New Bass VI refin day!

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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smjenkins
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New Bass VI refin day!

Post by smjenkins » Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:58 pm

About two years ago I picked up my first ever vintage guitar, a refin'd Bass VI. It had a body only, one-color brown burst refin that only a mother could love. It looked like this:

Image

While the refinish was subpar, It sounded great, played well (it was setup with flats) and had just the best vintage tort ever.

I sent the body it to Charlie at Copacetic Customs after hearing about his finishing work here. Three months later, here we are. Since the body was ash with really nice grain, I went for a mary kaye transparent white color. I'm loving how this looks now and I shimmed the neck a bit more than it was before (now sporting a 1 degree Stew Mac shim) so it's playing great. The photos don't do the grain justice, but it really pops when you see it in person.

Image

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schoolie
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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by schoolie » Fri Jul 16, 2021 2:33 pm

Beautiful! :? :-*

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Mechanical Birds
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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by Mechanical Birds » Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:25 pm

Holy fuckin crap

I’m not usually a fan of that finish but oh boy it’s pretty on that guy! I saw that burst pic and thought that’s what you were coming to post (criminal by the way oh my god I can’t imagine what it looked like originally) but was relieved when yr good taste was quickly displayed for us to appreciate. Looks awesome!

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by eggwheat » Fri Jul 16, 2021 4:07 pm

Nice, I like that a lot. One little thing..it looks like it has the wrong screws on the volume/tone control plate…they should be pan head not countersunk on a vintage VI.

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by windmill » Fri Jul 16, 2021 4:19 pm

That looks good !

Congratulations

:)

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by smjenkins » Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:52 pm

eggwheat wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 4:07 pm
Nice, I like that a lot. One little thing..it looks like it has the wrong screws on the volume/tone control plate…they should be pan head not countersunk on a vintage VI.
Thanks for that tip. The countersunk screws didn't look right when I was putting it back together. I'll have to find a source for the pan head screws.

I'm not surprised to hear that though. You should see the garage sale of screws that this guitar came to me with. I found five different types of screws between the trem and the pickup mounts. I just bought new trem screws and pickups mount screws and replaced those. I also replaced the non-original tuners with single line Klusons which is what I beleive Bass VI's originally came with.

FWIW, the pickups and electronics all look original although there's been a lot of solder shenanigans from the first refin. There wasn't a sheilding plate under the lower horn switch plate. Does anyone know where to find one of those?

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by N0_Camping4U » Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:17 am

That looks incredible. I love olympic white. my favorite non metallic. I just looked up your refinishing spot, that's only a couple hours from me. Had no clue anyone in the great state of Texas was offering refins! How did you find him? May send him something to refin.
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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by smjenkins » Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:27 am

N0_Camping4U wrote:
Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:17 am
I just looked up your refinishing spot, that's only a couple hours from me. Had no clue anyone in the great state of Texas was offering refins! How did you find him?
I heard about him from sciuri here in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=119106&p=1669160&hi ... c#p1669160

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by eggwheat » Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:31 am

smjenkins wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:52 pm
eggwheat wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 4:07 pm
Nice, I like that a lot. One little thing..it looks like it has the wrong screws on the volume/tone control plate…they should be pan head not countersunk on a vintage VI.
Thanks for that tip. The countersunk screws didn't look right when I was putting it back together. I'll have to find a source for the pan head screws.

I'm not surprised to hear that though. You should see the garage sale of screws that this guitar came to me with. I found five different types of screws between the trem and the pickup mounts. I just bought new trem screws and pickups mount screws and replaced those. I also replaced the non-original tuners with single line Klusons which is what I beleive Bass VI's originally came with.

FWIW, the pickups and electronics all look original although there's been a lot of solder shenanigans from the first refin. There wasn't a sheilding plate under the lower horn switch plate. Does anyone know where to find one of those?

They did come with klusons but they are VI specific as the slot in them is cut wider and because of that the post has no ‘waist’ like a guitar kluson.

Check this: http://bassguitartuner.us/1963-fender-v ... an-usa.php

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by Strango » Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:45 am

That looks amazing! Some weird part of me liked the brown burst too though, ha!

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by 46346 » Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:40 am

wow - what an invaluable move! reminds me of my favorite Jag (Oly '65 w/similar tort) but it shows ash grain!

way to go!
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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by sookwinder » Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:04 am

Do you know what year it is?
Also the pickups are around the wrong way, the two “cut” teeth are meant to be under the high E and B strings
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by eggwheat » Fri Aug 06, 2021 3:57 pm

sookwinder wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:04 am
Do you know what year it is?
Also the pickups are around the wrong way, the two “cut” teeth are meant to be under the high E and B strings
Claws can be found either way on a VI.

As a general guide with regard to vintage..'62-'65 same way as a Jaguar..'65-'75 opposite way, as are the Squire copies, as are the Japanese copies.

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by JAGJazz » Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:43 am

eggwheat wrote:
Fri Aug 06, 2021 3:57 pm
sookwinder wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:04 am
Do you know what year it is?
Also the pickups are around the wrong way, the two “cut” teeth are meant to be under the high E and B strings
Claws can be found either way on a VI.

As a general guide with regard to vintage..'62-'65 same way as a Jaguar..'65-'75 opposite way, as are the Squire copies, as are the Japanese copies.
I never knew this. Thanks.

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Re: New Bass VI refin day!

Post by Surfysonic » Tue Sep 14, 2021 3:47 pm

Beautiful! Congrats! 8)
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