Pics.....

Exceptional restoration is in the details

Moderator: jingle_jangle

User avatar
bassduke49
Senior Member
Posts: 6580
Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am

Post by bassduke49 »

The color will be a brownish burgundy sunburst. I saw this color on a Les Paul in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 1978 or 79. I asked the owner about the color, and he said it was a special color called "Mink." It had a soft lavender center over the maple, then gradually getting darker out to the edges where the color can almost be described as a port wine stain (or, less delicately, prune juice).

I told Paul about this color through e-mail, and he made a test chip that hit it right on the head. Of course, over the Mink coat will be the conversion-varnish clear coats and lots of buffing. It should look terrific.

The bass was originally a MapleGlo that I bought used in 1975. It was missing a large chunk of clear coat off the back from buckle damage, and I figured I could refinish the bass myself. I know how to use an airbrush, so how hard could it be? My first mistake was using ZipStrip to take off the original finish, and that ate into the binding and inlays. I was able to arrest the process before it had gone to far, but it wasn't right. I airbrushed a cherry stain sunburst (which faded over the ensuing decades) and a polyurethane clearcoat. About four years ago, I pulled the old gal from under the guest bed and joined my company house band. Now that I have money, I could fix the thing, replaced the badly peeling tailpiece, got a new high-gain pickup for the bridge location, had a wiring check and setup done, then all that really needed to be done was to fix the finish. Ted Staberow helped a lot by sanding the old finish off, rebinding the neck, adding new frets, and to make the bass unique (for a '72), installed walnut headstock wings. The combination of the wings and the shadua strip down the middle harks the early 4005 headstock appearance. When it's finished, the only original stuff on it will be the toaster, pickguard, clear acrylic finger pull, TRC, Grover tuners, nut, knobs, and jackplate. Oh, and all that wood. Here's a "before" shot:

Image
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
User avatar
sowhat
RRF Consultant
Posts: 5380
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2003 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by sowhat »

Nice, cannot wait to see more pics. I like the "before" color, BTW.
Nothing will get you dead quicker than being deadly serious about yourself.
rickaddict
Senior Member
Posts: 6163
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 7:46 am

Post by rickaddict »

GO PAUL, GO!

Image
Play what you love, love what you play!
User avatar
studiotwosession
Advanced Member
Posts: 2215
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by studiotwosession »

That's wild.
This is off the record
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by jingle_jangle »

Oh, and for some odd reason, "Mink" is one color that photographs relatively accurately, digitally-speaking. So the pictures should look pretty accurate as far as color this time.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
User avatar
melibreits
Senior Member
Posts: 4081
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2003 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by melibreits »

Can't wait to see....that sounds really interesting. Nice work so far, Paul....
"Once I've held and played the best, baby, I won't settle for less!"
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by jingle_jangle »

Here are some photos of the 730L/12. which I've been working on a little bit here and there. Finally finished it last evening.

Back story:

John Hall mentioned in one of our e-mail dialogues, that he had incomplete FG Laredo 12 in pieces, which had had the neck removed, and needed parts and some work. He asked me if I'd be interested in getting it "to play around with" (his words).

I'm done playing around with it and ready to play it!

I reset the neck, replaced a couple of frets, finished the fretboard, touched up and blended the paint and conversion varnish, purchased and installed tuners and bridge, and scratchbuilt the nut.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/jangle_jingle/2005%20730L-12/DSC00114s.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/jangle_jingle/2005%20730L-12/DSC00125s.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/jangle_jingle/2005%20730L-12/DSC00126s.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/jangle_jingle/2005%20730L-12/DSC00121s.jpg

The TRC and pickguard are my design (the guard was inspired by that Blue Boy NAMM jumbo that went to Japan and is now back in the States).

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/jangle_jingle/2005%20730L-12/RICacousticJumboBlueboy.jpg

I laser-cut them, radiused and buffed the edges. The pickguard has my signature laser-engraved on the back side.

A big tip of the hat to John Hall, for helping me to realize a long-time dream. This guitar means that much more to me, because it is through his generosity that it saw completion.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
User avatar
studiotwosession
Advanced Member
Posts: 2215
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by studiotwosession »

Nice acoutic. I'd love to have one of those with ****** tuners on it.

As for the bass:

link
This is off the record
User avatar
clearblue
Intermediate Member
Posts: 937
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:00 am

Post by clearblue »

Very nice Paul. The gold TRC (beautiful) and pickguard go very well with the gold tuners. It must be the "Gold Standard"
User avatar
bassduke49
Senior Member
Posts: 6580
Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am

Post by bassduke49 »

Gorgeous, Paul. Laramie, methinks, not Laredo? How'd you get the sparkly letters on the TRC?
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
User avatar
sloop_john_b
Rick-a-holic
Posts: 13843
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:00 am

Post by sloop_john_b »

That came out beautiful, Paul. Love the pickguard.
User avatar
jingle_jangle
RRF Moderator
Posts: 22679
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by jingle_jangle »

Yeah, Laramie. Where I got Laredo I'll never know. Sheesh...

The "sparkly letters" are laser-engraved from the back to half the depth of the 1/8" acrylic TRC. I did the same type of TRCs for my new 381 and 660/12, and my redone 325. The rest of my Ricks will remain stock in the TRC department. The pickguard has my signature laser-engraved from the back, as well.

This guitar plays very well. I'm using a special set of Elixir Nanos which I put together from individual strings.

It's quite bright in tone and the action is very nice. Acoustics take a good deal of fettling to get the feel right, as there are no adjustments that can be made except truss rods. The nut and bridge height must be set by removing or adding material to the back side of each.
“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, 'The Beatles did.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
User avatar
melibreits
Senior Member
Posts: 4081
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2003 6:00 am
Contact:

Post by melibreits »

Fabulous, Paul.... I love the pickguard as well. Truly, I wouldn't mind having one like that on my Comstock.... Image

My kids were just looking over my shoulder and they said, "Why is there a fire extinguisher next to the guitar?" I told them because it's a FIREglo....
"Once I've held and played the best, baby, I won't settle for less!"
britye
Intermediate Member
Posts: 621
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:00 am

Post by britye »

All I can say is wow!!!
User avatar
leesh
Advanced Member
Posts: 1510
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:00 am

Post by leesh »

Awesome Paul! Are you going to be bringing that one to Santa Ana?
Post Reply

Return to “Reflections of a Curmudgeon: by Paul Wilczynski”