The Last Bass Outpost

This is a very long shot but I'm exploring the possibility of manufacturing 60's repro covers off shore.

Does anyone know the gauge of the metal on the originals?  Or how the thickness compares to a Guitar Humbucker cover?  I'm thinking it would be about the same.  Right now I'm just in the rough cost estimating phase.  If it goes any farther I'll take a sample there to get it right.

The current price for a repro is understandable with them being made in the US but it's just too high when you consider the tooling and labor costs involved elsewhere.

Thanks!

Phantom that is.  Made in UK, neck stamped Jan 65, body Dec '64.  Flame maple neck, substantial, very similar to my '55 Precision but with ebony board.  Fender type 'threaded' bridge, ebony thumbrest and sc P pups.  Perfect balance with a 2" strap.  The Brit bodies are heavier than the Italian ones.  The PG is almost 1/8 inch thick and has not warped or shrunk.  My first Phantom was a late model Italian (no back pad) I bought in '73.  I drilled holes in the body and jammed lead sinkers in them in a vain attempt to cure the hellacious neck dive.  Only thing worse I've experienced is a Tbird but I've never played any other long scale Gibsons.  I sold it in'77 when I got my white 'bird.  This one I bought in '06 on the bay.  It weighs 8.6 lbs.

The Phantom was designed by students at the London School of Art (or some such) with the participation of Vox.  After that they came up with the teardrop, etc on their own.  In '65 production was moved to Italy to save money.

I know a lot of people dislike Phantoms but they've always knocked me out since the first (red) one I saw through the window of a closed music store around Xmas '65.  Definitely an example of Swinging London and a truly unique design.




No Pencil Neck here


Gut cut and no back pad


Rotary switch allows only one pup at a time.  All Brit components except for jack- Japan.

I got this Peavy case with an Ibanez TR-80 on Fleabay.  It was missing most of the padding.  I needed a case for my Brice (currently awaiting a headstockectomy and a white refin).  After cutting away the plastic in places it fits, needs to be refoamed.  Usually it's wrapped in a sheet.

The Brice has an extra fret clear of the body compared to a Gibson 'Bird and the headstock is a Fender shape so a case like this might fit a real 'Bird or replica.  It's 50 inches end to end outside dimension and 5 inches thick so it's deep enough to fit a Brice angled headstock.

Jeff Beck is 66 today and still doing exactly what he wants.  He's fired and had a lot of bass players quit on him.  My favorite by a slim margin was Ron Wood from 'Truth' and 'Beckola'.

Some background.  I ditched my white '77 Tbird (bought new) in '81 for the usual reasons, neck profile and dive.  I was always happy with the sound, especially played through 3 Coliseums and 3 SVT cabinets.  '81 was very different from '77, married w/new son, down to one coliseum and a 2-15 cab.  Before I straight traded the Bird for a '76 'StingRay (still have it, weighs 12 lbs, great boat anchor) I made a tracing of the body.

Fenderbird was in my head.
 
 I quickly tired of the weight and blah sunburst of the 'Ray, though the neck profile is very nice, and decided to cannibalize it for a Fenderbird (Musicman=Leo=Fender).  Instead I bought the components: a left handed Charvel neck (new), Kluson reverse LH tuners, DiMarzio P pup and Badass, etc (all used from, I think, Freedom Guitars) for around $100 and commuted the 'Ray's sentence to life under my bed.  Built the Bird, painted it red and gigged it.  Still did the neck dive dance a little, but at least the profile was more to my liking.  And I liked the DiMarzio OK.
  Stopped playing after my daughter was born in '84.  After '98 divorce revisited the Bird and stripped the paint, made the Badass thru body, modified the headstock and added a P/J set of Duncans.  Then I replaced the Klusons with Gotohs.  Time to finish this one.

2001 w/ SDs.  You can see the original rout for the MM pup


Photoshop Concept (Blonde Ambition)


Last week (NR pg planned)


Counterbores for flush string ferrules


Plugging pot holes



Thinking about this, unfortunately after I drilled those counterbores. But there's always the next one.


Prepped for face lift, skim coat of filler sanded.


Not quite ready for its closeup. Paper backed veneer, Titebond glue.  Using this bridge or the Badass may reappear.


Next is pup routing, pot holes and gut contour, then body prep for finishing.  Pups will be 2 EMG 35 TWs, chromerized.  They are EMG's "vintage" sounding 3 coils.  We'll see.
http://www.emginc.com/products/category/247/2

Headstock has to be recontoured, veneered and refinned.

Color to be determined, a lot depends how well the back and sides clean up.  I'm leaning blonde or transparent Fiesta Red stain.

LBO has been a HUGE inspiration in the short time since finding it and joining. THANKS!