| Author | Message | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 760 Registered: 9-2008 |
i'm about to undertake buying some parts to make a Teisco TB-64( http://guitarz.blogspot.com/2009/03/teisco-del-ray-guitar.html ) replica and wanted to know what everyone thought i should use for the woods? i want to to be twangy and "dirty" sounding so any suggestions on that? i was thinking mahogany for the body or maybe ash. what about the neck material? I'm def using rosewood for the fingerboard. I'm prob going to order the body through Warmoth and get them to do the custom routing for the pickup on/off switches(I'm thinking the exact control for the Fender Bass VI just up top instead of at the bottom) I'll probably get the neck through them also because USACG is a bit more pricey. as I said ANY help on body material, pickups, or just some feedback is much appreciated!!! ~Taylor | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1801 Registered: 9-2002 |
Of course, these guitars (all of those Teisco-ish axes, Airlines, EKOs, etc.) usually had very average wood and laughable electronics (though not that far off for those days). Tone is so VERY subjective, but IF you're aiming for that sound neighborhood, I'd stick with the white woods, dead simple: Alder body and maple neck, with your RW fingerboard. I wouldn't overthink your recipe . . . I have a recurring daydream to build the perfect PJ Precision Bass from parts, which usually ends with me realizing I don't need a Koa body, an all rosewood neck, and Activators . . . . if I really want to just sound like a really fine PJ bass. It's a lot easier to build it and then find the tone, then to drive yourself nuts sweating every last little detail when you got the big decisions made correctly. Pickup-wise, I'd aim low, too. Maybe some Kent Armstrongs, TV Jones, maybe some lipstick pickups, some vintage style Seymours that's aren't very hi-fi. Other folks would have to clue you in on the proper caps, etc. I like stuff that looks old and works new (to borrow a phrase from Billy Joel). So I'd shoot for that tone without the accompanying hums and buzzes and the 'drive-time traffic report' from your local AM station ! If it were me, I'd pay the difference between USA Custom and Warmoth. I would in a heartbeat. J o e y | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 2118 Registered: 10-2003 |
Alder certainly seems to be the tone wood of that era, for sure with the better of the USA instruments. It's quite likely that the Teisco had a multi-ply body though, as I've seen some of those from that period and they were all very thin as well. I would be tempted even to laminate a couple of inch-thick marine plywood sheets for the body, since that would be a relatively cheap/easy experiment. As J o e y suggests, cheap pickups are going to give you the twang I'd think.. Sounds like a fun and interesting project.. John | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 813 Registered: 4-2004 |
Do a pine core with masonite top and back. | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 761 Registered: 9-2008 |
loving all this helpful info!!! as of now I'm torn between the alder and mahogany, I'm wanting to leave the body with a gloss finish and like the way mahogany looks, but if i wanted I could always stain the alder dark. for the pickups I'm considering finding some old Teisco/Silvertone single coil pickups since they used them on almost everything they built haha but will definitely look into some other brands as well. I emailed Warmoth about this yesterday and attached a picture of the TB-64 along with a description of what I wanted, and got a response similar to "all our machines are set to Fender specs so we can't do any other routing." well that was a bummer so I emailed USA Customs with the same email hoping they would be willing to do it since they have "custom" in their name. I added the little tag "Warmoth wouldn't do this so I'm hoping you can and we can form a healthy relationship" as a little push to show them I'd be a returning customer. if this doesn't work I'll just try to find a template of a fender Bass VI and make some mods to it to be like the TB-64. keep all the suggestions coming!!! | ||
| afrobeat_fool
Senior Member Username: afrobeat_fool Post Number: 412 Registered: 7-2009 |
If all their machines are set to Fender spec's then it should be no problem to rout out a FENDER BASS VI! Duh? LOL. May be they are all set to Strat. | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 762 Registered: 9-2008 |
Guess I didn't explain that well. They have the fender bass vi specs, they just can't put the switches where I want them or add the "monkey grip"(see link I posted). I just can't imagine it being that hard to change so very little ~Taylor | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 534 Registered: 2-2003 |
"Do a pine core with masonite top and back." I once met a dude who glued a few 2x4's together and carved a bass out of it. Masonite would have been a good upgrade for it. I don't remember being impressed by the sound but it may been the player! The things you see in the New England woods! | ||
| 5sicks
Junior Username: 5sicks Post Number: 31 Registered: 8-2010 |
Go down to N.O. for the Jazz Fest in March and you'll see all manner of home made instruments. My great uncle had a "cigar box banjo" that he serenaded us with for many years. | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 814 Registered: 4-2004 |
Taylor, I think that you're going to hit some compromises, and even with the grip and pickguard-hidden control routs, your finished piece may only slightly resemble a Tiesco. I'm just curious if either company is up to the challenge of a 4+2 30" bass VI neck?!? Do you plan on using the Fender style vibrato bridge? Im being totally serious about a pine core and masonite top/back.... thats how the Dano/Silvertones & Jerry Jones clones were constructed.... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED..... | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 763 Registered: 9-2008 |
Yea I'm starting to realize that it's less of a possibility to get it to look like the real thing. USA customs has a body for A LOT less so I've emailed them about it and to see if they'd be willing to do any custom routing to it. as for the headstock I highly doubt either company will do the 4+2 headstock but I'm fine with the 6 in-line because the body is all I really care about haha. If I really wanted the headstock I could plug the top 2 tuning holes and drill 2 on the other side, glue a piece of wood to the top of the headstock to make it like the "hook" shape and paint over it to hide all the work. And if I get the body USA custom has then I'll have to use the jazzmaster style tremolo but if I had one built I've thought about going with a bigsby maybe, wanting to have a roller nut and some locking tuners as well. ~Taylor | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 2120 Registered: 10-2003 |
See if they'll sell you a neck with an uncut/undrilled headstock.. John | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 765 Registered: 9-2008 |
hmmm i tried to run it through the "custom neck generator" but didn't see any option for the 30" scale length, I'll email them to see though ~Taylor | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 767 Registered: 9-2008 |
"I'm sorry but we don't have a program to do that" was the reply I got regarding the blank headstock with bass vi length and dimension...warmoth kind of sucks as far as actually getting made how you want.... ~Taylor | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 2125 Registered: 10-2003 |
Maybe you should talk to Mica about a custom?? | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 768 Registered: 9-2008 |
Ha! In my dreams I could. Unless they're willing to do one for $1000 then I won't be able to. Don't have that much expendable income given that I'm still paying for school ~Taylor | ||
| 811952
Senior Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 2126 Registered: 10-2003 |
I completely understand!  | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 816 Registered: 4-2004 |
College is forever.... A first generation Wickersham Alembic isn't..... .....just sayin'..... | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 769 Registered: 9-2008 |
Haha as much I love your thinking pace, I don't quite think my girlfriend or parents will agree! ~Taylor | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 770 Registered: 9-2008 |
crazily one just appeared on ebay today! sadly I know it's going to sell in the $2500 range, here it is so anyone else can check it out, definitely not in the best shape ever... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220933883456&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en#ht_702wt_932 ~Taylor | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 817 Registered: 4-2004 |
Frank (Otis) diggin' into my Alembic Bass VI:  my perspective on girlfriends is the same as college..... (Message edited by pace on January 17, 2012) | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 772 Registered: 9-2008 |
hahaha, that's one sexy bass!!! what are the controls? still waiting to hear back from USACG. on the subject of pickups, a lot of people suggest the Curtis Novak Jaguar pickups for these, does anyone have experience with any of his pickups? they're pretty pricey at $85 each and want to make sure they'd be worth it... also does anyone have a wiring diagram for the 4 switch plate or an extra one available(loaded or unloaded)? i'd much rather have the option of the "strangle" switch than to not have it. ~Taylor | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1811 Registered: 9-2002 |
Taylor, I forgot about these friends of mine at The Guitar Mill (http://guitarmill.com/guitarmill/). These guys are sort of a Warmoth or USACG on a smaller scale. They do a Jag body. I've been there, a small shop with a great atitude in scenic Murfreesboro, TN. Contact my friend Mario Martin (the owner). I believe they'd be pretty flexible about adding or deleting this or that. They deal in mostly the usual Fender woods, so maybe these guys might be the ticket. Actually my favorite guitar building shop I ever visited. They are next door to a smokehouse, so you'd smell sawdust, then lacquer, then ham and bacon ! Not to be missed ! Good Luck, J o e y | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 773 Registered: 9-2008 |
i have something coming together right now, I'll post in a couple days when I know I have the major thing I need. so where I'm at now is what kind of tremolo system to use? I want something surface mounted that requires very little drilling and no routing. at the moment the only thing I can think of would be a Bigsby but I don't know anything about their models, can anyone help me? ~Taylor | ||
| hieronymous
Senior Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 1025 Registered: 1-2005 |
There's a TB-64 on eBay now - I have no relation to the seller, saw it listed on another forum. I know that this isn't what the OP was posting about but thought it might be useful for the discussion: http://www.ebay.com/itm/220933883456 | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1335 Registered: 6-2002 |
A Mosrite style would be way cool. Hallmark makes a repro and roller bridge that looks pretty good. Hallmark parts | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 775 Registered: 9-2008 |
Well I'm happy to announce that I just purchased a fully loaded Teisco TG-64 body which is the guitar version! As soon as I get it I'm going to do some routing and space out the pickups and move the bridge back to appropriate Bass VI dimensions. I finally heard back from USACG and am planning on sending them a neck I have from a Teisco ET-460 for them to copy the shape and upscale to the 30" scale. Now still stuck on getting a tremolo bridge because the body came with a fixed bridge. I'll look into the Hallmark trem but still would love to hear other models that require no routing!! ~Taylor | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 776 Registered: 9-2008 |
Also need help finding tuners that will work with the Fender Bass VI set! ~Taylor | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 819 Registered: 4-2004 |
Taylor, I know that the daddarrio sets are tapered, and will fit inside your typical kluson peg. Instead of going to town on the teisco body, why not give USCG the distance between the bridge and neck pocket, and have the new neck be fretted w/ that as your point of reference? I know warmoth makes baritone necks that are direct swaps for regular guitars in the same fashion.... | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 779 Registered: 9-2008 |
Just thought I'd update this, USACG is currently making the neck for the bass vi, I'm in the process of stripping the paint off of the body I have, I've been in contact with Curtis Novak about some pickups and he said he'll make me some "twangy" bass vi pickups, ordered a Jaguar control plate and am going to get 3, 2-way switches for on/off and keep the "strangle switch" that's currently on the electronics on the body, planning on buying a Fender Jaguar tremolo and possible roller bridge, I just need to figure out all the exact measurements/spacings between the bridge/tremolo and which one needs to be 15" from the 12th fret, also have to route it out for the new pickup locations, going to be doing a crazy paint job on this one that I'll explain if anyone is interested. still a lot of work to get done but it's all coming together ~Taylor |
