1977 4002 restoration project

[godber]

Stunning! Amazingly delicate work.

[Kopfjaeger]

Thanks guys! Yes, Larry is an artist and he is a pleasure to work with!! Next step, after removing all the residue left from the glue and "repairs", Larry needs to make a jig to maintain the neck contour during the gluing phase. The body tenon joints will be easy in comparison.

For the most part the deconstruction phase is over. Yes, the finish needs to be removed so there is a bit more work to do before it begins to take shape. As with home projects, I normally drew a mental line when I stopped going backward and began making forward progress. I'm feeling that this project is very near that "mental line". I realize there is much work to do but so far, so good and the damage has all been undone. From here on is where the creativity and skill all come into play.

On another note, I don't think I've asked this yet, on the 4002's, are grommets used between the pups and pickguard? There are no springs so I'm thinking yes to the grommet method. I really don't want to pull the pickguard and mess with the adjustment screws on my other 4002 to find out.

Sepp

[Kopfjaeger]

Not too many "exciting" fotos to post. The neck plys have all been freed of glue and bits of the ebony fretboard. Next is constructing a jig to hold the neck plys together while maintaining the proper contour. This of it this way, the three plys were all a squared off slab that was laminated then shaped once they dry. Now two irregular edge pieces need to be firmly and precisely re laminated to the thin slice of shedua. I'll feel better when Larry sends me the fotos of the neck coming out of the jig and being perfect!!

Look at the thinness of the truss rod cavity on the shedua piece. SCARY!!

The area where the truss rod rout sits is paper thin in areas. This is white knuckle time for me!!!

Sepp

[cjj]

Very interesting to see it all apart. Definitely easier to glue up wood blocks and then shape 'em afterwards than to re-glue the shaped pieces. It's going to be a lot of precise work to get it just right...

[Kopfjaeger]

Larry has been a very busy bee the past few days! The neck came together faster than i thought it would. Larry's game plan for re-assembling the neck was to attach the one side of the neck to the shedua, let it set, then attach the other side of the neck. I ran though a bunch of scenarios in my head and believe it or not, this was the first one I thought of!! To be far I also though about gluing both side to the strip at the same time so as you can tell, I was "all over the map" with my ideas!!

Got clamps?? The first side being re-united with the shedua.

Second side being adhered. You can almost see the neck between all the clamps!!

Ta-Da!!

[Kopfjaeger]

Closer neck fotos of the completed reunion.

Nice to see it back together !!

Some work needs to be done in the truss rod channels then it's onto stripping. Cool!!

Larry thinks he has sourced some inky black ebony for my fretboard. Ebony without the light steaks seems very tough to find nowadays. My fingers are crossed!!

Sepp

[cjj]

Very cool!

[T.A.R.]

Very cool really enjoying this! Thank you!

[johnallg]

Looks half-way decent.

Quite the adventure. I'll bet Larry is enjoying this, even though it is a lot of work.

[Kopfjaeger]

John,

Yes, Larry told me that is enjoying this project because it is different than the norm. I think it;'s his first 4002 as well.

He got the tailpiece back from the plater and their is a ghosting of the number that was etched in it. I'll have to see the foto when Larry sends it to determine if I want to use it or opt for a new style tailpiece. The slab of ebony is inbound and should be "killer". The neck is being stripped of finish and the body wings will be going back on soon so it is taking shape. Larry officially told me that today, we are out of the woods!! he checked the neck angle to make sure there would be no angle issues to contend with before proceeding. Everything looks super!

Sepp

[aceonbass]

I would tend to think the bass should be completely reassembled before the finish was removed, and then I would sand it off by hand without the use of chemicals. I hate chemical strippers and what they can do if not completely removed from an instrument. Then what to do with the hazardous waste?

[Kopfjaeger]

Dane,
Nope no chemical stripper used. Not really sure of the method, yet.

Sepp

[godber]

Thrilling stuff! Love it, great work.

[Kopfjaeger]

Newest installment. I'm home from work today suffering with the "crud". Something I have had on and off for nearly a month, joy!! Larry made my day and perhaps my week with his latest batch of update fotos!!

Enjoy!!

Bass half of the body joint being hand finished before assembly to the neck.

Clean square and true!!

Treble side being attached!

Bass side!!

[Kopfjaeger]

Ready?? Here goes!

Once again she is whole!!

Way better than before!!

Nice and tight!!!

One of my favorite fotos!!

Awesome!!