View Single Post
  #1  
Old 02-15-2007, 09:14 PM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Lightbulb What's in a Restoration?

I am starting this Thread to bring to light the various things that get done during a full or partial restoration. Depending on the actual Bass under the knife, it may need some or all of the mentioned procedures if not more. I am calling out here to Arnold, Jeff, Bob, Nick and all the other practitioners of this field to share and discuss their views, knowledge and methods if they are willing to share them. Some of the Luthiers might have a special method or formula they wish to keep secret so we must respect their choice to keep any secrets proprietary to their trade.

Over the Years I have had several Basses that had full or partial Restorations. Many of these are on my website but a few of them pre-date the internet and have long since found new homes as well.

These are some of the operations that my Basses have had; Scroll repair, Neck Graft, Tops reshaped from sinkage, Re-graduation of one or both plates, cracks repaired (on Top, Back or Ribs), Neck stand re-set, Block cut, string length altered, Varnish touch up, Worm damage repaired, New Bass Bar, New cross bars (all or just some), Bass Bar re-shaped, Cosmetic plates on Back and Shoulders replaced or added, New Neck block, New Tail Block, Corner Blocks repaired or re-placed, New lining, New Fingerboard, Scroll cheeks added, Tuner holes plugged and re-bushed, Tuners replaced, All set up items (including Bridge, adjusters of all types, saddle, tailpiece, nut, endpin unit etc.), Purfling repaired or replaced, Half edging, re-edging, New Corner tips, inlaid Breast patches, Inlaid Sound Post patch, Wood grafts in cracks, lower wings added for yield, button grafts, block area grafts, Ribs shortened at Block for Rib/plate overhang shortage, Rib punctures pieced back together from 'puzzle pieces', Ribs and blocks re-leveled for top/back fit, Neck block re-built, 4 to 5-strings conversion, 5 to 4-string conversion, old repairs un-done and re-done (a lot of that!) and 3 different C-extension types added on several Basses over the years by 3 different luthiers to name a few things here...

Please fell free to ask, discuss or contribute to this tread in any way. All levels of knowledge or lack thereof welcomed. We can discuss any repairs or restorations you have had seen or may have in the future right here with some of the best guys in the biz.

If you have a Bass that needs repairing and would like advice before you take it to wherever, please start a new thread with as many pictures as possible as well as all the information you can tell us about your Bass and what you think it might need. You can expect then to get loads of valuable information on how to approach the job needed as well as being prepared mentally and financially before she goes under the knife. Often a Bass needs more than what is expected from the outside. On occasion, it needs a bit less.
Reply With Quote