The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: dadagoboi on July 22, 2011, 07:51:32 AM
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Thanks to Pilgrim I bought this about a month ago. It's a great sounding bass and I can imagine it looked pretty spiffy when new, the body is a nice piece of Honduras Mahogany. Unfortunately this one has been abused. IMO this is not normal wear. So time for a refin and fixing some playability problems
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1030741.jpg)
Heavy wear on front of body around the DiMarzio, about 3/32" will have to be removed to get it flat
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1030752.jpg)
Back isn't too bad, the brass is in good shape and no deep buckle rash.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1030750.jpg)
Fretboard is a mess but little actual wear to the maple and frets are close to new
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040014.jpg)
Sanded the back of the neck with some 180 to see what I'm dealing with. It smelled like the sweat socks in my 9th grade gym locker after a week of P.E. in Miami's September heat.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040013.jpg)
First step will be stripping the body...easy, right?
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First step will be stripping the body...easy, right?
Yeah, right. :)
Any idea what the finish was?
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I love those basses! Looks great Carlo.
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Cool!
The wear and finish deterioration is very similiar to that on the Curlee bass I picked up for Hornisse. Somewhere I recently read that the finish on Curlee's basses, especially the earlier ones, was rather thin and deteriorated quickly. Looks like that may be true!
And yeah, these things sound great!
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Yeah, right. :)
Any idea what the finish was?
Definitely NOT nitrocellulose, I think it was varnish. Took a lot of paint stripper and steel wool to remove it, turned gummy instead of loosening in big patches. This is the back after stripping. I used straight lacquer thinner and terry cloth on the front of the neck then sanded with 220 and hit the dark spots with household bleach. I'll use toner to blend it
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040035.jpg)
This bass is #2000 or so, it's amazing they were still drawing lines for mortises. All the brass was still being drilled instead of punched. I think headstock logo is a woodburning stamp. That's the trussrod anchor under the nut slot.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040011.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040015.jpg)
The front after being block sanded by hand with 60 grit. I jointed the back of the neck heel until it was level with thinner body. Took off about 3/32" total. Next is 80 grit and the top half of the sides. I want to make sure the contour is the same as original so I'll leave the back unsanded until the top is done. Neck shim looks like it was a stationery label. Pickup pocket was shallow to begin with, has to be deepened to accomodate lower action.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040032.jpg)
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Very cool!!
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Sounds like it probably was some kind of varnish.
I guess I'm not surprised that they were still drawing lines and using a woodburning stamp. After all, Rickenbackers in this era still had wiring channels made with overlapping Forstner holes.
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SUUUUuurree, blame me.........
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("What I did on my vacation")
This is what we call a Busman's Holiday over here... Bassman's holiday? ;D
"Gummy" is what happened with removing the fin on my PC - got there in the end...
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I like that neck design. In fact, I'm warming up to some sort of removable neck on my future builds.
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For a bolt-on neck, that's about as robust and substantial as you could possibly have. Ought to be every bit the equal of a neck-through.
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I like that neck design. In fact, I'm warming up to some sort of removable neck on my future builds.
that jig you designed should go a long way towards making a neck pocket like that.
glad to see you restoring that Curlee. it is looking super and i am sure the corrective mods will make it a nice player.
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Since the bridge mounts directly to the neck, it's about as close as you can get to a neck through. The neck/neck pocket fit is very tight. Here's the pickup wire/ground wire chase routed into the side of the neck. There's a small hole drilled into the face of the neck to keep the ground wire in place. You can also see how the much the finish yellowed...you can get close to that with 2-3 days in the summer sun with a freshly nitro cleared neck
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040021.jpg)
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...you can get close to that with 2-3 days in the summer sun with a freshly nitro cleared neck
bang a rang!
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...you can get close to that with 2-3 days in the summer sun with a freshly nitro cleared neck
That would be the George Hamilton tan-refin technique, right?
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That would be the George Hamilton tan-refin technique, right?
The color is a lot more convincing than George's.
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Whole lotta sanding 60/80/120/180
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040062.jpg)
My new spray stand allows vertical and horizontal spraying. the 16" length of 1/2 inch EMT fits into a union on the vertical piece of EMT. For the horizontal the EMT slides into a piece of 1/2" PVC which is pinched with a C clamp to allow rotation while holding the bass in place. High quality duct tape keeps it together ;D
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040066.jpg)
Sealer/Sand 240/Sealer...pup routes were made deeper using the Rickenbacker forstner bit and a chisel method.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040072.jpg)
Scuff sand with 400, then 2 coats Mohawk nitro Piano lacquer 1/2 hr apart, no sanding in between coats
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040076.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040077.jpg)
I think 2 more coats should do it. Scuff sand first.
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Man, THAT bass went to the right guy!!!!!!!!
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High quality duct tape keeps it together ;D
a red and green fan?
looking good Carlo.
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Pretty amazing that a bass retailing for around $350 new in the 1980s had a one piece body made of wood this nice. Probably why they failed >:(
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040095.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040097.jpg)
Birdsong guitars has started doing an authorized repro...$1800 and up
http://www.sdcurleeusa.com/
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That is a nice looking plank at any price.
Birdsong guitars has started doing an authorized repro...$1800 and up
http://www.sdcurleeusa.com/
"American made since 1975" ??? Very misleading. They're making a repro of a bass from a company that went out of business nearly 30 years ago, and some of the originals were MIJ.
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Man, THAT bass went to the right guy!!!!!!!!
AB-SO-FRIKKEN-LUTELY!!!! I've never liked SD Curlee basses in looks or sound then Carlo gets ahold of one and the damn thing turns into art!
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AB-SO-FRIKKEN-LUTELY!!!! I've never liked SD Curlee basses in looks or sound then Carlo gets ahold of one and the damn thing turns into art!
Carlo is Chuck Norris approved
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Carlo is Chuck Norris approved
Carlo is so damn good that HE approves of Chuck Norris! ;)
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Amen, it's looking soooooooooooo good! I need my shades on just to look at it!!!!!! 8)
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Thanks, guys! Waiting on some toner for the neck, it's taking forever.
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Looks beautiful, I still have major GAS for one of these. The new ones look nice but the 2k price tag :o
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Looks beautiful, I still have major GAS for one of these. The new ones look nice but the 2k price tag :o
They do seem pricey, especially with an oil finish.
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I wouldn't consider buying a new one at any price unless they label it a Birdsong, which is what it is. Copy the style, fine, but don't claim it's a Curlee when you're not a successor to the original company.
This is the same company that claimed its short scale five string had increased string tension because of a goofy "double string through" arrangement. Nope.
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V 8)
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hopefully Birdsongs silly prices will raise the value of both of mine.... they are going for a song :mrgreen:
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Nice resurrection work Carlo! This thread has been educational for me. I hadn't previously heard the Curlee name before you mentioned your find. It's a very interesting approach to make a bolt-neck bass. The huge brass piece makes complete sense now.
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I remember seeing them back in the day but until now I hadn't seen one apart. Definitely a different approach.
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What is the nut width on the Curlee's?
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pretty wide. close to pbass... maybe a hair thinner.. i can measure it whewn i get home if you want.
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What is the nut width on the Curlee's?
1 3/4" at the nut, at the 12th fret 2 1/16" with 2 1/16" string O.D. (45-105) at the bridge, the same as on my '60 EBO. Because of that the strings are very close (too close IMO) to the edge of the very rounded fretboard on the 32" scale Curlee. Fine on the EBO with shorter scale and less rolled edges. Takes a little getting used to but with low action not so bad.
I filed the bottom of the E and G saddles to get the action low enough. It's quick and fairly inconspicuous.(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040183.jpg)
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Curlee neck tint courtesy of Mohawk Ultra Tone rattlecan color 'Light Natural Oak'. Esquire neck on top was from my late brother Tommy Cadillac's '57. ThunderBucker has owned it for the last 30 years or so, and gave it to me last month. Can't get much more authentic vintage tint than that! Bottom is a recent CS neck.
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040115.jpg)
Mosquito Studios
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040388.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040383.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040384.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040393.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040395.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/S%20D%20Curlee/P1040416.jpg)
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Just loverly!
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Oh yeah, I have finish envy................ :P
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Beautiful!
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wow, i wish i still had mine.
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Beautiful job!
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Nice work Carlo!
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What! No phantom reflections?! ;D
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What! No phantom reflections?! ;D
Only this one
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/VOX/P1020183.jpg)
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Too bad that you can see your entire hand or you could claim one SERIOUS case of Peyronie's disease. ;)
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Three bones.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store-Vintage-VINTAGE-SD-CURLEE-DESIGNER-SERIES-BASS-NATURAL-052711-106627958-i2008031.gc?esid=curlee%20bass
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Very nice work, Carlo... very nice work indeed...
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all you need is gold type gibson "speed" knobs ( i think that what the called them) and it will look lik ethe day it was made....
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all you need is gold type gibson "speed" knobs ( i think that what the called them) and it will look lik ethe day it was made....
Well, it's been 'over restored' compared to it's original finish and plays a lot better than when I got it. I tried to restrain myself. Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely pick up a set of speed knobs.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM4RtUo5s0g
SD Curlee?
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Sure looks like it. Looks like it might be one of the very early ones I picked up for Robert.
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Song peaked at #12 in the UK, Australia, USA and Canada in '79. So fairly early at the latest. Looks like mine, can't make out the pup. I thought I flashed a split P at the beginning but it's probably that era's drug residue in my brain.
So it Goes for the Jesus of Cool. My favorite bass producer of the mid '70s- '80s if only for 'Watching the Detectives' and all of the Bruce Thomas stuff with the Attractions.
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Same - no flashbacks - saw Rockpile (which this is, just credited as Nick Lowe - Dave Edmunds on the acoustic, Billy Bremmner on lead and Terry Williams on the skins) stacks of times - got some pictures lurking round somewhere - used an eight string too iirc - One time saw them supporting Wishbone Ash (Laurie Wisefield era) - that was some night...!
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Same - no flashbacks - saw Rockpile (which this is, just credited as Nick Lowe - Dave Edmunds on the acoustic, Billy Bremmner on lead and Terry Williams on the skins) stacks of times - got some pictures lurking round somewhere - used an eight string too iirc - One time saw them supporting Wishbone Ash (Laurie Wisefield era) - that was some night...!
Pretty much it was always Rockpile withe Lowe or Edmunds out front. What a band!
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Bruce Thomas rules. too bad he won't play with Elvis anymore
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Same - no flashbacks - saw Rockpile (which this is, just credited as Nick Lowe - Dave Edmunds on the acoustic, Billy Bremmner on lead and Terry Williams on the skins) stacks of times - got some pictures lurking round somewhere - used an eight string too iirc - One time saw them supporting Wishbone Ash (Laurie Wisefield era) - that was some night...!
I wore out the Rockpile LP! I had the demo from the record store down from my music store I worked at. Mine came with the Everly Brothers ala Edmunds and Lowe EP. I saw them live when they supported that album - one of the best shows I've seen. Nick played a daphne blue P that show - I remember that the vocals were spot on.
And I'm with Carlo - one of fav producers - all of the Elvis Costello he produced are favs as well.
Evidently Edmunds and Lowe had a falling out not long after that album and haven't worked together since - pitty :sad:
Now, of course, I have "Knife and Fork" from that album running through my brain ;)
EDIT: Spent the last hour on you tube looking at Rockpile/Nick Lowe stuff - that was fun ;) Here's the clip with the 8 string:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFIcv6w7ME&feature=related
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Hamer shortie... nice find... 8)
Did you say blue P with cutlery...? ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh-jUgG_KYY
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Looks to be the same one.
Now the damn song is stuck in my head again! ;D
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I just downloaded all the available Rockpile stuff from Spotify, 'Crawlin through the Wreckage' is currently stuck in mine.
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I just downloaded all the available Rockpile stuff from Spotify, 'Crawlin through the Wreckage' is currently stuck in mine.
Yeah, I loved that one too. I dinked around on net last night trying to figure out what happened between Lowe and Edmunds - I did find one thing, not confirmed, that mentioned that Lowe admitted most of it was his fault to the drugs and alcohol abuse. If anyone has any info I'd like to hear it.
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I'd heard a major reason for the split was Dave Edmunds wife in the family way and due to produce his first child so he wanted more family time...
There is a "Live at Montreux" recording available as a legit release but there are a variety of share files around...
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There is a "Live at Montreux" recording available as a legit release but there are a variety of share files around...
I've been listening to it, legally (and free), on Spotify lately as well as other Rockpile stuff, some great Everly duets between Nick and Dave. This AM I listened to Quadrophenia as I set up the latest JAEbird. I still only have that on vinyl, gets a little dusty in the shop for a turntable...if I still owned a working one.
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My daughter haunts that site too, Carlo...
Out of my brain on the train...! :toast:
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My daughter haunts that site too, Carlo...
Out of my brain on the train...! :toast:
I turned MY daughter on to it a few weeks ago...it's great to think of something you want to hear, walk over to the computer and in a minute or so you've found it and it's playing.
The guy who is getting the JAEbird owns a 'The Who' HiWatt and some of Townshend's ex guitars, says he's practicing 'The Real Me' in anticipation of its arrival.
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Nice...!
My daughter pointed ME in that direction...
I'm seriously tempted to get a USB deck for my wife (read me here) so she can go through her old country stuff - I converted a load of her early Loretta Lynn stuff as they are just not available and she has a stack of other obscure items...
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Good idea, buy a used one, transfer everything and resell it, along with the vinyl ;D
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Nice...!
My daughter pointed ME in that direction...
I'm seriously tempted to get a USB deck for my wife (read me here) so she can go through her old country stuff - I converted a load of her early Loretta Lynn stuff as they are just not available and she has a stack of other obscure items...
If you already have a good turntable with a magnetic cartridge, you just need a good interface.
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If you already have a good turntable with a magnetic cartridge, you just need a good interface.
I have one of these, I'm guessing it might do the trick
Behringer UCA202
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA202.aspx
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I have one of these, I'm guessing it might do the trick
Behringer UCA202
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA202.aspx
That looks like a great idea - and if it's priced like most of their gear, it will be worth trying.
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If you already have a good turntable with a magnetic cartridge, you just need a good interface.
My deck was an old (UK built) beastie when we moved here in '92, so...
I had a Creative midi interface some years back but it didn't work post WIN98 (I did say a few years) which is still sitting aside for a midi project I have at the back of the list - nice simple midi interface kit that fit within a DVD/CDROM bay with RCA sockets too
Good idea, buy a used one, transfer everything and resell it, along with the vinyl ;D
I have one of these, I'm guessing it might do the trick
Behringer UCA202
http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UCA202.aspx
That might work and the (UK) price is reasonable but there are just some pieces of vinyl I would have a problem parting with... :o
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The Behringer UCA202 doesn't have a phono preamp, which is not a problem if you have a separate one or your (older) receiver has one. Otherwise either you need a newer turntable with built-in preamp or something like the Behringer UFO202 (http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UFO202.aspx) or Tascam US-100 (http://tascam.com/product/us-100/) which have switchable phono inputs.
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This is part of the reason I have thought about the USB option as they roll in at around the £50 mark... I've never been what you would call a "buff" when it comes to hifi, hence my love of the MP3 format - the portability and the convenience far outweighs any other issues...
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like good sound..... ;D
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:P
(70mph in a Merc Vito is my sound environment, with aircon - aka "wind the window down and drive faster") ;D
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I have a Presonus Firebox interface. tried using with a turntable and couldn't get rid of a ground hum. it's quiet as a church mouse in normal usage. :sad:
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This is part of the reason I have thought about the USB option as they roll in at around the £50 mark... I've never been what you would call a "buff" when it comes to hifi, hence my love of the MP3 format - the portability and the convenience far outweighs any other issues...
Those interfaces are USB devices. If you already have a decent turntable with a magnetic cartridge and diamond stylus, you'll get audibly better results by using that with an interface.
If you do get a USB turntable, be sure to buy a diamond stylus right away to replace the sapphire stylus most of them come with.
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the Behringer interface will handle a line out from a tape deck or receiver and also a direct box signal, I know that for certain. They're $30 in the US, probably half that on Ebay used.
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Yes, because they use a line level input. You can't connect a turntable directly without going through a phono preamp at some point.
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:P
(70mph in a Merc Vito is my sound environment, with aircon - aka "wind the window down and drive faster") ;D
Philips makes some VERY nice inexpensive in-ear earbuds (http://www.usa.philips.com/c/headphones/she3582_28/prd/en/) that do a great job of blocking out noise. I have them for Pandora on my phone and I must say, they sound nicer than the $6k Genelec studio monitors in the control room at work.
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Yes, because they use a line level input. You can't connect a turntable directly without going through a phono preamp at some point.
A Thriftshop 70s Sansui 661 receiver does that for me. One of the last with a wood veneer on plywood case, sounds great with AR-2 speakers.
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i really need to get one of these USB turntables.
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... be sure to buy a diamond stylus right away to replace the sapphire stylus most of them come with.
Noted ta...
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I have a Presonus Firebox interface. tried using with a turntable and couldn't get rid of a ground hum. it's quiet as a church mouse in normal usage. :sad:
Didn't see this before. The problem is that your phono preamp and turntable need to have a physical ground connection to either the case of the Presonus or the ground post on your computer's power supply.
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A Thriftshop 70s Sansui 661 receiver does that for me. One of the last with a wood veneer on plywood case, sounds great with AR-2 speakers.
You lucked out. That Sansui is a hi-fi collector's item.
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You lucked out. That Sansui is a hi-fi collector's item.
Major purchase for me...$7. It's a great sounding amp, even makes CDs sound good.
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Didn't see this before. The problem is that your phono preamp and turntable need to have a physical ground connection to either the case of the Presonus or the ground post on your computer's power supply.
yeah, I tried grounding the turntable to the Presonus but didn't try grounding to the pc. I'll give it a shot. thanks
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If your computer is plugged into a power strip, make sure your plug the preamp into either the strip or the same outlet. You can also just run the preamp/turntable ground to the ground pin on an unused plug on the strip.
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yup, they're both running off the same power strip. when I had the turntable hooked up, it was only to get one song from vinyl to the digital domain, so it wasn't that big of a deal. if it was more of a long term thing, I would've tried different ground connections. time was short and I just decided to live with it. I've got a bunch of stuff I can't find on cd or itunes to convert but no time to do. when I get around to it I'll try grounding to the power strip. thanks, PBG!