Here’s a gallery of pics. Stuff I’m working on. I have a bunch of repairs/custom jobs I started and had to set aside while awaiting parts. Shipping is very slow because of the Coronavirus epidemic. The shipping departments of suppliers and shipping companies are necessarily moving slowly and carefully.
A special shout out to my “ward’, Brianna. She asks every day to help out in the shop and we’ve turned it into a real paid job for her. She is very helpful, taking over some of the tedious and time-consuming jobs for me and just being an over-all delight in the shop. Whoever buys our first “Convertible Tele” guitar will get her autograph on the back of one of the insert tops. That’s pretty special! It is a testament to her hours of labor sanding to perfection and dedication to the job.
Anextra-special shout out to my friend and fellow bass player, Larry Macks for his patronage and sponsorship!!!
Thanks for reading and checking out the pictures and please, please, stay safe. Don’t take any chances with your health and life.And above all, the health and lives of your friends and loved ones.
Love to all,
David T
p.s. Comments are very welcome. You can comment at the end of this article.
The entrance to the workshop from the house. It was a very cool birthday/retirement present from a beloved family member. I love it!Getting the details of the Prototype Bass on paper
The next step is making templates. Although, I have already started a ‘Neck-Through’ version of the BB-1 (BB stands for Brianna Bass).Brianna, the Apprentice
Brianna is helping a lot in the shop while she’s not going to the Life Enrichment Center. This is a paid job for Brianna and she is very enthusiastic and willing to learn.The Fingerboard Fret-Slotting Jig. With this jig, I’ll be able to cut fret slots for guitars and basses of any scale and with any configuration of frets including “multiscale” (also known as “fanned-fret). I found plans for this on the web and built it quite easily.A client’s 1968 Gibson EB-2 Bass.
Look at that Pickup!!!
This is an awesome short-scale bass. It has a very deep, organic sound found on many classic recordings. I’m upgrading the electronics using New-Old-Stock parts along with doing a complete setup including leveling three frets and polishing all of the frets. The neck is very easy to play. With the upgraded electronics the bass should have a punchier, cleaner sound.1968 Gibson EB-Electronics
This is crazy! There’s 4-0.2uF Capacitors and a Resistor. I managed to find the schematic which will make updating a lot easier. The Volume Potentiometer is dated in the 13th week of 1967. NOS parts for this old guy . . .Look at this crazy stuff!!!
I will replace these capacitors with NOS (New-Old_Stock) ones. I think I’ll replace the whole wiring harness so there’s no corruption of the original harness which will be saved.A client’s 1965 Epiphone Acoustic (still looking for the model) Repairing a full-body crack and leveling the frets
Man! This baby sounds good! It’s the kind of guitar you can play hard and it has excellent tone and projection.
1965 Epiphone Acoustic
This is the crack I’m repairing on the back of the guitar seen from the inside. I didn’t even know it was there until I slathered the body with lemon oil (good for the dried-out wood). The oil leaked through the crack. There is a crack on the top that someone else repaired (not very well) that I will try to make the seam look better on the outside.Epiphone Acoustic
The crack I’m fixing is right down the middle. It’s hard to see from the outside. The rest of the cracks are ‘finish’ cracks.My workshop. It still needs a little work. I will add a hanging Dust Hose System, soon. This is a Panorama view.Brianna. The hardest working cleanup crew EVER! My apprentice (Brianna) cleaning up after a very dusty sanding session.
Click on the small pics to get the full picture and also to scroll through them.
I wish I could visit you and your shop. Actually I would like to learn more about working on guitars. My hats off to you and your team. Pretty cool stuff.
Love to you and your family. Greg
I’ve always admired you as a bassist Dave and enjoyed playing with you and Steve White in Slaughterhouse. Clearly you have many more skilled yet to be appreciated. Good on you Dave.
Thanks, Will. You know . . . I’m sorry but, I don’t remember you playing with us in Slaughterhouse. Did you just sit-in? Or am I having a hard time remembering almost 50 years ago?
I wish I could visit you and your shop. Actually I would like to learn more about working on guitars. My hats off to you and your team. Pretty cool stuff.
Love to you and your family. Greg
Well, Greg . . . You are always welcome. Perhaps this Summer we can do some visits to each other. I’d love to visit you in Cheboygan.
I’ve always admired you as a bassist Dave and enjoyed playing with you and Steve White in Slaughterhouse. Clearly you have many more skilled yet to be appreciated. Good on you Dave.
Thanks, Will. You know . . . I’m sorry but, I don’t remember you playing with us in Slaughterhouse. Did you just sit-in? Or am I having a hard time remembering almost 50 years ago?
My mother taught me that “You can do anything you want to . . . If you want to.” I have lived by that advice all my life. Thanks again, Will.