Big n' bouncy!
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I'm going for an accurate restore. I may not keep it black, I haven't decided yet. I'll make a decision after I see it. Here's what it could look like.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/55U-3775_body-front.jpg)
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Yer bringin' a tear to my eye. That's exactly what my old M-85 looked like. I got it dead mint as a backup bass in '80, for $225. Sold it to get a '66 Newport. I'm still kicking myself for that one. I had one of the semi-hollow bodied models, too.
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I really like the black!
Do you have a black bass yet Bill?
Gweimer, you're starting o remind me of a guy I me at the store where my luthier works. He has a wall of pictures from his youth of all the cool instruments he owned & sold.
60's Non Reverse Tbird IV in cardinal red original color, Korina 50's Flying V guitar, Old 59 Les Pauls (still has one of those)
Breaks his heart. He said he bought the Flying V for $300 which was really high back then. Sold it years later for $800 and now what are they worth?
$30,000?
a valuable lesson that one should never sell a great bass unless you are really forced to do it. Of coarse hind sight is easy, right?
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Yep, my incoming M75 is semi-hollow, so it should sound pretty nice. I already have, and love, my black Gretsch Thunderjet bass, so I probably won't do this in black. It's maple, so I might just take it down to the maple and jjust do a light amber stain if the grain is nice enough.
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In your search for parts,keep your eyes peeled for a master vol knob for me. The smaller/narrow ones are hard to find. Im having a metal switch tip made for my restore ,I could easily ask him to make 2 ;). We gotta stick together ,right Doc. As much as i wanted that body Im glad you got it. Ill get my fix when I do a Blueshawk/G3. I may have to get my green jones taken care of with that project although Im still hopeful for the Starfire.
PS . Black dye to show the grain may be cool...
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In your search for parts,keep your eyes peeled for a master vol knob for me. The smaller/narrow ones are hard to find. Im having a metal switch tip made for my restore ,I could easily ask him to make 2 ;). We gotta stick together ,right Doc. As much as i wanted that body Im glad you got it. Ill get my fix when I do a Blueshawk/G3. I may have to get my green jones taken care of with that project although Im still hopeful for the Starfire.
PS . Black dye to show the grain may be cool...
I agree, we should help each other. I'm sorry we have the same taste and bass rebuilding disease! I wouldn't have been crushed if you had snagged it, I just hate knowing I'm encroaching on a friend's pursuit.
Yep, I'll take one of those metal switch tops. Let me know how much and when you need it. The main challenge for my rebuild will be the bridge. I don't have any hopes of finding one on eBay, so making one from scratch will probably be my only opportunity. OK on the knob, I didn't realize they were narrower than the other control knobs. I'm less concerned about the knobs than I am the bridge. That's really essential in my estimation.
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hey man its not sour grapes by any means. More the merrier. i just remember us bidding On the bondo bass,as I like to refer to her. Its all good. The tip wont cost anything.
I have the head traced and I have to find the bridge.. Ill send it as long as it come back safe. In fact I got it from either someone in the pit or Badass. A guy from Badass offered and sent the rosewood stock he milled for the saddles . No $$. just a nice guy .he responded when i first post about the Starfire back in Jan. ill try to find his name.M
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No problem, I'm trying not to be greedy in my old age! Hey, you were bidding on the NR TB? I didn't know that or at least I had forgotten after all this time. Did you tell me that before? Man, my mind is going! :P
Anyway, thanks again for all of your help. We'll both end up with nice Guild before it's all over!
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Dr Frankenstein (or Fronkensteen) will be proud of you, I'm sure. Sheryl Crow may seek you out. :)
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The main challenge for my rebuild will be the bridge. I don't have any hopes of finding one on eBay, so making one from scratch will probably be my only opportunity.
They do show up now and then. There have been a couple harp bridges in the last six months or so (my old one being one of 'em).
The reason I liberated it was because I installed a custom harp bridge - solid brass w/ sustain block. It's VASTLY superior to the original bridge, although the original had its own rustic charms. I couldn't get the action or the intonation right on my bass - which is what prompted me to replace the bridge (rather than try and rework it, or reset the neck for better geometry). Didn't mind moding the bass, since it made it much more useable to me.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/guild-js2-mods/DSCF0090.jpg)
The guy that built that one was Marko (handle is MPU). I think you can still find him at TB. I also have one of his equally beautiful Alembic-style bridges - awaiting the right Starfire candidate one day...
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Oh man is that saweet!!!!!!
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They do show up now and then. There have been a couple harp bridges in the last six months or so (my old one being one of 'em).
The reason I liberated it was because I installed a custom harp bridge - solid brass w/ sustain block. It's VASTLY superior to the original bridge, although the original had its own rustic charms. I couldn't get the action or the intonation right on my bass - which is what prompted me to replace the bridge (rather than try and rework it, or reset the neck for better geometry). Didn't mind moding the bass, since it made it much more useable to me.
The guy that built that one was Marko (handle is MPU). I think you can still find him at TB. I also have one of his equally beautiful Alembic-style bridges - awaiting the right Starfire candidate one day...
Figures! I saw your bridge but didn't know I'd need one at the time. They do show up, but they are rare. So, MPU made the bridge on your Jet Star? Wow, it's beautiful (the bass and the bridge). I sent him a PM in the TB forum. I hope he responds.
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Bill-
Here are the photos and measurements from my bass (a '72) of the pearloid Guild logo and chesterfield inlays. Figure I'd post them here in case somebody else needs them too.
With measurements superimposed:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/guild-js2-mods/guild-hs-inlaysspecs.jpg)
...and without:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/guild-js2-mods/guild-hs-inlays.jpg)
Check out those frizzy silks! Those strings are old as dirt - wish I knew what they were - love 'em.
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Thanks Joe! I'll let you know how things turn out.
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Hey Joe,
Is there an error in the measurements? You have the Crown at 1.9cm, the same as the Guild logo. Is that right or am I reading it wrong? My inlay guy thinks the crown should be shorter than 1.9cm.
Bill-
Here are the photos and measurements from my bass (a '72) of the pearloid Guild logo and chesterfield inlays. Figure I'd post them here in case somebody else needs them too.
With measurements superimposed:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/guild-js2-mods/guild-hs-inlaysspecs.jpg)
...and without:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/guild-js2-mods/guild-hs-inlays.jpg)
Check out those frizzy silks! Those strings are old as dirt - wish I knew what they were - love 'em.
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Hey Joe,
Is there an error in the measurements? You have the Crown at 1.9cm, the same as the Guild logo. Is that right or am I reading it wrong? My inlay guy thinks the crown should be shorter than 1.9cm.
Yep - that's indeed a mistake. I just measured it again - the logo is 1.9cm, and the crown should be 1.4cm.
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Thanks, my inlay guy noticed it and asked, so we're good to go now!
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Making progress. I've had to re-glue about 30-40% of the binding where the glue had let go over the years. The stripping will take another hour or two, will do the edges by hand with sand paper. I'm trying to preserve the old yellowed nitro on top of the binding, I love the look, but it's probably futile and I'll have to end up taking it off anyway.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1411.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1410.jpg)
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OK, she's all stripped and looking pretty good. This a hairline crack in the top between the pup holes, but the rest is on pretty good shape!
Now the big question. should I use DarkStar pups, which will probably require some routing to make em fit or just use TV Jones ThunderTrons, which will essentially drop right in. I'm not going to mess with the routs. They were originally for a guitar placement so I'm leaving them as is, kinda like an Allen Woody placement actually.
What do you think?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1412.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1413.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1414.jpg)
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As much as Im a fan of DS's it would get a bit crowded given the existing routs. You could do a single in the neck and a tron in the bridge....i guess 2 trons would make the most sense. Unless you plug the bridge rout and go single.
that is sweet looking,BTW. I hope to grab the next one ,maybe.M
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I vote TV Jones. Did you like them in your Rumblecat?
I just can't see routing it and putting huge Dark Stars on it, although they certainly would not be out of place and at least in the family.
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Go with TV Jones. 8)
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doc,this is such a cool bass project.you are "THE MAN"!i cant wait to see it done.what scale is it gonna be?
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They were originally for a guitar placement so I'm leaving them as is, kinda like an Allen Woody placement actually
excellent choice! too many basses favor the pickup placement closer to the bridge, imo. I like a neck and mid position as in this case. the tv jones is a good choice, too.
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Thanks for the ideas guys. I'm gonna go with the TV Jones. I just don't want to rout or fill in a current rout at this stage. I can alway change it later, right? I was going for a Guild restore but this isn't a bass body to begin with and I don't want to mess up the routs.
It's gonna be 30" scale. And I liked the Woody bass a lot and my current favorite non-Gibson is my Gretsch Thunder Jet with those kicking TV pups.
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TV Jones pick ups will be nice!
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TV Jones pick ups will be nice!
I agree. The neck for it came today, so I'll start working on that!
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The neck for it came today
What kind of neck did you get for this? Does somebody sell a bare-bones neck w/paddle headstock that you can use for set-neck applications? (besides those greatdeals NOS Gibson necks)
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What kind of neck did you get for this? Does somebody sell a bare-bones neck w/paddle headstock that you can use for set-neck applications? (besides those greatdeals NOS Gibson necks)
Yes, there's a seller on eBay who sells mahogany 30" scale necks for set application. Their name is bezdez and from time to time they trow one of these up there. I have 3 of them and they are great for the money.
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I was digging in my pile of bass lumber and came across a birdseye maple board I had bought for a neck some time ago and decided that the neck for the M-85 is going to made out of this.....
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1461.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1462.jpg)
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Nice wood!
You are ambitious aren't you.
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Nice wood!
You are ambitious aren't you.
Yeah, I'm feeling pretty daring these days! I was gonna use one of the mahogany necks I got off eBay recently, but I think a maple neck would be really cool on this project. Besides, I've had this wood laying around for ages, so I figure why not! I've done everything but build a neck from scratch, so now's a good time to try.
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I ordered 2 of these pickups
http://www.pbase.com/rvl/hb_pickups (http://www.pbase.com/rvl/hb_pickups)
These are from Vintage Vibe Guitars
He will custom wind them for bass
Thanks
Robert VanLane
Thanks for the ideas guys. I'm gonna go with the TV Jones. I just don't want to rout or fill in a current rout at this stage. I can alway change it later, right? I was going for a Guild restore but this isn't a bass body to begin with and I don't want to mess up the routs.
It's gonna be 30" scale. And I liked the Woody bass a lot and my current favorite non-Gibson is my Gretsch Thunder Jet with those kicking TV pups.
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I ordered 2 of these pickups
http://www.pbase.com/rvl/hb_pickups (http://www.pbase.com/rvl/hb_pickups)
These are from Vintage Vibe Guitars
He will custom wind them for bass
Thanks
Robert VanLane
Very nice looking! Do you have them installed in a bass? I'll check them out, I like the look.
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Those are cool looking pickups.
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Pickups should be arriving shortly
I havent decided which bass
Was talking to Lollar about Charlie Christian pickups but he wanted $300 each
Looking forward to trying them out
Thanks
Robert VanLane
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Was talking to Lollar about Charlie Christian pickups but he wanted $300 each
Wow, talk about pricey!
That's insane
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I'm still leaning toward the TV Jones pups. Lots of power and reasonably priced, too.
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Charley Christian pups for a bass?
try this site:
http://www.curtisnovak.com/pickups/pb-cc.shtml
if they don't look right, hide them under a humbucking cover.
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The Vintage Vibe Charlie Christians are $75 each or $125 for a pair
Cheaper than the Lollars
The nice thing about the Vintage Vibe is they fit the standard HB size so pickup surround choices are endless
Thanks
Robert
PS Still waiting on the pickups, shipping to me in Japan takes about a week
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This is coming along très nicely, I must say!
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I had a nice email chat with Fred Hammon. I might use his pickups in this one!
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I have 4 of Hammon's pickups and they are nice
I think a single Dark Star pickup at the neck would work really well on this project
Just finished installing one of Hammon's creations into a EB2 copy and it sounds great
Thanks
Robert VanLane
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Yeah, I got the DS measurement from Fred and I'm gonna make some paper templates to see how much routing I'd have to do in order to use them on the M-85. I'm still fond of the TV Jones pups and the ones you've talked about, but in the end, it's a Guild body and I'm feeling a little guilty about not using the DS pups. I want a good sound and I also want a Guild look to it in the end! So.................DS will probably win out in the end.
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I have a pair waiting for the Starfire .I think you should pull the trigger.....How is the bridge coming along? I found the rose wood saddle blanks a guy sent me from florida (Badass site). I also found the decals for the head if you want a set.
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Sure, send me a PM and let me know what you need for them. Thanks!
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Well, I made a couple templates of DS pups, laid them out on top of the body and it sure looks like they'd fit really nice. They've always been kinda big for the M-85 body IMHO, but they do look good, a throwback to the old Hag pups. The other advantage of going DS is the bridge pup will cover up the previous guitar bridge holes! Very cool for me.
So, it's time to place an order with Fred..................
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Got my MOP headstock inlays from my inlay guy, made to exact specs and beautifully done. Excuse the crappy picture, it's covered in protective plastic and you really can't see that nice MOP sheen it has.............
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_1485-1.jpg)
a SPECIAL thanks also to shadowcastaz for the Guild goodies and bridge he sent for copying!
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Man its nice lookin. The stuff I got was already inlayed into a fiber board from the guild factory .. You gotta have a steady hand when u start cuttin . ....your welcome BTW,its my pleasure.M
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Man its nice lookin. The stuff I got was already inlayed into a fiber board from the guild factory .. You gotta have a steady hand when u start cuttin . ....your welcome BTW,its my pleasure.M
For sure on the "steady hand!" I have the Stew-Mac inlay attachments for my dremel and I'm going to do some practicing on scrap before I try the inlay on the headstock. The more you do the better you get!
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kinda like cookin.......... :mrgreen:
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A lot of things in life are like cookin! Recipes, ingredients, equipment, skill, practice! It's all good!q
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I've been thinking a lot about this one lately. I'm reverse-engineering the neck pocket at present and have recently done my first inlay on maple board project. I'm thinking this bass might look cool in a solid color with a maple board. What do you guys think?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/Inlay%20work/100_1984.jpg)
The top isn't that great, it's nice maple but not really figured and it has a crack, which I hate to think about trying to fix so it doesn't show..............
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/guildcrack.jpg)
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I have no doubt you'd make it look nice, but will a maple board look right on an M-75?
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I have no doubt you'd make it look nice, but will a maple board look right on an M-75?
Somehow I knew you'd say that! The maple board was an experiment (my first board inlays other than dots!) so I was thinking about where I could use it. I think a maple board could look nice with the right color combination, but I've been wrong before!!!
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I like the idea, but I think you'll want to make it complementary in color, rather than identical. I admit I didn't read the thread carefully - is the body going to be natural? If so, I'm thinking the neck ought to be slightly lighter than the body...but whadda I know??
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That B eye board looks good but I would save it for a future build. A nice dark rosewood board would look good with any color body so why stress over the right color with the maple board. Those guilds are such classics, like the Lps etc. Its kinda like putting a monkey pod board on a 59 strat. Ive been wrong before :mrgreen: trust the force OB won!!
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OK, I see I'm not going to get any encouragement from you guys! Well, at least now I'm ready to do inlays on a rosewood board next!
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:mrgreen: hey you asked. We always hurt the ones we love..............
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That's OK, I've got another idea for it, but I'm keeping it to myself until I actually do it! Just so I can surprise you all!
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Does your idea involve Sheryl Crow and a can of Crisco, by any chance? :mrgreen:
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Excellent idea, but maybe canola oil would be better because of no trans-fat.... :o
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Think spanking........ :toast:
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:mrgreen:
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no no, you gotta use Butter.
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Brings a whole new meaning to "plays like buttah".....
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Brings a whole new meaning to "plays like buttah".....
Yeah, I never liked that expression. I always want it to play like a bass!
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Since the maple top on this body isn't all that grand, what do you all think of a gold top on it? ;D
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Not a big gold fan. Top me I would go with black, white or trans cherry-
If you want crazy cool I would do green like this-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/1967EpiphoneNewportInvernessGreen01.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/misc/cute-hamster.jpg)
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Well, I love my gold top LP Signature bass. I have a can of gold on the shelf just itching for a project!
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ok,whats with the hamster?
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ok,whats with the hamster?
I think it's a guinea pig. A metaphoric guinea pig. 8)
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Man, you guys are more distractable than a moth in a room full of Christmas lights!
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hey Doc,i have a pair of Guild pups.i'd be willing to trade?
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hey Doc,i have a pair of Guild pups.i'd be willing to trade?
Which ones?
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big screws the ones on Starfires,JSI &II's & M75's but the Guild ones not Hagstroms
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Hamster, I think. Very high cute factor.
Awwwwwwww.........
Also reminds me of Stimpy's dance to "Happy Happy Joy Joy"......
http://en.sevenload.com/videos/RpBZD9o-Ren-And-Stimpy-Happy-Happy-Joy-Joy
Check out about 2:14 into it...
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big screws the ones on Starfires,JSI &II's & M75's but the Guild ones not Hagstroms
I see. Can you post some pictures?
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I think he means the ones shown on the M-85 here (http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/guild71p8.php) (from Jules' catalog collection). Clearer pic here (http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/guild75p10.php) on a JS.
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I think he means the ones shown on the M-85 here (http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/guild71p8.php) (from Jules' catalog collection). Clearer pic here (http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/guild75p10.php) on a JS.
I see Dave, I wasn't sure. Those are OK, but I'm a big fan of the Hags or DS remakes.
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yeah those.they came off a '71 Starfire.
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yeah those.they came off a '71 Starfire.
Ok, I see. what did you have in mind?
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i don't know, whadda ya got? i have 'em in my Ripper but the bridge pup doesn't really line up with the strings,it's a little narrower.i was gonna keep the neck one but if you have some nice pups i'll trade both.i want a bit more bite.i love chrome but or whatever it doesn't have to be pups maybe kittens? :-\
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i don't know, whadda ya got? i have 'em in my Ripper but the bridge pup doesn't really line up with the strings,it's a little narrower.i was gonna keep the neck one but if you have some nice pups i'll trade both.i want a bit more bite.i love chrome but or whatever it doesn't have to be pups maybe kittens? :-\
Let me look around. I don't keep many spare parts but I might have something. Do you have any projects needing parts at the moment?
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i could use a bridge for my SB450 or a 70's p-bass pup and bridge
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i could use a bridge for my SB450 or a 70's p-bass pup and bridge
Opps, don't have anything like that at present. If you'd like to sell them, send a PM with an idea what you'd want for them.
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My machinist told me today that he sent my Guild bridge out for chrome plating and it should be back in a day or two!!! Now I have to get busy on the neck!
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OK, I've finally done my reverse-engineered neck for the Guild. Here's how I did it. Took me a while to get to it. I had to measure a lot since the tenon is offset, not centered.
1. Simply put, I used clear contact paper over the top to trace the outline of the tenon rout.
2. I traced that and routed a template of it.
3. I then used that to rout a test piece for fit.
4. Then, I routed the neck heel using the template.
Turned out great!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2231.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2236.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2235.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2241.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2246.jpg)
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Did the headstock too last weekend. I decided to use a mahogany neck I had laying around in the shop, but the headstock was too small for that giant Guild pattern, so we added a few pieces to it so things would fit. I actually used pieces I had cut form the heel of the neck and the match was very good.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2234.jpg)
Then we taped the Guild template on routed her!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2237.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2238.jpg)
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I wish I had another mahog neck kickin around . Mine came in handy for my modern . My only complaint is its not as grainy as the body . As usual I cant wait to see more progress Doc :mrgreen:
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Wow... so the neck was installed off center and you've now got the pocket centered? Were the pickup routs centered?
Nice work, as always.
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Very Very nice work bill ! You need to quit your day job !
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I wish I had another mahog neck kickin around . Mine came in handy for my modern . My only complaint is its not as grainy as the body . As usual I cant wait to see more progress Doc :mrgreen:
I agree, those necks were not that grainy at all. But they do work well.
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Wow... so the neck was installed off center and you've now got the pocket centered? Were the pickup routs centered?
Nice work, as always.
Nope, I left the pocket alone and cut the tenon off-center as needed. The routs are off just 1/" or as as well. Strange way of doing things, but I found out it was common with Guild and Gretsch hollow and semi-hollow guitars/basses with set necks.
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Very Very nice work bill ! You need to quit your day job !
I am so over my day job! I can't wait to quit! I mean retire! :P
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great project.
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great project.
Thanks, it's shaping up!
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I routed the body for the pups. They fit nicely.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2301.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2303.jpg)
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Dual Dark Stars! Niiiiiiice.
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Looking good Doc!!
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I am so over my day job! I can't wait to quit! I mean retire!
go for it!
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Dual Dark Stars! Niiiiiiice.
Yeah, they are cool, aren't they?
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Looking good Doc!!
Thanks, I'm starting to get excited about its progress now.
Maybe you guys could help me. I have been wrestling with myself over the color on this for months. It was black originally and I'm not interested in redoing that. The maple top is nice enough but nothing special. I could do another cherry-vanilla combo, that really did turn out nice before. Then there's that can of LP Gold Top sitting on the shelf, unused and lurking. I even have the paint for a nice cherry burst, which is where I'm leaning right now.
What do you guys think?
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Gold!!Nahhh! Strawberry blond or a suttle burst would look awesome !!! That is going to be a beautiful bass ,as usual. Dont sell this one ,she iz a keepah!!!! :mrgreen:
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Yeah, cherry burst or similar is in the lead.
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I vote Gold !
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I vote Gold !
Ah, the first vote for Gold. Do you think it would look good? I sorta do, but I'm not sure with all of that chromeon the DS pups. Lots of black too though........... :-\
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Lots 'O chrome on a LP gold top. The whole gold top with the mahogany back look I think is really cool. I think the two colors and textures work well together. Any way you finish it is going to be a cool bass.
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Any way you finish it is going to be a cool bass.
+1
based on your other projects, whatever finish you decide will look great. why not try something you haven't done before?
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Any way you finish it is going to be a cool bass.
+1
based on your other projects, whatever finish you decide will look great. why not try something you haven't done before?
That's a good idea. But I also want it to look good on this bass as well. Maybe it's time to peruse the color chart at the paint site..........
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OK, I finally got this thing sprayed. I did a red mahogany stain on the back and sides. I left the maple top natural. I then sprayed a cherry tint over all of it and then 8 clear topcoats. It's more in line with what Guild would have done in the 70's and I love the look. Reminds me of the Epi Allen Woody bass. Wet sanding and polishing in 4 weeks!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2611.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2612.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2613.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2616.jpg)
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Red basses look and sound the best! I like it!
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AS always ,AWESOME,Doc! :mrgreen: Ive benn busy with work (yeah its noice). I have a semi hollow guild body headed for bass-dom this winter. I gotta find the model # though..........I also gotta measure my moderne for some one here and get dimensions fo the fiber board gibby over lay for some others................sorry guys !
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Man I forgot you were doin the Darkstars on her! Man that is gonna growl!M
ps its a '59 X 50 Guild body I have !
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Red basses look and sound the best! I like it!
I'm really glad I decided on the red option. It's gonna be nice when polished up.
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Man I forgot you were doin the Darkstars on her! Man that is gonna growl!M
ps its a '59 X 50 Guild body I have !
Yep, being busy with work is a blessing, isn't it? Glad to hear it's going well!
I remember your Guild, I think you posted some pics of it in the past. Yep, the DS pups are gonna rock in this baby. I really did a pretty radical neck on this bass. It's basically similar dimensions to a Hofner Club bass neck. Thin and narow
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Thin, narrow & 2 big pups! Just the way I likem :mrgreen:
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Thin, narrow & 2 big pups! Just the way I likem :mrgreen:
I detect a hidden meaning in that comment! 8)
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I'm really glad I decided on the red option. It's gonna be nice when polished up.
That may be the understatement of the month! Looks grrrreat!
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That may be the understatement of the month! Looks grrrreat!
Thanks Al! It's killing me to wait, but I've got a couple other projects in the works.
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just soaking up all the hints and tips I can find... ;)
Looking as good as all your previous, Bill...
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just soaking up all the hints and tips I can find... ;)
Looking as good as all your previous, Bill...
Thanks Kenny. You project is taking shape I see................
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Slowly but surely... still absorbing ideas, Bill... I want to get this one right as the last fin was 25 years worth of fun...
Gotta ask... should I leave her bare wood or "sand and seal" now, even pre the body repairs, as I've still got to source my timber...? post a response on mine and I'll keep this one clear for your work... this will be added to my last reply to your post there...
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always repair first, then seal it all at once.
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Noted, ta...
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Finally got around to wet sanding and buffing this thing after being out of town a bunch. I'll install hardware over the next few days and post some shots. She's not perfect, but I wasn't too concerned since the body is 28 years old, I want the rest of it to be a bit rough and aged as well. Almost playable...................
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2727.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2721.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2723.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2724.jpg)
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You didn't want it perfect, right? It looks a bit aged under the finish, that's fine.
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You didn't want it perfect, right? It looks a bit aged under the finish, that's fine.
Yep, I could have bleached the wood and sanded out more of the flaws, but I like to leave some of the natural relicing on an older bass. It came by these flaws naturally and I like to leave them. There are several dents and dings too in the body and binding. Lots of character!
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That came out beautiful - looks like a mirror! Can't wait to see it assembled.
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Beautiful color, Doc! Now we all hope you finish it ASAP for us to see and dream about it!
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That came out beautiful - looks like a mirror! Can't wait to see it assembled.
Thanks Joe! I used my new home made buffing machine. Sure helps!
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Beautiful color, Doc! Now we all hope you finish it ASAP for us to see and dream about it!
Thanks Daniel. I used Stew-Mac nitro cherry tint for the color. Turned out great!
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Thanks Daniel. I used Stew-Mac nitro cherry tint for the color. Turned out great!
How many coats? I know when I did my fretless, the first coat of that tint in clear lacquer was pink, and it didn't turn dark until I had about 3 coats on it.
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How many coats? I know when I did my fretless, the first coat of that tint in clear lacquer was pink, and it didn't turn dark until I had about 3 coats on it.
I used a couple coats of S&S, then a couple coats of the Stew-Mac cherry tint until the color was dark enough, probably 3 -4 coats, all of one can as I wanted it dark, then about 6 coats of clear.
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Very nice...
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Now we're getting somewhere. I'll put strings on tomorrow!
Murphy did visit, two of the old pup screw holes weren't covered by the new ones like I thought they were!!!! Oh well, looks like I might be doing a small fill project next. How dumb!!!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2728.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2729.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2737.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2732.jpg)
Now, I did discover the saddles were about 4 -5mm too high. So how to cut them all equally when they are so small? Simple, I used 2-sided tape on a piece of scrap, drew a line and run it through the band saw! Worked well!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2739.jpg)
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Too bad of the 2 holes, but what a beauty! Nice piece of work and 2 Darkstars side by side always look very good. I like the finish also, red with a black headstock is just so sexy :mrgreen:
What kind of pots did you end up using for this bass? 500k for V and 300k for T?
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Thanks Peter. Yeah, it's just two holes. I might just ignore them or put a pick guard over them......maybe. We'll see. Yep, I used the 500k vol, 300k tone setup that I like. We'll string her up tomorrow and see how she wounds. Not enough time to do that tonight.
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Nice MacGyver solution on the saddles. :)
If the screw holes bother you, just put screws in them for decoration. If anybody asks, I'm sure you can come up with an explanation (e.g, "it keeps the tone tight").
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Lookin' pretty good Bill.
But... I'm not sure if I like that neck pickup crossing the binding on the lower horn... :o
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Damn purdy!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:
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Nice MacGyver solution on the saddles. :)
If the screw holes bother you, just put screws in them for decoration. If anybody asks, I'm sure you can come up with an explanation (e.g, "it keeps the tone tight").
Yeah, I was gonna use my belt sander, but that's always iffy when you want a perfectly straight line and these things are hard to hold onto!
I can't believe I didn't notice the distance on those two holes! Oh well, I am gonna mix some color with nitro and see what happens. Couldn't look any worse! I can always put some screws in as you suggested.
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Lookin' pretty good Bill.
But... I'm not sure if I like that neck pickup crossing the binding on the lower horn... :o
Yeah, me too, but the old pickup hole location dictated the placement. I was thinking I could just sand off that edge to let the binding show and you probably wouldn't even notice it. It's the least of my concerns as everything else but the screw holes turned out as I wanted.
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Damn purdy!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:
Thanks! And welcome back!
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I think you can cover both holes with a pickguard - maybe even use the top hole as a mounting point if it's not too close to the pickup.
And dang, that's pretty!!
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Thanks Pilgrim Al! I might do a cardboard mock up of a pickguard to see what it might look like. I'll try the filler first, but later in the week when I have more time.
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I can only hope I do as well with mine...
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Thanks Pilgrim Al! I might do a cardboard mock up of a pickguard to see what it might look like. I'll try the filler first, but later in the week when I have more time.
I don't know whether M-85s came with pickguards, but I'm thinkin' one would look right at home.
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"Fixin' 2 holes where the pick-guard lives...?"
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"Fixin' 2 holes where the pick-guard lives...?"
No rain involved....
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Finger nail polish is lacquer,No?
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I drop filled the holes last night with a mixture of maple dust, tint and nitro. The center looks good but I ended up with a dark ring around the edges. I'll sand it a bit in a couple days (got anniversary stuff tonight and tomorrow!). I'll be back!
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Bill - today is my 25th anniversary. Your anniversary too????
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Bill - today is my 25th anniversary. Your anniversary too????
It's our 27th. officially on Friday the 13th.! YIKES! :o But we have an opportunity to go to a 4 star hotel and enjoy ourselves tonight, so we're off for an early celebration. More celebrating on Friday!
Congrats to you and yours Al!
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And to you! We're going out for a nice dinner - treated ourselves to a trip to San Antonio to watch WSU get whacked by Notre Dame a week ago - that was our anniversary trip. But we always enjoy San Antone, so it was good.
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And to you! We're going out for a nice dinner - treated ourselves to a trip to San Antonio to watch WSU get whacked by Notre Dame a week ago - that was our anniversary trip. But we always enjoy San Antone, so it was good.
Yeah, I like San Antone as well. A really fun place to visit! We're going to Niagara Falls tonight, the scene of the original crime! 8)
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Happy Silver Mr & Mrs Pilgrim, and Silver+2 Mr & Mrs Bassman... ;D
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Happy Silver Mr & Mrs Pilgrim, and Silver+2 Mr & Mrs Bassman... ;D
thank you, and may your squirrels be well-fed and happy.
http://twitter.com/COMMON_SQUIRREL
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Black squirrels in Ontario still? Congrats to u both. Im werkin on 29 myself.Casino!!!Gud Beer! :toast:
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That posting's from Tehran...? they're nuts... ;D
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Thanks guys! It's been a good run thus far, hope for 27 more! Way to go Shadow, you're closing in on a milestone too.
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Nice looking bass! You guys are really evil, you know. I unloaded the 8-string, and now I'm watching another M-85 on FleaBay.
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Being veggie, I know the "F-plan" diet gives you GAS... :mrgreen:
We hit the 20 year barrier last May... mere youngsters... ;)
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Being veggie, I know the "F-plan" diet gives you GAS... :mrgreen:
We hit the 20 year barrier last May... mere youngsters... ;)
I love veggies, but with my steaks! I respect your ability to do that, I just am in a carnivore rut. Beside, I have all the gas I can use already!
Hang in there Kenny, it gets easier after 20. I think....... :P
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Nearly passed out with shock there...!!!
My buddy says steak is vegetarian, after all, they almost exclusively eat grass...
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Nearly passed out with shock there...!!!
My buddy says steak is vegetarian, after all, they almost exclusively eat grass...
As one who believes humans are omnivores and should act that way, I like his reasoning.
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I hooked her up to the amp last night and boy does this bass sound great. The sound is very clear, even with thumpy TI jazz flats on. These pups do put out a very clean tone, not the mudbucker mud I'm used to hearing. I think the 500/300k pot mixture works really well. I still have my nice deep lows that I love and mids and highs that aren't too thin or harsh.
Of course I've got my wiring screwed up. Typical!!! :P The 3-way works in the top and middle position and shuts everything off in the lower setting. Now what did I do wrong there?
I can't quite get the set up where I want it, so I'll probably defer to my favorite luthier for some assistance.
Overall, I'm really happy with this one!!!
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Nice to hear it sounds so well. I'm afraid I'm not technical enough to help with the wiring issue.
But I bought some 500k pots to experiment with my Darkstar-basses, thanks ;)
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M85 on ebay is purdy! Evil is polite ,me thinks. :mrgreen:
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Your wiring, Bill... draw it out like a map and see where you took a wrong turn...
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Your wiring, Bill... draw it out like a map and see where you took a wrong turn...
You're assuming I know how to read a "map!" I'll be working on it later this week.
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Dammit, Kenny! He's a doctor, not a cartographer!
(Gratuitous Star Trek reference at no charge.)
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Dammit, Kenny! He's a doctor, not a cartographer!
(Gratuitous Star Trek reference at no charge.)
I love it! Beam me up, Pilgrim! Mr. Kenny, light speed please.......... :vader:
Actually, I took the strings and bridge off last night. My frets were way high at the heel, so I went about starting a serious fret leveling. I also had one saddle a little lower then I needed, so I'm gonna switch them around. It shoudl sound better after all of that!!!
Then, on to the wiring......... :P
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It's no good Doc, the bass strings canny stand it... ;)
There is a terrible irony that the late James Doohan, a man of Irish/Canadian descent, spent most of his life being known as a Scotsman...
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Hey, I'm a Scotsman (about 1/4). My granddad was a Mustard, from county Angus from what I was told.
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Don't get me on that subject, for all of our sakes... genealogy is an obsession, not a hobby...
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/ANS/ (http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/ANS/)
This is a basic link you might find interesting, if you haven't done your homework... ;)
Mine are all offshore, west-coast Scotland, back as far as we can trace, with (by estimated timeline) my Stewart (Appin) line being "rebels" that escaped after the defeat at Culloden... I have all the classic Hebridean names in my family - MacDonald, MacKenzie & MacLeod (MacLeod having direct links to the Vikings)... there is a strong Ferguson and Morrison representation, with a smattering of MacIver, Murray, MacRae, Campbell and even a Smith (which is what they would have been)... there is no direct Campbell-MacDonald link...
The "English" fixed the Highland names when "records" properly began, with the first British census (1841)... tradition dictates that you were known as "the son of your father" ie Mhich Domhnull = MacDonald = son of Donald, sort of... It is possible that a "surname" could change from generation to generation... My present "surname should be MacKenzie (son of Kenneth) ...
It would be best to have me chained down in some quiet, softly lit, padded room, with calm, soothing music, and powerful meds... at least until normality resumes... ;)
Londoner...? accident of birth...
What's your Scottish family name, Bill...? It can be the difference between being a "sassenach" (lowlander, not Englishman) and a Highlander...!
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I was told the Mustards were a part of the MacGregor clan. That's all I know at this point. My mum's the Mustard, my dad was an Englishman, Stevenson.
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Scandanavian name - Son of Steven; Highland name - Son of Gregor
We have a significant collection of "carrot" in my family...
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Scandanavian name - Son of Steven; Highland name - Son of Gregor
We have a significant collection of "carrot" in my family...
So you're saying my dad could be Scandinavian by way of England? "Carrot?" I don't get it, but I am a linear thinker! :P
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So you're saying my dad could be Scandinavian by way of England? "Carrot?" I don't get it, but I am a linear thinker! :P
Redheads.
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The Danes settled in Norfolk/Suffolk; the Norwegians settled the north and west coast of Scotland, and the Islands, and even as far south as Dublin... The West Coast Islands only became part of "Scotland" in 1266...
Any name (as a general rule) that ends in "son" will be of Scandanavian origin, in theory... Harrison (Harry's son), Morrison (Morris' son), Johnson (John's son) and so on...
Stewart (Stiobhard) means a "steward", most commonly "tacksmen" (origins of tax-man) - people that oversee the land, and collect the dues for the Laird...
By modern parlance, and historical fact, I am descended from thugs that worked for a "drugs baron", that operated crack-houses in London and bought the whole Island my family comes from... nothing is new...
"Seek and ye shall find" - just not always what you were looking for...
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Looks like the Mustards from Angus part is correct. And the Stevenson is Scandinavian. Interesting! Who knew? Some day I'll do some more searching. Most of my grandfather's family settled in southern Ohio along the Ohio River after Delaware in the early 1800's. They named their county Highland when they got there. How appropriate!
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Ha! I'll bet you forgot about this project. Well, so did I. I've been so busy with other stuff I just put this aside and didn't do much with it after I strung it up and played it a bit. I still have to put strap buttons and the back plates on, but it's playable. I plugged it into my MM 130 amp with 2x15s and I was quite impressed with the Dark Star pups. They are so clean and clear, nice output across the whole range. Some might think of them as having a bit overly mid and high freq emphasis. While there's no mud, there's plenty of clean clear bass tone. This bass turned out so much better than I remembered. Nice real skinny 30" neck and easy to play. It's going to practice next Monday for a trail run. I'll post a more current pic later today.
It's like getting a new bass when you forget about one!!!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/drbassman/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2737.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/drbassman/media/70%20Guild%20bass/100_2737.jpg.html)
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Very beautiful. No, gorgeous!
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Thanks Chris. It sounds pretty darn good too!
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SWEET!!!!
One of the few vintage basses that i really have bad GAS for. Darkstars are kind of love or hate. I happen to really like them. Should sound huge thru the MM rig.... Curtis now makes bisonics with original bisonic output and a tap down to darkstar . I have to give them a try when i start working again...
Enjoy!! :mrgreen:
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Awesome! Looks great. You're making me miss my JS-II. Those necks are great.
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SWEET!!!!
One of the few vintage basses that i really have bad GAS for. Darkstars are kind of love or hate. I happen to really like them. Should sound huge thru the MM rig.... Curtis now makes bisonics with original bisonic output and a tap down to darkstar . I have to give them a try when i start working again...
Enjoy!! :mrgreen:
Yeah, I would love a real one, unmolested by time or dopey owners. This one is a nice facsimile anyway! Like the Triumph, it's a little heavy, but not as much as the LP. The controls are a lot easier to use, too! I'd love to hear the pups Curtis is making. He does a great job. Hope you fnd work soon! We all needd to cure some GAS!
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Awesome! Looks great. You're making me miss my JS-II. Those necks are great.
I've always wanted a JS bass. I'll have to grab one off eBay some day. I'm a skinny 30" neck kinda guy.
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Yee Haw...!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgUh6BNdq9Y
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Yee Haw...!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgUh6BNdq9Y
Busted!
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Surprise surprise! Looks beautiful!
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Nice! My M-85 is the one bass I REALLY regret having to sell. It did lead to the Embassy, but I loved that Guild. It had a great Ronnie Lane kinda vibe to it. I pulled it out every night when we played "Every Picture Tells A Story".
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If I had a real one, I sure would try to hold onto it. But I do understand that sometimes, circumstances overwhelm us. To be honest, I see some similarities between the M85 and the Gretsch ThunderJet. Even the pups have some similarities. I just can't believe how strong the mids and highs are on the Dark Stars. I can get that thing to sound like a damn jazz bass! Almost.....
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If I had a real one, I sure would try to hold onto it. But I do understand that sometimes, circumstances overwhelm us. To be honest, I see some similarities between the M85 and the Gretsch ThunderJet. Even the pups have some similarities. I just can't believe how strong the mids and highs are on the Dark Stars. I can get that thing to sound like a damn jazz bass! Almost.....
I see many cosmetic similarities to the Gretsch as well. Me likey.
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I've always wanted a JS bass. I'll have to grab one off eBay some day. I'm a skinny 30" neck kinda guy.
When I went to GC here in Columbus to try and find an Epi Tbird Pro to play around on, I noticed that they have a Guild Jetstar there for sale. Interested?
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How much? They tend to be overpriced on used stuff.
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$1100
(http://used.guitarcenter.com/images/products/108642750_lg.jpg)
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that is tempting. If it had the bisonics i would be all over it. not a huge humbucker fan unless they are 63 tbird pups.
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I like the humbuckers, but I think the price is high for one with them. While I like the sound of humbuckers I think Guild's design on these was just OK. Nothing as striking as the look of a DS. I had a 60's Guild Starfire with a bisonic. No mud there. Very clean sound. I didn't like the pup placement down by the bridge.
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Tried the bass at practice and sounded really good. Clean and middy. The DS pups are almost too clean sounding for my taste. I still prefer my ThunderJet or Triumph at this point.