I am a self-taught bassist rooted in the classics (to be defined as The Who, Yes, Rush, Zep, etc
) I have been playing for 25+ years (and should be a whole lot better than i am 
) and have not been in any band worthy of mention.My first bass was a Jap copy of a Fender Jazz (for $100/used) from Chuck Levin's (here in Silver Spring MD). I went too stupid and put Schaller (gold!) machine heads and a Kahler tremolo. Custom face plate. Beautiful. Sounded like ****. Last seen hanging on a wall in a 'retro bar' in Rockville as an ornament.
Then a Gibson that i modified until it was utter ****. Sigh.
Ah - but then i saved my $$ and bought a real AmberGlo 4001. What a great piece of gear! Love. I lowered the action until i had to cut the chrome cover over the bridge pickup and bend it a bit to get it lower. NOW i sounded good. Rocked it until one fateful night.... After the party the next morning-ish i awoke in horror to see the neck busted!
No one at the party would admit to messing with it... In my mind - the bass was totalled - neck-through-body, eh? So i scrapped it. I still have the pick ups and electronics and i think the head trim... Only later did i find out i could have just wood glued/saved the neck. sigh. [pounds head into desk]I had to get another. Saved again for a MapleGlo 4003 (1982 model) which i have today. The head stock has some water damage (imagine my shock and horror to find the case upside down in a puddle of water!
The water soaked into the head about 2 inches). It is solid where the machine heads are - but not as solid (but not warped - just discolored) The body is in good shape but the neck pick up is INOP. SO....
My goal is to end up with a JetGlo 4003 ala Geddy Lee (but not like that gear he is using lately!) with that great growly sound...
So my plan is to resurect the beast! This is where i need some helpful advice:
I will strip the body and use filler to fill in the headstock and any dents/damage (not much). The neck is fine/good frets.
I will take to a autobody shop (uh, good idea? Bad?) and have them shoot it gloss black. I know i will lose the white binding - but i guess i am okay with that. Unless i could strip it off and put new bidning back on and then shoot it with clearcoat... Hmmh. I don't know how to do that though...
I will install a badass II bridge and ______ pick ups (I have read the board but have not settled on any particular ones yet). Keeping the Ric-O-Sound function is not important.
OR should i:
Trade for a JetGlo that is already hot-rodded up for some one looking to go stock again?
Should i sell and buy new? Used? I looked at this - but really - i can't fit it into the budget _ unless i am wrong?
My budget is $500 or so...
Truly - any help here is appreciated!
Thanks!
