The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Fender Basses => Topic started by: ilan on October 28, 2023, 08:31:56 AM

Title: Pine body P
Post by: ilan on October 28, 2023, 08:31:56 AM
Instead of the notorious northern ash boat anchor bodies, this '79 has a 4lbs. pine body from MJT. Seems to work really well.
Title: Re: Pine wood body
Post by: Alanko on October 28, 2023, 09:17:55 AM
I've had a couple of pine bodied guitars in the past. The major downside I found was that you get one shot at tightening screws before the thread is munched out the wood. They were soft bodies in general and prone to dings and dents.
Title: Re: Pine wood body
Post by: ilan on October 28, 2023, 09:27:07 AM
Well as you can see I'm not worried about dings ;) Good point about the screws.
Title: Re: Pine wood body
Post by: Pilgrim on October 28, 2023, 01:16:19 PM
Well as you can see I'm not worried about dings ;) Good point about the screws.

Yep, if they strip out you'd probably have to resort to inserts which are glued in.
Title: Re: Pine wood body
Post by: Alanko on October 28, 2023, 02:38:39 PM
Yep, if they strip out you'd probably have to resort to inserts which are glued in.

YouTube luthier Ted Woodford showed an interesting solution recently. He drilled a pilot hole, then used the screw to tap the thread into the hole. He then took out the screw and ran thin superglue into the hole to harden the thread into the wood. I guess you could do this, if you can stomach introducing superglue to a nearly finished instrument body.
Title: Re: Pine body P
Post by: ilan on October 28, 2023, 03:10:43 PM
I usually use toothpicks for stripped pickguard or strap button screw holes, and solder wire for tuner or TRC screw holes.

Former Ric CEO John Hall once suggested putting some drops of water into the stripped hole and waiting for the wood to expand and dry, no glue, no toothpicks, no plugs. I've never tried this. Maybe it's good for Ric's maple bodies, pretty sure it won't work on pine.