Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Setup, repair and restoration of Rickenbacker Instruments

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8mileshigher
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Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by 8mileshigher »

basshead wrote:
cjj wrote:Hey! The check binding's gone!!!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Yeah, I decided to paint over it...
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
That AzureGlo PPG RAL5005 first coat is looking good ! Hard to believe this was once another "victim" of the New Jersey butcher, Gibsondependable, left for dead as a carcass, and you have brought her back to life as a beauty queen ! ! :) 8)
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

Yes, she's coming up nicely and will certainly look a lot different to the carcass it was a few months ago.

I think the colour's pretty good too. I've never seen Azureglo "in the flesh" before, only in pictures or on the computer and it's very close to them :)
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

Hmmm... Just realised that I may have done something very silly. I cleared the whole bass, binding and everything. When I masked up put the blue on, I masked the binding on the sides but not on the top edge as I thought I'll just scrape it off. It hit me earlier that the blue may not scrape off the clear. Any thoughts?
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jps
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by jps »

I did notice that you have the binding taped up, I thought it would just be painted over, than the paint is scraped off the binding before the final clear coat was sprayed on the instrument. IIRC that is how RIC does it.
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

I taped the side of the binding and painted over the top edge then scraped it later. What a PITA that was! Anyway, all painted now...
IMG_1317.JPG
IMG_1315.JPG
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Ashgray
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by Ashgray »

Looks truly superb Wayne, though I wouldn't have fancied all that careful scraping either!

Those shots not only show how good a job you've done and how nice a bass this'll turn out, but actually look quite "modern art" - I'd hang a large version on my lounge wall! :D

Ash
1976 4001 "Shadow" Fretless
1978 4002 Walnut
1986 4008 Silver
1999 4001 V63 White
2012 4004 Jetglo

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8mileshigher
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Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by 8mileshigher »

Real nice, Wayne ! !
8) :)
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ken_j
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by ken_j »

Out of curiosity, did you tape just the binding on the sides of the fretboard or to the edge of the fretboard as the factory does? It is had to tell from the pics. It is looking good from what I see on the monitor.
"The best things in life aren't things."
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

Ashgray wrote:Looks truly superb Wayne, though I wouldn't have fancied all that careful scraping either!

Those shots not only show how good a job you've done and how nice a bass this'll turn out, but actually look quite "modern art" - I'd hang a large version on my lounge wall! :D

Ash
I quite like that idea. I may get one printed for my man-cave.
ken_j wrote:Out of curiosity, did you tape just the binding on the sides of the fretboard or to the edge of the fretboard as the factory does? It is had to tell from the pics. It is looking good from what I see on the monitor.
I taped the sides of the neck binding then when I unmasked, carefully scraped along the binding where any paint had bled under the tape.
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Wiker
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by Wiker »

Fabulous. :D Great to see it when without problems.
basshead wrote:
ken_j wrote:Out of curiosity, did you tape just the binding on the sides of the fretboard or to the edge of the fretboard as the factory does? ...
I taped the sides of the neck binding ...
Oh man :shock: You should have taped along the seam line of the fretboard.
Have to sand it all off and start over. :twisted:
Not many will notice. :)
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

Damn! I know what you're on about now. Lol, I painted it at a mate's place and when I was masking up I asked him to have a quick check on the internet at some 4001 images and tell me if it was just the binding masked or the edge of the fretboard too. I guess I should have checked myself...

Oh well, it's done now and it's staying that way, lol.
E = Fb
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

I've been rubbing back the bass formerly known as the "Wreckenbacker" and it's coming up lovely. Kicking myself though as I've rubbed through the clear in a couple of spots. A couple of high spots on the back of the headstock around the post hole and one little spot on the lower, rear edge of the body. If I don't go through anywhere else, I'll just repair the one on the body. If I do go through again, I'll finish rubbing back and give it a few more coats of clear.

One thing I don't regret though is the chequer bound headstock. I think it looks stunning against that blue :D
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8mileshigher
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by 8mileshigher »

basshead wrote: .... the bass formerly known as the "Wreckenbacker" ....
What's going to be the new "nickname" for this transformed, checquered-bound, Azureglo beauty ? ? :wink:
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

8mileshigher wrote:
basshead wrote: .... the bass formerly known as the "Wreckenbacker" ....
What's going to be the new "nickname" for this transformed, checquered-bound, Azureglo beauty ? ? :wink:
Hmmm... haven't thought that one through yet. Any suggestions?
E = Fb
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basshead
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Re: Ready to start on the Wreckenbacker

Post by basshead »

Time for a bit of an update. My wife had surgery on her neck a week ago so I've been home looking after her. I've spent a fair bit of time on front of TV, polishing the Bass-Formerly-Known-As-The-Wreckenbacker. It's come up lovely and I just have the fingerboard to polish now. The pics aren't the greatest but I'll take some better ones out in the sun tomorrow.
IMG_1380.JPG
IMG_1381.JPG
IMG_1382.JPG
E = Fb
Bass player's theory of relativity...
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