Re: Bass V rescue mission

Post by **OffYourFace** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:53 pm

NICE! Those 2 basses could be your 401k plan or help with college tuition?

DB · Post by DB » Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:07 pm

OffYourFace wrote: NICE! Those 2 basses could be your 401k plan or help with college tuition?

Yeah, I have a 13 and 16 year old! I think they'll have to work their way through college (or I'll work my way through retirement!).

DB

RumorsOFsurF · Post by **RumorsOFsurF** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:14 pm

Wow, DB....Those are incredible!

I love the oddball Fender stuff. V's are sooooo rare and beautiful. Great job, and thanks for reviving two amazing examples!

I think Doug (Fullerplast) has some competition in vintage Fender rescues!

eupat · Post by **eupat** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:05 am

DB wrote:
DB

Wow!
the paint job on the OTM looks amazing

it shines like a mirror!

the older brother · Post by **the older brother** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:05 am

Yes indeed most impressive!

There's something with those Bass V and their design. Stand alone it looks quite tiny (I guess because the "lack" of frets), but they're bigger then a JazzBass!

Jjango · Post by **Jjango** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:33 pm

DB wrote:

Let me say that I've been lurking here for months, admiring everybody's projects, but those two Bass Vs are directly responsible for me finally registering here – I just had to say that those are FREAKING AWESOME! Lots of people say the Vs are ugly, but to me they are the cool, missing links of Fender basses – I'd KILL to have one, really! And if they're good enough for James Jamerson and John Paul Jones, they're certainly cool enough for me!

DB, as you own TWO Bass Vs, you are undoubtedly the coolest man on Earth! I grovel at your feet.

While groveling, do you mind if I ask a few blatantly fanboy questions?

1. I couldn't figure out from your post whether Mike Lull is the one who painted the Ocean Turquoise. I'd really like to Reranch a couple basses, but I love some of the more obscure colors that Reranch doesn't sell (like Ocean Turquoise and Charcoal Frost). I visited the Mike Lull website, but I couldn't find anything about refinishing services. If you could share some info about this, I'd really appreciate it.

2. I've only gotten to play a Bass V once in my life, at a Sam Ash store. I was plugged into a tiny practice amp, the action was too high, it was tuned down to B, and I couldn't really hear myself. So I'd like to ask you what the Vs sound like – Mustang-y? P-Bass-y?

Thanks, and congratulations on the super-cool basses!!!

DB · Post by DB » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:21 pm

Jjango wrote: 1. I couldn't figure out from your post whether Mike Lull is the one who painted the Ocean Turquoise.

2. I've only gotten to play a Bass V once in my life, at a Sam Ash store. I was plugged into a tiny practice amp, the action was too high, it was tuned down to B, and I couldn't really hear myself. So I'd like to ask you what the Vs sound like – Mustang-y? P-Bass-y?

Good to have you here Jjango!

Mike Lull did *arrange* the painting. I do not know who he uses, but I believe it is someone in the Pacific Northwest. He can arrage poly or nitro finishes (nitro is about double and takes longer). For poly, I've had Pat Wilkins of Wilkins Gutars (www.wilkinsguitars.com) refinish my XII, Bass VI reissue, and Jag Baritone and have been very pleased. He does NOT do nitro though.

The Bass V sounds more like a P than a Mustang I think, but I haven't played a Mustang in eons. The Bass V has a very deep hollow tone, and is very good for roots rock, reggae, and the like. You can slap on it, but that is certainly not its forte. The E string (and the low B on the turquose one) have a very smooth, almost compressed or "pillowy" type sound, more like an upright bass. Really nice tone for my taste, plus if I want a more modern sound I can play my Jag Bass. If you're looking for a modern piano-like tone and clarity, the Bass V doesn't deliver. The upper register notes are really "hollow" sounding, if you know what I mean.

I think the sound is different on the Bass V becasue the pickup is installed closer to the neck than the P or J bass. I don't have a P bass to measure, but the neck PU on my Jag Bass and Jazz Bass is about 8" from the 15th fret and on the Bass V the PU is only about 5.5" to 6" (split PU) from the 15th fret.

DB

Jjango · Post by **Jjango** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:24 am

Thanks, DB – I've heard of Wilkins before, and he/they are always spoken well of. My gut instinct is that there's nothing wrong with poly, the problem is how THICK they currently lay it on, it's like armor. I had a Squier P-Bass that dropped onto concrete, taking out a chip that went down to the wood – that chip was about as thick as a nickel!

Thanks for the summary of the V's sound. The most modern sound I've ever really taken to was the Musicman Stingray – I'm a sucker for vintage tone, all of my (current) instruments are passive. Most active instruments sound kinda "thin" to me, lacking warmth. The V sounds like it would be right up my alley... too bad that they seem to always be priced around this point:

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDe ... em=1641191

I actually put some serious consideration into trying to clone a Bass V from scratch. I bought books on woodworking and guitar building, and just generally sought out any and all information I could find on the V. I have nearly 400 pictures I've found on the web. Although I'd like to think I could learn build a bass from scratch (I intended to take it very slow, and do a LOT of trial runs and prototypes), I eventually gave up on the project. I mean, think about it – on a Bass V, nearly every piece is unique – the pickguard, the control plate, the body and neck, the pickups, I believe the tuners may be too (they seem to have a shorter than usual shaft), as well as the string retainer and bridge. Even the truss rod would have to be hand-made. About the only "standard" parts are the strap buttons, the witch hats and the thumb rest!

It's pretty amazing that both of your Vs have their "ashtrays", and you even have one with dots and one with blocks. Too cool, just outstanding.

Anyway, here's the blueprint I created for my aborted project:

DB · Post by DB » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:35 am

WOW, that drawing is amazing! Have you thought of taking it to a builder to see what they could do? Some of the parts would be tough to find, but it seems like the body and neck shouldn't be too hard given the detailed drawings you have. I wonder if Stereordinary here on the forum could takle it?

As far as cost, yes they are pricey. I way overpaid for my beater ($2200) but it was all I could find at the time and it had both covers. The neck ended up needed way more work than I imagined. I got the '71 B&B for $2650, a bargin by comparison (but it needed work too). The one in the link in your post is listed as excellent, but it looks like it has some wear and the chrome shows signs of pitting. Not an awful price, given how few there are.

Also, please share some of the photos you have. I'm sure others would like to see some too.

DB

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 10:34 am

DB wrote: I wonder if Stereordinary here on the forum could takle it?

I'd certainly be willing to give it a shot!

Post by **Jay** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:29 am

I was in Blue Angel Music a couple weeks ago and he didn't have that V or I would have posted it here for sure. Jim is a cool guy and I'd be surprised if he wasn't willing to work on that price a little too. He was always willing to negotiate whenever I bought or sold something to him in the past. And if it could go out the door for say $2700 or so that's probably a pretty good deal on a fairly clean vintage V.

I'd LOVE to see stereo tackle building one though—the photo essay of the process would be especially awesome!

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:55 am

Oh boy, looks like I'm adding another thing to my already long list.

DB · Post by DB » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:53 pm

Come on Stereo, you can do it! I want to see a custom Bass V!

DB

Jjango · Post by **Jjango** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:16 pm

Yeah, those prices are a bit out of my league

– I mean, I could afford it, but then I'd have to go without some other things I really should buy first – a new computer for work, a home studio setup, um, food.

I have considered having someone build me a Bass V, but in the long run it would probably cost close to buying a real one. As I said, nearly everything would have to be made from scratch, even the neck plate is non-standard!

DB wrote:Also, please share some of the photos you have. I'm sure others would like to see some too.

DB

I was going to upload my whole kit 'n' kiboodle of Bass V pics, but then I checked and found out that folder is almost 200 MB! If anybody really wants them though, I can upload the lot if someone knows of a good, free upload site that can handle it.

Anyway, here's a few of my favorite pics – some of them may belong to members of offsetguitars, I've been lurking here (and drooling) for a long time! Most all of these pictures are much larger, I've shrunk them down for the forum. Get ready for the Bass V porn!

I have a bunch of pictures of parts, probably only of interest to a total fanatic like me – most of these pics were culled from eBay auctions:

OMG, read the caption on this picture! Am I the only guy here who dreams of having a time machine that goes back to the 1960s???

(hmm, what are those weird, squiggly lines on the headstock???)

A beautiful CAR, I've got about two dozen detail shots of this bass:

A nice closeup of the decal:

A B&B beauty:

A beautiful dot neck – is that the original ashtray, though?

Same bass, looks like it's got some birdseye going on.

I want to be this guy. No, really... who do I have to kill?

This picture nearly gives me a heart attack:

"T'is but a scratch!"

Here's a couple B&B maples:

This is kinda a crummy picture, but it's the only one I've ever seen with a black pickguard:

John Paul Jones:

Drool...

Drool X2:

Look at that gorgeous cellulose tortoiseshell – man, they don't make 'em like they used to!

Somebody moved the pickup cover to a strange place, but the Olympic White/Tortoiseshell combo is amazing!

Um, I'm gonna stop here before I end up posting every damned pic in existence!

Stereordinary · Post by **Stereordinary** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:50 pm

DB wrote: Come on Stereo, you can do it! I want to see a custom Bass V!

DB

Okay, so then a few questions for the truly die-hard:

1. What would be acceptable as far as substitute parts are concerned? I mean, I could wind a custom pickup with the 3+2 configuration like that, but where would I get the covers? The bidge? The ashtray? The control plate? I can make the body and neck, but I can't mold plastic parts (yet).

2. For Jjango; do you already have a full-scale version of that drawing, and can I have a copy?

3. For DB, can you make a tracing of some sort for the internal routing?

4. What color combo?

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