WTB: pre CBS fender precision body

MikeC

After 20 years in storage, my brother wants to restore his mongrel precision. Neck is a very clean 62 with what looks like no major issues, except someone added a few extra frets (separate piece of wood) to get to 2 octaves, hacked the body to give access for this, added a jazz pick up and other general mucking around including some horrible off white paint job.

So maybe better to buy a body than restore the current one. Think most of the other parts are there or thereabouts, eg original split pickups. But has a badass bridge so we'll try and source a replica. I think restoring the body will be expensive, but want to see of if anyone has a pre CBS body for ok money?

Funkfingers

MikeC said:

I think restoring the body will be expensive

Probably but worth it.

Is the object of the exercise a playable instrument, an original-as-possible vintage/investment piece or some point between?

IMO, the body could be refurbished by plugging the J pickup cavity and reinstating the cutaway area. An opaque Ducco custom colour paintjob would disguise the joins. 

A glass sparkle finish would distract most observers so completely that they never detect the repair work.

MikeC

Yes, my bro has been vague on what he wants but nervous of a large restoration bill. I agree with your idea. Any one have any suggestions as to who to use for the restoration work? 

GuyR

Bravewood is v good, if he is still taking repair work. He did a resto last year for someone I know. Excellent and v authentic. Cost is generally reasonable too.
Buying an original body would be expensive and has a significant element of risk. Whatever you do, the bass will be a player, not collector instrument, with commensurate value, so I wouldn’t buy another body if it were mine.
As @funkfingers says, it’s a perfect opportunity/candidate for a custom colour restoration. 

Not sure I’d bother getting a genuine 60s bridge. AVRI or similar, used, would be peanuts by comparison and probably more functional. 60s ones often need the height adjusting as they drop over time with playing.

MikeC

Cool, I think you are right. I’ve asked Scott at sc relics if he’s interested. If not, I’ll try bravewood.

CarbonCopy

Buying a pre-cbs body in the condition you are after (i.e.not butchered like the current one) will be far more expensive than a restoration.

Your brother should get a quote if worried about the price. I would guess it would be hundreds of pounds rather than in the thousands for a replacement original pre-cbs body.

MikeC

Thanks! Bravewood no longer doing restorations, too big a job for screlics. Been recommended Rexter guitars so that’s another avenue to explore.

Have now seen a half decent painted mjt body in the colour I’m looking for (lpb) on flea bay, so may go down that route in the short run. Anyone suggest good repro scratch plates? Think we have the rest of the parts. 

Funkfingers

MikeC said:

Anyone suggest good repro scratch plates?  

What colour do you seek? I visualise LPB with a greyish-green off-white 'guard rather than faux tortoise.

Judging by my AV '63 Precision, official Fender ones are a slightly fake shade of minty green but, at least, the edge bevel angle is correct.

MikeC

Yes I’m tracking an off white tiny bit of green one on flea bay. Just waiting to see if rexter guitar want to take on the rebuild, else I’ll get the repro parts and the rebuild can wait. 

MikeC

Ok, so just bought a lovely looking replica body from Scott at golden era guitars…pictures to follow once assembled…

MikeC

OK, just got the bass back from Stairway to Kevin who managed to add the slightly shaved but original 62 neck to the SC body. Kept the original pickups, changed the badass bridge my brother added for a repro one, and changed the pots - 3 of which I think he put in - for a Charles Guitars pre wired kit.

It sounds sublime through my 57 bassman, and looks pretty neat. Good karma as the work was done in a shop above where my brother bought the mongrel bass - Roka's on Denmark Street - in around 1980. Will have one happy brother:

https://i.imgur.com/TF2FFKd.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/qsKoEKd.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cTXkPXZ.jpg

I've a few parts taken off from the restoration - badass bridge, kent armstrong pickup, pots from late 70's / early 80's - I will list in parts now.

It seems that lurking under the nasty refinish and cutaway pieces was what might now be a rare £15k bass if someone hadn't hacked it in the late 70's.....the original body and (greenish) scratch plate (now all rather damaged) mean it may have originally been a rather rare daphne blue custom colour 62 precision bass. But the original body and scratch plate are a mess, the neck shaved etc.

I couldn't find anyone to do the restoration of the body...might be worth looking into that. Bravewood wouldn't, Scott at SC Relics said it was too messy (and he has a different focus now) and Rexter guitars said they would reply and then didn't. But even if we did restore it, what would it be worth? A repaired mangled body an a shaved neck? Or I could have sourced a pre CBS body - cheapest one on Ebay was £1k plus import and it would need a refin... 

Anyway, here is the bass pre its new body (and new pots and bridge). 

 https://i.imgur.com/WjcJSM3.jpg

GoldenEraGuitars

Looks amazing! Can you send me a full length pic on Facebook?

GuyR

Thanks for posting the pics of the new incarnation. 
Golden Era seem to have done a great job with the new body. Very convincing, so far as the pictures show.
Whoever did the hack job on the original body deserves to have the same done. It makes you quite sad to see that kind of butchery. I'm glad you put the after photos up first.
Great job all round. I hope your brother is pleased.

MikeC

Scott, don't know how to do that - do you mean on your facebook page? Took a few more...

https://i.imgur.com/0hyl2op.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uhLQwSr.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IfJbCN7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/t1nzvgG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wX5PKzL.jpg

GoldenEraGuitars

@MikeC thank you very much, I’m pinching one for my social media

MikeC

It's your body, so help yourself! My daughter is doing A level photography so I'll get her to take some nice shots tomorrow.