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+--- Thread: Upright Bass Restoration (/thread-3707.html)
Upright Bass Restoration - BallseyMalone - 07-04-2013
As Joan posted in her Razorbacks thread, we brought my upright bass with its neck detached and in serious need of some work, to Kenny, the Razorbacks founder.
First the back story as to how I acquired this gem.
About five years ago, I was doing some work for an old German electrician that had wired his home for a low voltage fire alarm system. Being a line voltage electrician, he could not get the alarm to work, so I stopped by to help get the system functioning properly.
While working in one of the attic spaces, I noticed an upright bass with the neck detached, finish faded and with a lot of dings and scratches.
I was going to charge the fellow $2-300 cash dollars, but thought this might be a sweet trade. I promptly called Joan to get her thoughts, and she obviously told me to go for it. So I asked the electrician, whose name happens to be Wolfgang, if a trade would be acceptable. He said he hadn't played in ages and the trade would be good. He then proceeded to give me a little history of the instrument.
It turns out that Wolfgang was regular German Army during WWII, and emigrated to the US shortly after we kicked their butts. He had the bass prior to the war and brought it with him when he emigrated.
So, that's how I ended up owning this guitar that I had every intention of restoring myself, but after talking to a lot of professionals, decided not to undertake this feat.
Now for the photos.
This is the bass before I turned it over to Kenny. Unfortunately, no pics of the neck are available.
[attachment=2621]
This is the unusual grain of the fingerboard after the black paint was removed.
[attachment=2624]
The stripping process begins.
[attachment=2623]
[attachment=2622]
The neck locked in and adhesive drying.
[attachment=2625]
[attachment=2626]
The old tarnished tuners as good as new!
[attachment=2627]
First coat of stain.
[attachment=2628]
The color is called Gretsch Orange. That's a '55 on top.
If you click on the picture and click on the picture that pops up to enlarge it, you can really see the nice wood grain which should really pop when the finish is applied.
[attachment=2629]
Originally we were just going to go with a hot rod design (black with flames), but after stripping the bass down and seeing all the unique wood grain, Kenny forbade it and opted for a more traditional staining, only with a much cooler color.
Still a lot of work to go, but I am so excited about this.
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - twisteroo - 07-04-2013
I dunno what I like better, the finish it's getting or the back story.
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - LKTraz - 07-04-2013
That's a spaulted maple body and the fingerboard looks like rosewood. It should have a very rich and smooth bottom end response. Carvin builds electric basses with the same configuration and they have a smooth, sweet sound.
Think Henry Mancini Orchestra bass tones (Pink Panther theme particularly).
Les Claypool would probably bust a nut over this one!
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - Twitchin Kitten - 07-05-2013
I thought it was some kind of maple when I saw the 'tiger stripes', maybe tiger maple but I'm no expert in that kind of stuff. I knew the neck was rosewood right away because they only slopped paint on the front of the neck, so the grain was visible on the back.
Kenny keeps offering Matt money for it. No deal.
Now we have to find one that isn't so beautiful so he can hot rod it out.
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - BallseyMalone - 07-07-2013
I'm thinking that's tiger maple.
Tiger Maple:
[attachment=2633]
Spaulted Maple:
[attachment=2634]
Whatever you want to call it, it looks cool as hell! Even better with the Gretsch orange tint to it!
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - LKTraz - 07-07-2013
My bad. Had s brain fart and spaulted was the term that was stuck in my head. Some guitar makers also call that grain " figured ". But you are correct........that is Tiger maple.
Regardless....maple bodied instruments tend to have a rich, smooth bottom end.
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - Twitchin Kitten - 07-07-2013
We're a little puzzled about the sides and front though. If the back is tiger maple, we don't see the same grain pattern on the sides and front. The side pieces MAYBE, but it's really hard to tell. The front I see nothing to indicate it.
Take a click on each picture to enlarge it, and then if you're using FireFox you can click that photo again to make it bigger. Gives a nice up close of the body and you can see the grain.
I don't know why anyone would use a different wood on the sides and front than the back though.
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - LKTraz - 07-07-2013
It looks like it's all maple.
There are slight differences in resonance between spaulted, figured and normal grained maple and by using different panel configurations one can customize the attributes of the instrument. Sometimes luthiers even build the entire instrument out of one grain and then add a veneer top to further change resonance.
I think that particular tone qualities are the reason here.
Any clue as to who originally made this bass?
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - Twitchin Kitten - 07-07-2013
So far nothing inside to indicate it's maker. All we know it's at least pre WW2 era made in Germany.
RE: Upright Bass Restoration - AnthonyG - 07-07-2013
The top, is usually made from spruce, fir or pine the ribs and back are usually maple, from the last picture in the set the top to me looks like spruce.