The Last Bass Outpost

Hey good to see you're making some progress on the 8-string.

The bridge is very similar to the standard 4 string bridge CROSSED with the later 6-string all metal bridge (not the rosewood and fretwire bridge used on the hag 1 bubbletop guitar).

I can take some detailed pics to illustrate for you.

What you'd need to do is get a 4-string bridge plate - drill a two holes in it - mount one of the Van Ghent bar bridges on the bass plate (these bridges were used on Guilds also) - and then either fit 8 saddle pieces to the bridge or seven, with the one having two notches for the two "G" strings.

You'll also have to drill out the baseplate for an additional 4-strings.

I'll take some pictures and send them along to better explain

Krishna

Just thought I'd let you guys know - I think he listed it once before at a higher price, but from the pics it really looks stunning!!

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/msg/941133373.html

Krishna

PS No - I do not know the guy.

Haven't heard anything yet either Rob, but I can be patient - just don't want them to sell out before I get one !!

krishna

Here are a few pics - as you can see the bodies appear to be the same.



Let me know and we can work something out on the Hag body if you're interested - may be possible for me to even fabricate a guard.

krishna

Very cool idea - I bet that pickup wouldn't sound bad running on just ONE coil - more bite, less insane level of output.

Very curious to hear what the sonic results are - glad that bass is holding up for ya too !!

krishna

Hey - I haven't posted here in ages - been too buried with refin work and other work!

But I'm a Hagstrom fan too and I have a project 8-string - I'll check, but I'm pretty sure the body is identical to the 4-string.

I say this because my 8 string came without any guard, controls or pickups - but i was able to drop the whole assembly from a 4-string right into the 8-string body.

The 8-string pickups do look different - sorta doubled "pole pieces" - I put pole pieces in quotes because if you ever open up a 4 or 6 string Hagstrom pickup you will find a bar magnet with windings inside - and the pole pieces are small steel disks set into the plastic casing - I seriously doubt they do anything !!  So any of the 4, 6 or 8 string Hag single coils should work fine for your 8 string, even if they look funky.

I do have a very beat 4 string body that might work for you - do you have all 8 tuners for the neck ??

I'll see what I have around and take a few pics.

Drop me a line through here or email me directly - I think my address is in my profile.

krishna
bostonguitarrepair

wow - $1025 is not bad at all - surprisingly low given the buy it now price.

Hey Harry - glad you like how the Tele Bass turned out - that is an interesting pickup, that Alembic - hmm, may have to keep my eyes open - though I'd still say I'm a "grey bottom" guy.

The color came out a bit darker than I had hoped - I had to go darker to cover up some flaws in the wood left over from prior refins and concurrent undercoat damage on the edges - plus one big divot in the middle of the back that I had to dig old bondo out of and then lacquer fill (tried cyanocrylate/crazy glue first but it looked terrible). 

I wish I had an actual 73 UNFADED Fender in mocha to see what it looked like new - I had a (borrowed) 74 Mocha Strat many years ago, and I remember it being a walnut-ey reddish brown, but then I see all these pictures of other Mocha Fenders online that are definitely a yellowish "feces" brown (I'm sorry, that's what it looks like !!) - maybe the red element fades out over time ?? 

There were some areas of original finish on the edges of the body that WERE a darker color, and thats what I used as my guide. If I were to do it again, maybe a little less red and add a little lemon yellow.

One tidbit of info - I used a maple plug for the Tele-style pickup route that had been added (its under the new slightly extended guard I made Henry) and it matches almost perfectly under the translucent brown, even though the body was ash.

Also - as impressed as I was with the sound of the Alembic pickup, I was more surprised by the sound of the stock Fender humbucker - very different from the Gibson mudbucker, more bite and tighter bottom end - anybody here tried a Fender humbucker in an EB-0 ??  I bet it'd sound good !

Thanks for all the kind comments also guys !

krishna

Thinning the herd guys - figured I'd let my fellow bottom-end dwellers know first about this bass before I turn to Ebay (Harry actually got a first hand look on Friday).

This is a completely 100% stock and original 1977 Mustang Bass.  Bought it a few years ago, but then found a 1966 Mustang Bass that was more along the lines of what I was looking for (color and weight) - so after being in storage a few years, this one is up for sale.

When I say all original I have to explain - last night was the first time this bass has ever been opened up or disassembled.  How can I say that so authoritatively - well - there was still a big dried out splotch of buffing compound UNDER the guard - on the flat surface (oh Fender Fender Fender ...) - and the screws made that "we have been moved since this thing was painted" sound when I loosened them.  The case is also in excellent shape - outside has some scuffs but the inside is a crazy brilliant orange, with the little "Victoria" emblazoned on the neck hold down strap.

I put together a post on it on my blog - you can check there if you're interested.  The neck dates to the 31st week of 1977, pots date to the 18th week of 1976:
http://guitargarage.blogspot.com/2008/06/for-sale-1977-fender-mustang-bass-very.html

I'm asking $1400 - I know thats at the high end for a Mustang Bass from the 70's, but this is truly in collectors condition.

I will be updating the blog with more pics - of the case and fretboard for example - and info, like the weight.  Drop me a line in the next few days if you're interested !!

I guess I meant to say "semi-embossed" - and the process you describe would explain what I've observed on 60s Firebirds and T-birds - I was wondering how they did it !!

So no - I dont take that as smart-ass at all - more to properly educate me !

Yay for more guitar trivia !!   

Hard to say from just a few pictures, but that looks like a refin to me - this is my rationale:
- the pickguard is not original - there would be a trace of the original logo, since those are semi-engraved - and why would someone change the pickguard on a bass in that good condition?
- there's no checking in the finish - the only Gibsons from that era I've seen without checking are ones where the topcoat has been removed - I dont think Gibson would have done a custom color and no topcoat - they weren't like Fender, who did stuff like that all the time.
- the milkiness referred is more something that happens to poly finishes - not nitrocellulose nor acrylic lacquer.

krishna

Ok - I know this isn't a bass - though it would make a nice compliment to a Cardinal Red NR Thunderbird .. or maybe a Cardinal Red Bachbird ??   

Just finished repairing a headstock crack on this Firebird - - 1965 Firebird 3 in factory Cardinal Red - a screaming beastie of a guitar !!!

Finally finished it and handed it back to its owner - I'm happy with the results - and he was too !
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Quote from: chromium on May 01, 2008, 05:02:01 PM
Maybe try laying a piece of 1" 3M fine line tape over the peral inlay, trace the logo on, and then trim off the tape with an X-acto knife leaving only the masked letters.  That's the kind of tape they use for spaying paint patterns (flames, etc..) on hotrods.  Gives nice sharp, defined edges.

Excellent idea!! - I have a pearl logo and a half in my "pahhhhts drawwww", as they call it in Boston ...

thanks!

krishna

So I just need to figure out how to scratch out a gibson logo from an overcoat of black paint: