The Last Bass Outpost

Bought this maybe 8 years ago. Baz has been inquiring about it ever since. No doubt he'd do a good job on it but I'm finally gettin around to a plan. That being: converting this hot mess to a Polaris White '64 II clone, or as close as can be done  to that. Then I'll sell off my original '64s.



Somebody wanted an Explorer? The neck is intact, no breaks.



also, control cavity, and cover are not harmed.

The model and spare '64 parts from the bin except the P/G. Scott has kindly volunteered one of his priimo replicas to the project. I'll also be using a GOT Tailpiece.



Full scale on a greid, sadly CAD deficient. The BICEN perimeter compared to a '64. More 'Telecaster ' style upper horn for one thing. Bottom horn is also different judging by what was left. II no longer own an intact BICEN to compare.



Hold my Beer.


So, new top horn/wing is in order and I'll attempt to use the cutoffs to replicate a '64 bottom. I'll also be routing the neck center down 1/4" until its below wing heigt and inlay a 3/8" thick new center to clean up the mess that now there.



Lots of Honduras to choose from:


Wish me luck!

'Cayuse' (Little Horse) Prototype

30" Scale, Split Coil, Series/Parallel option.


PAF DiMarzio and SX Bridge/tuners from the parts bin.
Probably go with a push pull pot instead of a switch for series/parallel. That's a modded Jazz control plate. P/G is cut from a self stick vinyl floor tile

Nice! Better Late than Never.

Second prototype 8/12 bridge.  Basically sawing in half the saddle carriers of an ABM type 4 string bridge. Then drilling and tapping a hole in the now 8 saddles for height adjustment and using the existing grub screw to lock each saddle pair in place.

Finally getting these guys dialed in, both a lot of fun!



'64 Gibson neck pup in the 12er, lots of chime. ThunderBucker Max (12+ ohms) in the Eighter, very grindy. I'm digging the upsized Doublecut with 32" neck, proportions are a lot better, IMO.

Color sanding on this one started with 220 dry and a block


Up to 400 and then Meguiar's Ultimate Compound



Through neck is attached with 5 screws, three tailpiece (standard Fender 1-3/4" neck screw) and 2 countersunk 1"x 6 under the bridge.

Set neck one piece Honduras body gets mated to neck as soon as the weather cooperates so I can shoot it.

Putting my disaster area to shame, my Don...
I was talking to Scott the other day about some old mahogany I have acquired from a scrapped door frame from an old house in Inverness, big enough for a through-neck, and how I could find a luthier locally that I could help me build my own (i.e. use their workshop) but there is nobody local... and also discussed required tools, or speaking to a furniture-maker...
Last comment was how I could re-locate Carlo and his entire workshop to the Highlands...

That's quite a find, Ken!  Maybe someone on Basschat UK could help with locating what you need.

Free haggis for life?

Great review,Mark! Thanks.