50's basses

jojo99 · Post by **jojo99** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:18 pm

> *flies to Japan*

Tsetse flies?? LOL....maybe pick up a couple Van Goghs too, since maybe Japanese investors aren't doing so well at the moment? It's funny how any country's flighty economy can affect the changing-of-hands of cool trinkets...

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:54 pm

Used to be you could buy a guitar and sell it to Japan for profit. Now it's the other way around.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:16 am

Nice basses Graham. I'll have to get back out there one of these days...and then bug you to play them!

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:43 am

Needless to say, I hope to feature photos of them in the book. Maybe I should take a trip.

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:04 am

Paul.........you're welcome anytime. And that goes for the rest of you guys

wints · Post by **wints** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:25 pm

Graham,

I'd love the opportunity to check out the basses when I am back home (in Kent) next year.

chefothefuture · Post by **chefothefuture** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:32 pm

Hey Dane-
The bodies on the pre 61's are also @ 1 and 3/4" thick.
Before I went whole hog from scratch, I did a mod to a '97
v63 to see how it would look.
What I got was sort of a quasi v62. The late '61 to early '63's had the slim body with old style gold guard, but the humongo peg head.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:49 pm

If you look at the back of a '57 4000 headstock you'll see why they're so big. The tuner bodies are huge, probably the same ones used on fenders at the time. John, did you use the old style big tuners on your..er..uh..creation?

chefothefuture · Post by **chefothefuture** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:11 pm

The tuners I used for both of mine are the vintage style ones
for Fender. I think they're Gotoh...
I had to reverse the ones for the treble side by removing the retaining snap ring, and flipping the stem around.
Now, I would just by a right and left handed set from AllParts.
The plates are shorter than the ones Rick used (as are Fenders)but they look pretty close from the front. The slotted posts didn't bug me as the bass pictured in the '57 catalog has them....
The knobs are sort of tough to come by as well as the combo string anchor( what the factory called them when I bought some in the '90s)

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:49 am

Wints...........just let me know when you're in town. It would be great to meet you.

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:42 pm

Banta

"You suck."

now you know how I feel when I see your black Ric

you suck....

lol

banta · Post by **banta** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 4:23 pm

ratso · Post by **ratso** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:18 pm

Congrats Graham! What a great trio and a great picture thread for us to enjoy. It's great seeing some of these return to the States. Thanks