bass guitar

[Jacob]

Grandson found this in a skip (with amp).

He had it working OK but he broke the bridge

But I know nowt about bass guitars.
Is the bridge/tailpiece, whatever it is, complete?
Do the strings sit on the rubbery bits or is there a proper bridge missing or something?
So any tips or suggestions about what to replace it with (other than a new guitar)?

 

[Richard T]

Looks like a very odd bridge. Mind you - odd bass ... I can't tell how the strings were anchored. Those holes at the back look too big? There are usually slots - something very substantial to hold the ends.
Also I wouldn't have thought the 'rubbery' bits would have done a very good job, unless it's some groovy bass thing I know nothing about - surely a bridge should have thin, crisp edges for the strings to come over ..?

I'm sure there is a better suited (stronger) bridge to be got somewhere that will still stay in keeping with the guitar. There is a huge amount of people selling all manner of bits on the interweb.

 

[chunkolini]

That is weird enough looking to be a proper vintage bass, late 60's early 70's? not an instrument expert but I am a beard twiddling muso.
Paisley shirts and incense maaaan.
That could be worth something.
I would do some research before doing anything to it.
Chunko'.

 

[bugbear]

Grandson found this in a skip (with amp).

He had it working OK but he broke the bridge

But I know nowt about bass guitars.
Is the bridge/tailpiece, whatever it is, complete?
Do the strings sit on the rubbery bits or is there a proper bridge missing or something?
So any tips or suggestions about what to replace it with (other than a new guitar)?

The bridge doesn't look original - given the unused screwholes. I'd simply buy a new bridge (they're readily available) and fit it as best you can.

There's lots (and LOTS) of 'leccy guitar info on the net, and lots of forums.

I don't think it looks original-vintage, but if you want to be sure, post your photos to one of the forums.

I've done a couple of minor guitar repairs for friends using the good information out there.

BugBear

 

[cutting42]

Need to see the neck joint really but my view is a home made or home altered body and a commercial neck. If the neck is part of the body then it will be cut down original body, if it is a bolt on then it could be home made body. Necks are relatively hard to make and as such are not usually a diy job.

Bridge looks weird but it is a substantial casting by some bridge standards. The Motown session bass players often used rubber foam mutes to soften and deaden the tone for a certain sound so maybe this was trying to get that effect but mutes are usually pads that sit on top of the bridge. not under the strings. Tuning would be a real pain in the backside I would think.

Check the straightness of the neck by looking down the top over the frets. With no strings there should be a slight curve down that the tension in the strings would straighten. Under the metal plate over the neck joint you should find a bolt underneath, this is the truss rod which can adjust the bend in the neck.

Pickups look like a copy of a Fender Precision humbucking pickup. Very simple and copied by everyone so should work fine. wiring usually is basic so nothing really to go wrong.

Get a replacement bridge but don't pay too much, try here http://www.guitarspares.com/contents/en-uk/d48.html

 

[Jacob]

Need to see the neck joint really but my view is a home made or home altered body and a commercial neck. If the neck is part of the body then it will be cut down original body, if it is a bolt on then it could be home made body. Necks are relatively hard to make and as such are not usually a diy job.

Bridge looks weird but it is a substantial casting by some bridge standards. The Motown session bass players often used rubber foam mutes to soften and deaden the tone for a certain sound so maybe this was trying to get that effect but mutes are usually pads that sit on top of the bridge. not under the strings. Tuning would be a real pain in the backside I would think.

Check the straightness of the neck by looking down the top over the frets. With no strings there should be a slight curve down that the tension in the strings would straighten. Under the metal plate over the neck joint you should find a bolt underneath, this is the truss rod which can adjust the bend in the neck.

Pickups look like a copy of a Fender Precision humbucking pickup. Very simple and copied by everyone so should work fine. wiring usually is basic so nothing really to go wrong.

Get a replacement bridge but don't pay too much, try here http://www.guitarspares.com/contents/en-uk/d48.html

Thanks for that.
The neck looks commercial but hacked about a bit, the body definitely home made. If I mend it I'll polish it up a bit.
Does the cheapo bridge here hold the strings too, or does it need a separate tail piece?

I think the original has a bridge missing - there are two holes which look like locators for a bridge, under the strings.
The rubbery bit (mute?) is in the gaps and can be raised/lowered with the chrome screw knobs.
There is a loose wire under the bridge and I assume this will be an earth connection.

 

[cutting42]

Thanks for that.
The neck looks commercial but hacked about a bit, the body definitely home made. If I mend it I'll polish it up a bit.
Does the cheapo bridge here hold the strings too, or does it need a separate tail piece?

I think the original has a bridge missing - there are two holes which look like locators for a bridge, under the strings.
The rubbery bit (mute?) is in the gaps and can be raised/lowered with the chrome screw knobs.
There is a loose wire under the bridge and I assume this will be an earth connection.

Yes that bridge is perfect and it does everything. The string have a brass insert permanently attached, you thread the string through holes in the vertical part of the bridge (hard to see in the image).

Yes most basses earth the strings via the bridge - although the rubber bits would negate this.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks Gareth
Have ordered from Axesrus £12.
I'll have to get my banjo out to play along!

 

[bugbear]

Thanks Gareth
Have ordered from Axesrus £12.
I'll have to get my banjo out to play along!

At least it's not an accordion (*) ! :lol: :lol:

BugBear

(*) actually melodeon's are far worse, but most people haven't heard of them.

 

[cutting42]

BugBear

(*) actually melodeon's are far worse, but most people haven't heard of them.

Hmmm, you are on dodgy ground here, my brother earns his daily bread as a professional musician playing .............. yes you have guessed it a diatonic accordion - otherwise known as a melodion!

do a search on my surname and accordian/melodeon

 

[cutting42]

But this is funny

 

[bugbear]

BugBear

(*) actually melodeon's are far worse, but most people haven't heard of them.

Hmmm, you are on dodgy ground here, my brother earns his daily bread as a professional musician playing .............. yes you have guessed it a diatonic accordion - otherwise known as a melodion!

do a search on my surname and accordian/melodeon

yeah - but he's actually good and talented, and plays music that "fits" the instrument.

Misery is hearing a flat-capped old fart playing world war II songs with chord changes in that a melodion can't do ... on a melodion.

For hours.

BugBear

 

[cutting42]

Misery is hearing a flat-capped old fart playing world war II songs with chord changes in that a melodion can't do ... on a melodion.

For hours.

BugBear

Yup, it can certainly be played very badly, something about it makes people try to bash a tune out, with or without talent. There are also melodians and there are melodians. The better ones are chromatic for over 2 octaves and have a wide range of chord/bass notes. The cheap ones are tied to typically two keys only limiting what they can play.

 

[bugbear]

Misery is hearing a flat-capped old fart playing world war II songs with chord changes in that a melodion can't do ... on a melodion.

For hours.

BugBear

Yup, it can certainly be played very badly, something about it makes people try to bash a tune out, with or without talent. There are also melodians and there are melodians. The better ones are chromatic for over 2 octaves and have a wide range of chord/bass notes. The cheap ones are tied to typically two keys only limiting what they can play.

On a loosely related note, I spent a happy two hours watching a guy (Piers Adams, but I had to google to remind me) play solo descant recorder.

He was good - it was hard to believe this was the same instrument used to torture school children and their parents.

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

Bandoneón for me!
Banjo is under appreciated - it has a vast repertoire of elegant little tunes not dissimilar to the lute rep.
Actually I'm quite happy to hear people bashing out a tune however badly, even the recorder.
What a lot of listeners don't realise is that the pleasure of playing may be for the player, not the audience.
The recorder is nice to play and duets are even better, but not necessarily much fun for non participants.

 

[Modernist]

Grandson found this in a skip (with amp).

He had it working OK but he broke the bridge

But I know nowt about bass guitars.
Is the bridge/tailpiece, whatever it is, complete?
Do the strings sit on the rubbery bits or is there a proper bridge missing or something?
So any tips or suggestions about what to replace it with (other than a new guitar)?

What's that grey plate covering below the neck?

It's the rubbed creosote finish that is truly amazing - could start a trend

 

[Jacob]

It covers the housing for the end of the neck. The screws holding it on are through another plate on the back.
Creosote - yes that's it! It's got interesting little squiggles all over, from grit stuck under an orbital sander.
If I clean it up and replace the rusty screws it could look quite smart.
I've never had a go on a bass. I wonder if I've still got Bert Weedon's "Play in a Day".

 

[LuptonM]

If you're gunna refinish it I'd use nitro cellulose but then again it kinda looks like a lump of junk so it may not be worth it. Since you have allot of experience in woodworking I am sure you could make a bass guitar fairly easily

 

[Jacob]

If you're gunna refinish it I'd use nitro cellulose but then again it kinda looks like a lump of junk so it may not be worth it.

It's a lump of mahogany (ish) but with splits in the back. Probably reclaimed. The front would look OK polished.

Since you have allot of experience in woodworking I am sure you could make a bass guitar fairly easily

If you buy a ready made neck all you have to do is screw it to a lump of wood and then screw on the fittings! Making a neck more of a problem I guess. Some careful shaping with spokeshaves etc

 

[Mike Wingate]

The bridge and neck look like they have come from a Rickenbacker 4001 Bass copy.