the OFFICIAL Series10 Restoration thread

almost everyone knows MadMike is restoring my series10. I'm creating a topic for the whole adventure.

the before pic:


I got a Kahler 7440 coming and I'll mail that to Mike cause the price was right (35 bucks)

this is getting a whole restore/repaint, jackson pups/mr Ming preamp, as well as the 7440 and a HB where the double-j used to be.

.

... and the work begins.

I just checked the progress of the 7440 bridge, it should be here today. I'll drop it in the mail this week for you. I wanted to make sure you have it in the beginning just in case the 4 existing holes for the OEM bridge needed filled before painting if the 7440 wont cover them cause you know those goofy things have to be angled to make them work right for intonation.

( did you ever mount a 7440 horizontal? or anyone you know who did it ? )

and on a sidenote, f**K did we get blasted with snow last night -in pitts 7.5" an all time record for the date 2-21
going home was not too bad after work with only 2-3", but traffic was crawling, and I'm just laughing as I was gonna take my studded snows off last week.... this mornings ride was worse cause all the people who were coming back to work after Pres day off were clogging up the roads that were still all covered

i never mounted a 7440 ... but i know how to intonate and i've seen how they are "italicized". i shud be able to figure it out.

we got 3". its not that its bad ... it just that i think i've had enuff snow this year.

got the chiken head headstock done. someone repaired it before ... so that wasnt any fun. looks like its brand new now. i'm just gonna sand everything by hand on that neck. there are so many waves on that thing ... i thought i was in Hawaii. tongue oil necks feel so, so, so much better in the hands ... i think you'll agree when you get it back.

how do you feel about that nut??? ... it is wood i think. its just been chewed up a few times (more than one would admit). next time i place an order for parts ... tusq nuts are easy enuff to get and take me about 10 minutes to file and fit. you want one?

slapped some stripper on the body. i kinda have a problem with fender, ibanez and everyone else who paints their mass produced instruments with 20some coats of paint and another 15 coats of lacquer (its so it lasts with the idiot abuse people lay on their basses) ... but why do the koreans do it??? i mean ... they arent known for their spectacular paints (or paintjobs for that matter). i sanded thru the lacquer with 60 grit on a reciprocatior just so the stripper can get in there ... and the 20 layers of crappy black started bubbling up like latex. probably is latex. ha!

take pics of it unpainted so we can see the nice ply in the plywood.

i'm hoping the kahler is brand new with instructions...if not so what. i was looking at mine and the saddle travel is "a lot", but i've never seen one not at an angle so there must be a purpose to it. UPS says it came so i'll pick it up tomorrow morning and mail it out.
i chuckled at your description of "the waves" and honestly the back of my hand never really cups the neck when i play and even dings and nicks i would never notice unless they were in the fretboard itself.

of course remember what you started with --- someone's almost 25 year old cheap beater bass that probably got kicked around in their bedroom more times than i could imagine. the retail price was only 259.99 so i can imagine a lot of kids bought bently junk from StLoius music at less than 150 back then.
plywood is not a good tonewood, but the kramer is as well and with some preamp adjustments at the show sat it sounded perfect, so to me the money i'm spending is not a waste just to resell on ebay a week later for a big loss because it's gonna sound like crap.


as far as the nut buy a righty nut tusq/brass/plastic whatever ( remember the strings will be flipped ) - which means you can play it righty for testing purposes and anything that goes over the limit just let me know.

tada!





... and i just keep dumping stripper on the body for now. (it looks like old man skin.) i'm gonna be bust soldering up the attitude and the custom for the next day or so. i gotta get these done so i can put them up for sale.

thanks for the update

and here's my update I have the thing at work and will send it out mon/tues.
Typical NO instructions just the retarded book that shows you the different models and the templates for the 2400 hole.

WTF is the goofy wrench for?

I have no idea whatsoever about these bridges. I've never seen one in person. Even tho I love the kahler trem, these bridges always seemed weird to me ... so I never coughed up the loot to buy one. I've always been of the mindset that high mass bridge (solid heavy hunk of metal) means better sustain. These bridges aren't a solid mass.

So I get the opportunity to learn on yours. Kewl! Perhaps this will change what I think about these bridges ... I mean, they are kahler.

Ill do some research to figure out as much as I can about installation (in case its not as straightforward as it seems).

i found an old pic of mine. i see now why the plate must be angled..if not, it looks like the saddles would not be vertical.

a friend of mine emailed me last night and when i woke up this morning...it was already gone --- look at the damn 30 dollar price for this 2440
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&hash=item33656b0a3e&item=220744845886&nma=true&pt=Guitar_Accessories&rt=nc&si=etKBvTvPgOM19oV%252F0pJmcX9R5Io%253D

now how could someone sell that for $30? its worth at least $100 without screws, an arm, its chrome and its an old style (without the movable ball end claws on the cam and only 2 springs). someone got a deal!

and now mine is on the custom ... i'm gonna need a new one.

i saw on ebay they have the 7410 hybrids for $150 ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-KAHLER-USA-Hybrid-7410-Bass-Tremolo-BLACK_W0QQitemZ290525299242QQcategoryZ41407QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7338148361194807437

thats cheaper than any of the supply places i've seen like whammi world ($190) or directly from kahler ($300 for a 2410 and dont even have the hybrids posted anymore). whammi world does have a lot of other cool parts, is an autorized kahler dealer and also can get trem parts.

now i'm in the biz, i'll be needing them (because thats a service / option i will offer) so i got to do some research and find a cheap supplier.

that pic of that bridge on the t bird is decent, in case i need to use it for reference.

when I bought my 2 gold ones for 100 I was in heaven. the black one on my lefty is indeed from ebay @ 149.95
had I thought about it a little further, I would have bought a 7410 for that series10 I just said no for now because YOUR next project for you will be adding a 7410 to my lefty Kramer 710.

that Kramer body is fullsized, that Kramer is very heavy plywood, but you know what?
the Kramer necks are not too far off the mark compared to a charvel (just not as flat on the back ), and like I said when you said the neck on the s-10 was wavy. I never cup the back enough to notice if it is a "baseball bat" or not

I had a old plywood 1970's jazzbass copy with a huge-ly rounded back of the neck, and it never bothered me ( naturally I never played that thing at a gig for 4 hours either )

I agree with you Guys about that Kahler trem going for so cheap. Maybe the seller didn't realize what he could get for the thing?

At any rate, that was a really, really old unit. My guess is that it was part of the very first run of Kahler bass trems, probably between 1980 and 1981.

old or not, trem bar or not I would have bought it. I told the guy who saw it last night if he EVER sees anything like that BIN just buy it and I'll pay him for it and to reship it to my house...oh Eric, I also bid on yet another RP6 and lost it when it ended

That sux, Bro.

I bought mine from Spade from TB for $40!. I jumped on it. It now sits on my Blueshawk.

... def currently looking for another ...

$40 would be awesome.

I'm also looking for the next rennovation bass to buy? Who's got something interesting that's beat to crap sitting in their basement unloved? I might dive you a few bucks for it.

I reposted the progress pic in this thread Mike



I lost out to someone for that other 2410 by 20 bucks I bid 85 someone got it for 100:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rt=nc&nma=true&item=190504867510&si=novLDDj9jltMKV4A3wRJSQ74STQ%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AEOIBUAA%3AMOTORS%3A1123

hey Mike maybe I should give you my pink Kramer710 for 50 bucks-Schaller roller typical Kramer bridge used on everything, and Spector branded pickups ( unless you don't want another plywood project ) ?

if you say yes let me think about it.

its not that its plywood ... or even hot pink or purple or whatever (because that is the first thing that would go). its just that is so ... p bass. yuk.

i mean, there are other body styles out there to use ... why do so many manufacturers reproduce this one?

naw ... although i'm looking for the next project to do and gonna make the purchase as soon as one of the 3 finished ones sell, i need to stick with stuff thats as out of the ordinary as possible. and not even so much that thats what i like ... but i just gotta be able to get their attention ... know what i mean.

i still cant find a carvin V440 anywhere!

and theres always the warmoth explorer project to get back to. the neck is still on the p - mex body and out of comission. i just have no interest in playing it. new body, new electronics, new kahler ... that would be cool.

i'm also thinking of working on something like this ........

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-GOTHIC-STYLE-ASH-GUITAR-BODY-BLANK_W0QQitemZ150563487124QQcategoryZ47067QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp5197.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7435880953705325665

well you could take THIS ONE --it sure dont look like a p-bass.

it's basswood
and it's different.
and it's in 2 pieces since I stole parts off of it.
and it's a POS so you could crackle it and paint the back of the neck black and crackle the body.
the TR works
the jackson bridge sits higher so you need shims in the neck ( I lost them when I pulled it apart for the umteenth time )
hell, you could even krylon stone finish the thing and I wouldn't care, but a crackle would be fantastic.


you could just do whatever you wanted and charge me?

ALSO I brought the kahler bridge in with me and will send it out tomorrow.

I also had a thought, what if I had you build a lefty Tbird/Explorer and used my pink charvel lefty neck on it?

OR if the 24fret starfire neck will work, I'll give you that one to fit into a body.

a right handed swamp ash unfinished unrouted except for the back control cavity, 4 control holes and scale for a 34" bass with a standard p or j neck is $202. its made already and on sale.

the same in a left handed model is $240. 6 - 10 weeks for delivery.

swamp ash thunderbird, unrouted, unfinished is $240, left or right handed. 6-10 weeks for delivery.

expensive and a long lead time ... but i like warmoth stuff and i got my heart set on that explorer. that build is gonna be for a bass that belongs to me.

search ebay for something that has been kicked, dropped, played while wearing a "i love texas!" longhorn belt buckle or burnt is the road i head down. people usually want too much for their crap (because its theirs and its "vintage"), but occasionally theres cool stuff. i loose more bids than i win.

i was actually thinking of doing a t bird next. they are available and theres some cheap epi's out there.

i'de love to have that starfire if it was right handed. even tho its not ... i could plug the control holes and flip it ... would anyone know the difference???

aaaahhh ... dont shim necks. i know, a lot of people do it and it works for them, but i'de just rather install a bridge correctly for the bass its going in, instead of rigging the bass to fit the bridge.

sure ... if you wanted to pay to have it done ... i'de do it.

well mudd's guitars was gonna charge me 450 and a 3month wait to have one of his out of mahogany black with the center ridge and the pickup spacing that would match my jackson. at the time end of last year i didnt have enough gig money coming in and i hesitated even more because i didnt want to use my neck and his pointy was ugly, but in the next 2 months we are playing 4 high paying shows so we will talk.

A black Tokai TB48L is around 500 so either way and still has a ghibsonhead, I'm spending less because I would use FOR SURE my other lefty charvel neck to get a black jackson tbx copy.

minus the binding and fin neck, of course.

Yeah, I've been looking at what thunderbird bodies, parts and necks are out there. I think a third is gonna be next.

Im as far as I wanna go with your series 10. Its nekid and all the wood is repaired short of a fine sand. I know we didn't talk about it, but im gonna Refinish your fretboard and dress the frets ... I can't give it back to you with all that ground in crud. No charge.

But I can't cut the stuff for the humbucker till I get the bridge. I don't want to end up suprised that its so big and have to fix stuff.

i'm getting that to you on monday it's already in a priority box and i was so busy during the days last week i couldnt go out to the p.o to send it.

I was almost hesitating about it and was gonna take the Schaller roller bridge off the pink kramer and keep the kahler for something else, but naw... I'll sell that pink thing in one piece.

like i was saying i'd buy a tokai tb48 leftybird, but it's a setneck. I never measured the pocket of my epiphone when i had it and don't know if my lefty charvelneck would fit in it or so much modding it wouldnt be worth it.

That's why I decided to do an epi t bird. I like how the headstock looks and I found a supply of necks cheap, so if I don't like it ... I can feel free to mod it. If I booted it up ... ill just buy another.

Ill be looking for that bridge. I want to get your bass done.

do you KNOW how many epi-birds would sell if they offered them in lefty?......

A TON!!!!

well ... all the bodies warmoth offers they offer the same in lefty models at the same price. they are expensive out of the gate, but i think its just the fact that nobody wants to build them.

your not a lefty, so you don't know how hard it is sometimes to find something different

ha!

is that a photoshop flip or a real epi-lefty?

That's from a leftt bass message board. Aparently they got it from the epiphone site and that bass was available in 2005.

i thought it might be a tokai with an epi TR cover....lol.

and 2005 thats like 6 years old

finally it is on it's way

i insured it for 100 cause if they lose it, you will use the OEM bridge, and I'll buy a 7410 with the money and you can install it in the future

( i'd rather they didn't lose it )

I just thought of something?...did I send a set of strings with that? I just got another batch of 5.00 a pack strings ( well 4.35 ) and if I didn't I'll put them in the mail tomorrow.

I have to say that I am really digging the fact that you Guys are working together like this.

Naw ... no strings.

I just put a beat set on any bass I.m working on. They go on, come off, go on, come off etc, etc, so they get all twisted up and ratty looking anyway. If you want me to put a new set on when im done, send em, or ill just send it back with old curt mangans or rotos.

ok I got a set with me and will toss at the p.o. today.

throw the B-string out or keep it. how could I say NO to a 5string set for 5 bucks, so I bought 6 sets, and 8 more 4string sets.

.


and ERIC, thanks to THIS place I know Mike. If I never would have seen this board or Mike I would still have another luthier right here in PA still, but he is not "interactive"...meaning you ask him to do work, he gives you a price, you pay, and that's it...no family atmosphere.

those strings are cute mike!

furreal ... you guys are on the in. you get the priority and the discount ... because things have been cool here with everyone.

but with anyone i do business with ... i try to not be like that luthier repair tech guy working at the chain store who makes everyone feel like he doesnt have time for them or like i'm bothering him or something ... "sorry dude!"

anyhow ....

frets. those chinese nickel frets are pretty bad mike. pitted. i dressed em best i could ... i think you'll be happy with the playability and look of better polished frets, but they definitely didnt come up looking "new".

believe me when i tell you this "was" and "will" be a beater bass, It won't get played for 40 hours a week or have to compete with something else I have over here to worry about the frets going south in 3 months

and I just took the box with the strings and got it in the mail for you. I shudda just put another set so you could try this ALICE brand like I did for Eric with the GR cheapies but when i was leaving the house I didn't even think about it.

let me stop spending money for the week on postage for now

Actually Mike, I just slapped on that second set of strings you sent me. Since it was a four-string set, I had to grab a cheapo Hartke B string on eBay to complete the set for my fiver. But the whole set works great. Thanks again for sending them to me! They're really great!

And thank you for the kind words. I'm glad this place has something of value to offer to Everyone here.

I repaired my guitar players 5 way switch yesterday ... then I got the lint, dust and dog hair out of the control cavity, then, before I put a new set of strings on it that I bought (his were like 7 years old), I used my special solution to get the years of finger oil and dead skin funk off of the fretboard ... yuk.

I think, with 45 minutes worth of effort, he'll be happy to get an almost new guitar back.

Point is ... your series 10 fretboard was pretty gross mike. I understand that most musicians just play em. Two things ... When a guitar is in my house I can't stand it looking like that and ... Im doing a restoration for you and that means, restore to" like new" condition. Clean fretboard, new finish on the entire neck, dressed and polished frets.

Lemme get upstairs and post a pic ......

the way i see it ... its just part of the job.

see what i mean about the pitting mike? aside from a refret (that isnt worth it) theres not much else that can be done. it looks better tho ... right?

caution! guitar content ...........

heres petes guitar after i cleaned it up ........



for an ibanez, its a pretty cool ax.

there was so much grime on the frets I never actually noticed, but the board...oh ya clean is better and like I said at the beginning, if you need a little more money just ask because once this is done and I show it off, word of mouth may get you a lot more than just my business on my own guitars.

Eric the same seller I always buy strings from had a sale on ALICE chinese made 5string packs 45-130. I think you should try a pack or 2 of those

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-set-new-electric-5-string-bass-strings-/230482238062?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item35a9cfda6e

I just looked and they are on sale for 8 bucks a set where I paid 6.75, but still 8 bucks is cheap..

thats more than clean chief ... thats wood. i will put finish on it. brand new like.

no charge .... thats part of the job.

and YAY the bridge is there

Detailed Results:

Bullet Out for Delivery, March 09, 2011, 7:25 am, PHOENIXVILLE, PA 19460
Bullet Sorting Complete, March 09, 2011, 7:15 am, PHOENIXVILLE, PA 19460

and it looks like the strings will be ther tomorow/friday:

Processed through Sort Facility, March 09, 2011, 12:59 pm, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19919

Nice

MadMike, you do some AWESOME work! Bravo!

Mike, I now remember trying Alice strings a couple of years ago, and they weren't bad! True, eight bucks isn't bad, but that $6 shipping charge bumps that to $14. Still, that isn't awful, especially for a fiver set.

MadMike, keep those pictures coming! I love seeing the resurrection of Mike's bass!