Modified Embassy on CL Minneapolis

Dave W · April 02, 2013, 01:13:41 PM

It's fretless. And heavily modified. Don't scream.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/msg/3699362243.html

the mojo hobo · April 02, 2013, 01:30:42 PM

It was on ebay last week. I'm negotiating with the seller now.

Edit. It's mine now.

Dave W · April 02, 2013, 05:12:28 PM

Congrats! Hope you got it at a good price.

He mentions Hoffman Guitars filling the fret slots. Hoffman is a first class acoustic guitar builder. I'll bet the mods are well done, even if they're regrettable.

hollowbody · April 02, 2013, 05:40:54 PM

Was the neck thinned down on this one or is 33mm the usual width on these? It sure seems small to me.

the mojo hobo · April 03, 2013, 06:43:17 AM

I'll answer these questions when it gets here, which should be Monday.

gweimer · April 03, 2013, 08:21:12 AM

It's hard to say anything about the mods without really knowing what state the bass started in. If the seller started with a shell, then it's fair game from there, but I wouldn't have done DiMarzio pups. It looks like you would be able to drop some nice Humbuckers in there without a lot of effort.

What the heck is that butt plate? Is that covering added weight to correct the balance? A good fender washer and an S strap can fix that neck dive pretty easily! Or a Crown Royal bag!

What did you end up paying for it? The body seems to be in really good shape, however, and completely intact.

gweimer · April 03, 2013, 10:04:38 AM

And the good news is that if you ever want to change the pickguard, there's a template close by at Pickguardians!

uwe · April 03, 2013, 11:07:18 AM

All maho basses make nice fretlesses. I'd consider that before putting frets back in. I'm still lusting for that fretless TBird (from the factory) someone offered on Ebay years ago, but then withdrew without any explanation. George Carlston even knew the guy and that the Bird was legit fretless.

amptech · April 03, 2013, 11:20:30 AM

Was there ever any factory fretless EB-0 or EB-3 made? Any known custom orders around?

I used to play fretless a lot before, but my fender P fretless is now the only long scale I play.
Good bass, but I´m a lot more at home with gibson short scale. Any pro players with positive EB-3 fretless
action goin´on here, I´d like to know!

Highlander · April 03, 2013, 03:14:49 PM

Quote from: uwe on April 03, 2013, 11:07:18 AM
... George Carlston even knew the guy and that the Bird was legit fretless.

CS request...? just to get an "in" from them...?

nofi · April 04, 2013, 08:18:15 AM

how is that bass even playable unless you have tiny bill wyman hands? that neck width...

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=bill+wyman+signature+bass&id=44152DF6D27EF8863A4BD062D8044A3F0FC23F2F&FORM=IQFRBA#view=detail&id=DCD54E899745CBCF9C8609F7DC139D2E82ABB8A8&selectedIndex=18

Dave W · April 04, 2013, 08:36:43 AM

I had a Vox violin bass that was as narrow as the Wyman, it was playable with no trouble, and I sure don't have tiny hands. Even if this Embassy is that narrow at the nut, it's wider at the bridge than the Wyman or a Hofner.

I don't know what the original Embassy specs are. The Embassy's TRC at the base is as wide as the neck, or almost as wide. This one looks the same. Maybe the width has been modified, but I wouldn't automatically assume that. We'll know soon enough.

Stjofön Big · April 04, 2013, 09:32:52 AM

My Embassies goes as follows: The '67 one is 37,5 (+ 0,00 something) mm at the nut. The '64 one is 38,0 mm at the nut. Now, the manufacturing years is something I'm not sure of. Those years are what I was told, when I bought them 10-15 years ago. None of them's got their serial number left, so I can't be sure about the age of them.
33 mm sure sounds a bit stripped down, Wymanised.

gweimer · April 04, 2013, 01:11:04 PM

If you look at the back of the headstock, it doesn't appear that the serial number is there anymore. The general condition and look of the body would support a good sanding, resulting in some thinning.

the mojo hobo · April 04, 2013, 02:46:59 PM

I don't know why, but I assumed the width at the nut would be the same as a similar vintage Thunderbird.

The seller did save the serial number. Wrote it on a peice of paper and put it in a drawer somewhere. There is some of it still there I can make out a 0 in the one picture.

In my parts boxes I have the correct tuners, pickups and covers, and one of Scott's bridges and one of the doctors tailpieces, but I'm not going to change anything right away. I'd probably most want to put the pickups on it but I bought those for my Model 1 Thunderbird so I don't know. Has anyone here played a fretless with T-Bird pickups?

UPS tracking says it is already in Ohio, I should have it tomorrow.