Guild M-85 project - new pics

[drbassman]

OK, here's our first subject. A 1970 Guild M-75 that is begging for restoration and a "sex-change" operation.  It will become that often sought after, and rarely caught, M-85 bass!  Ain't modern science wonderful, said the mad professor!  Advance thanks to Shadowcastaz for his help with headstock and bridge tracings/copying.  Having a thing for this style bass will push some of my other projects down the line for a little bit!

[eb2]

Very cool.  What is the projected end result? 

[shadowcastaz]

Meaty,Beatie,Big n' bouncy!

[drbassman]

I'm going for an accurate restore.  I may not keep it black, I haven't decided yet.  I'll make a decision after I see it.  Here's what it could look like.

[gweimer]

Yer bringin' a tear to my eye.  That's exactly what my old M-85 looked like.  I got it dead mint as a backup bass in '80, for $225.  Sold it to get a '66 Newport.  I'm still kicking myself for that one.  I had one of the semi-hollow bodied models, too.

[Barklessdog]

I really like the black!

Do you have a black bass yet Bill?

Gweimer, you're starting o remind me of a guy I me at the store where my luthier works. He has a wall of pictures from his youth of all the cool instruments he owned & sold.

60's Non Reverse Tbird IV in cardinal red original color, Korina 50's Flying V guitar, Old 59 Les Pauls (still has one of those)

Breaks his heart. He said he bought the Flying V for $300 which was really high back then. Sold it years later for $800 and now what are they worth?

$30,000?

a valuable lesson that one should never sell a great bass unless you are really forced to do it. Of coarse hind sight is easy, right?

[drbassman]

Yep, my incoming M75 is semi-hollow, so it should sound pretty nice.  I already have, and love, my black Gretsch Thunderjet bass, so I probably won't do this in black.  It's maple, so I might just take it down to the maple and jjust do a light amber stain if the grain is nice enough. 

[shadowcastaz]

In your search for parts,keep your eyes peeled for a master vol knob for me. The smaller/narrow ones are hard to find. Im having a metal switch tip made for my restore ,I could easily ask him to make 2 . We gotta stick together ,right Doc. As much as i wanted that body Im glad you got it. Ill get my fix when I do a Blueshawk/G3. I may have to get my green jones taken care of with that project although Im still hopeful  for the Starfire.

PS . Black dye to show the grain may be cool...

[drbassman]

In your search for parts,keep your eyes peeled for a master vol knob for me. The smaller/narrow ones are hard to find. Im having a metal switch tip made for my restore ,I could easily ask him to make 2 . We gotta stick together ,right Doc. As much as i wanted that body Im glad you got it. Ill get my fix when I do a Blueshawk/G3. I may have to get my green jones taken care of with that project although Im still hopeful  for the Starfire.

PS . Black dye to show the grain may be cool...

I agree, we should help each other.  I'm sorry we have the same taste and bass rebuilding disease!  I wouldn't have been crushed if you had snagged it, I just hate knowing I'm encroaching on a friend's pursuit.

Yep, I'll take one of those metal switch tops.  Let me know how much and when you need it.  The main challenge for my rebuild will be the bridge.  I don't have any hopes of finding one on eBay, so making one from scratch will probably be my only opportunity.  OK on the knob, I didn't realize they were narrower than the other control knobs.  I'm less concerned about the knobs than I am the bridge.  That's really essential in my estimation.

[shadowcastaz]

 hey man its not sour grapes by any means. More the merrier. i just remember us bidding  On the bondo bass,as I like to refer to her. Its all good. The tip wont cost anything.
I have the head traced and I have to find the bridge.. Ill send it as long as it come back safe. In fact I got it from either someone in the pit or Badass. A guy from Badass offered and sent the rosewood  stock he milled for the saddles . No $$. just a nice guy .he responded when i first post about the Starfire back in Jan. ill try to find his name.M

[drbassman]

No problem, I'm trying not to be greedy in my old age!  Hey, you were bidding on the NR TB?  I didn't know that or at least I had forgotten after all this time.  Did you tell me that before?  Man, my mind is going!   

Anyway, thanks again for all of your help.  We'll both end up with nice Guild before it's all over!

[Dave W]

Dr Frankenstein (or Fronkensteen) will be proud of you, I'm sure. Sheryl Crow may seek you out. 

[chromium]

The main challenge for my rebuild will be the bridge.  I don't have any hopes of finding one on eBay, so making one from scratch will probably be my only opportunity.

They do show up now and then.  There have been a couple harp bridges in the last six months or so (my old one being one of 'em).

The reason I liberated it was because I installed a custom harp bridge - solid brass w/ sustain block.  It's VASTLY superior to the original bridge, although the original had its own rustic charms.  I couldn't get the action or the intonation right on my bass - which is what prompted me to replace the bridge (rather than try and rework it, or reset the neck for better geometry).  Didn't mind moding the bass, since it made it much more useable to me.



The guy that built that one was Marko (handle is MPU).  I think you can still find him at TB.  I also have one of his equally beautiful Alembic-style bridges - awaiting the right Starfire candidate one day...

[shadowcastaz]

Oh man is that saweet!!!!!!

[drbassman]

They do show up now and then.  There have been a couple harp bridges in the last six months or so (my old one being one of 'em).

The reason I liberated it was because I installed a custom harp bridge - solid brass w/ sustain block.  It's VASTLY superior to the original bridge, although the original had its own rustic charms.  I couldn't get the action or the intonation right on my bass - which is what prompted me to replace the bridge (rather than try and rework it, or reset the neck for better geometry).  Didn't mind moding the bass, since it made it much more useable to me.

The guy that built that one was Marko (handle is MPU).  I think you can still find him at TB.  I also have one of his equally beautiful Alembic-style bridges - awaiting the right Starfire candidate one day...

Figures!  I saw your bridge but didn't know I'd need one at the time.  They do show up, but they are rare.  So, MPU made the bridge on your Jet Star?  Wow, it's beautiful (the bass and the bridge).  I sent him a PM in the TB forum.  I hope he responds.