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Old 11-12-2008, 01:25 PM
Jim Rogers Jim Rogers is offline
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Red face First time caller here...

Hi everyone, I am Jim and I have been playing bass/guitar for about 35 years. I found a bass guitar that was badly damaged and decide to repair her. I am a handy kind of guy and lots of time to work on things. The wood was very dried out, cracked in some places and missing completely in others. The entire bottum bout needed replacing. The bass had/has nails and screws holding it together. I have already removed electric tape, duct tape, masking tape, gaffing tape and scotch tape from the body. The finger board had 2 screws drilled through it and into the neck to keep it in place. I am starting to remove large amounts of layered paint from the front and back and sanding it down to the original wood.
I am leaving the neck and head piece alone as they are in good condition.
I am doing all this for my own enjoyment and hopefully I will have a decent sounding double bass when I am done. So is there anything I need to know before I go much further down this path? I see lots of pictures of the insides of double basses and they have what looks like little strips of wood glued to the iside of the body. Mine have some of these but not alot. Should I add more? How do I know where to put them? Here are some pics of what I am doing so far. I know I am a total newbie at this but some honest help would be gretly appreciated. thanks





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Old 11-12-2008, 02:29 PM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Exclamation Ooook...

Quote:
Hi everyone, I am Jim and I have been playing bass/guitar for about 35 years. I found a bass guitar that was badly damaged and decide to repair her. I am a handy kind of guy and lots of time to work on things...etc.
You found a What? No wonder you are confused. Get that word 'bass guitar' OUT of you head when looking, talking about or thinking of a Bass, Double Bass, String Bass, Upright Bass or ANY other name you can use OTHER than.. (BG).. can't say it..

Quote:
So is there anything I need to know before I go much further down this path?
Nahhh..

Putting the Lining strips in place BEFORE the Ribs is like laying tires on the Ground and lowering the Car on top of them.

Please call a Doctor when your kids are sick. Do not attempt things on your own without at lease learning some basics. Arm is broken? Do not cut of the Arm and take it to the Hospital to get fixed. Leave the Arm attached and bring the WHOLE body, Arm attached if at all possible.. lol

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Please copy this first post of yours and frame it. Then look back at it once a year. In 5 or 10 years, we will come pick you up off the floor and help you stop laughing.. lol

Ok, this looks like a REAL Bass, German factory model and stripping the Varnish off was a bad idea. Varnish is not paint. Varnish is a separate skill all in itself. Touch up and re-coat or clear coating is more of what professionals do unless it was actually painted by Home Depot. Then, stripping and re-VARNISHING, not painting, would be in order.

The Top should come off do do the Rib and Top repairs. Don't continue along the path you have started. STOP, get a Book, learn and this can one day be a respected Bass like it once was. Continue like you are and you will more likely take it beyond a point where it can ever be repaired properly. Do not remove any original wood or parts. Treat this like a Human. Fix what's broken but learn how to properly. The Traeger Book is one of the few even though not all agree with his methods. Still, it's 10,000% better than the approach you've started.
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Old 11-12-2008, 04:18 PM
Jim Rogers Jim Rogers is offline
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OK. I can take a hint. I do know the difference between varnish and paint and trust me, I think the original owner was hoping the paint was going to hold it together. You could actually see the brush strokes that he applied the paint with. He actulally painted over the nails that he used to close the open gaps in the seams.

So, are you suggesting that I dig the 20 some odd nails out of the wood and remove the top? I don't know if the wood could handle the stress.

I was going to stain the fresh wood and then seal it with polyurethane.

Guess I am going to do some more research now. Thanks for your imput.

BTW what made you think that it was of german design?
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Old 11-12-2008, 05:09 PM
Greg Clinkingbeard Greg Clinkingbeard is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Rogers View Post
I was going to stain the fresh wood and then seal it with polyurethane.


I am not a luthier, nor do I play one on TB, but PLEEEEEEEEEEZ stop.
What you have could be a nice old German bass, IF restored properly.
Measure twice, cut once.
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Old 11-13-2008, 10:14 AM
Craig Regan Craig Regan is offline
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Consider disassembling the bass and making the repairs as individual parts piece by piece. When all the parts are repaired, fit them back together dry (no glue) just to make sure everything will work.

Double bass restoration is a highly skilled craft, using tools and methods that are difficult to master.

Below is a link that may give you some ideas of proper bass repair techniques.

Be sure to check out the "German Full Restoration".

http://www.stringrepair.com/Double_B...tion_Setup.htm

http://www.stringrepair.com/Double_B...estoration.htm
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