Put the new switch in my Columbus EB-3 today.
Works a treat, actually being able to properly switch pickups makes a lot of difference and the bridge pickup comes through a lot more, suggesting dodgy contact in the original switch (but then it was nearly 40 years old so not surprising really). Also my best soldering job yet, big thanks to Mr. Foxen for the solder recommendation... lead solder really does flow a hell of a lot better.
Next on the list is buggering about with coil splits on the Retrovibe RV4. Have heard that using one of the tone pots as a variable split for the neck pickup and wiring the other as master tone works a treat so I'll have a go at that as it means spending no money (which is good as I'm unemployed. Again.)
Showing posts with label Columbus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Columbus. Show all posts
Monday, 16 January 2012
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Quickie - Columbus EB-3 Thumb Rest
Added a thumb rest to my Columbus EB-3 copy, meaning I can finally play it in my proferred position without having to have my right hand completely 'floating'.
Also got a switch to replace the busted one it has already.
Also got a switch to replace the busted one it has already.
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Project Weekend! - Columbus EB-3
Well, the gunky, dusty, stickery bass I got free is now a shinyclean bass I got free.
I removed the damaged old nut (which I meant to photograph but forgot) and then I thoroughly cleaned everything that looked like it needed a clean (which was most of it). I started with some synthetic wire wool which took all the dirt/rust of the frets, bridge and pickups. After that I scraped the stickers off and removed the gunk with WD-40, then I gave everything a quick wipedown with a clean cloth to remove all dust and residue. Next I gave the body, headstock and back of the neck a polish with some handy furniture polish I had in the cupboard (not completely ideal but this isn't a show instrument and I'm not going to go out in this heat just to get some 'proper' guitar polish) and rubbed some lemon oil into the fretboard to make it all nice. Then I used the cloth to give the metal bits a quick buff.
After everything was shiny I installed the new brass nut with a little PVA to hold it as it's a little narrower than the original so isn't a snug fit. Once the glue was dry I restrung it using the strings it came with and trimmed the excess wire the previous owner had left on them to make it all a bit neater. Finally I added the new strap buttons, moving the one that originally would have gone on the neck to the bass side horn.
I removed the damaged old nut (which I meant to photograph but forgot) and then I thoroughly cleaned everything that looked like it needed a clean (which was most of it). I started with some synthetic wire wool which took all the dirt/rust of the frets, bridge and pickups. After that I scraped the stickers off and removed the gunk with WD-40, then I gave everything a quick wipedown with a clean cloth to remove all dust and residue. Next I gave the body, headstock and back of the neck a polish with some handy furniture polish I had in the cupboard (not completely ideal but this isn't a show instrument and I'm not going to go out in this heat just to get some 'proper' guitar polish) and rubbed some lemon oil into the fretboard to make it all nice. Then I used the cloth to give the metal bits a quick buff.
After everything was shiny I installed the new brass nut with a little PVA to hold it as it's a little narrower than the original so isn't a snug fit. Once the glue was dry I restrung it using the strings it came with and trimmed the excess wire the previous owner had left on them to make it all a bit neater. Finally I added the new strap buttons, moving the one that originally would have gone on the neck to the bass side horn.
Friday, 30 September 2011
Project Weekend!
Due to minor injuries (not mine) I will not be having my planned weekend of running around some woods with a rubber sword pretending to be an elf... so this weekend becomes Project Weekend! Yay!
I plan to have both the Swift LP and Columbus EB-3 in working order by Sunday night. Whether this actually happens probably depends on how hot the weather is, but I full intend to at least have a go at it.
I plan to have both the Swift LP and Columbus EB-3 in working order by Sunday night. Whether this actually happens probably depends on how hot the weather is, but I full intend to at least have a go at it.
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Columbus EB-3 Copy - First Impressions
Well, I had a bit of a play with the bass before I started taking bits off for clean up.
First impressions are good. The finish is translucent (and pretty bashed about, but it is 40-odd years old), which means obvious plywood is obvious, but overall the quality of the materials and workmanship isn't at all bad and the neck appears to have been carved from a single piece rather than two as is common on cheaper necks with angled headstocks. The fretboard is nice and smooth, all the (quite small, considering I'm used to medium jumbos) frets are in good nick and the binding is very well done. The bridge is some weird floating thingy that seems to be a hybrid of the old Gibson 2-point bridges and the original Danelectro bridges and the strings are bent almost at right angles between the bit where the ball ends anchor (which is quite sturdily fixed to the body) and the bridge itself. Oh, and it turns out the 'saddle' isn't fixed to the bridge and has been stamped out of some cheap, thin metal.
It's pretty comfortable to play sat on my knee (the guy kept the strap buttons, so I presume they must've been expensive ones for strap locks or something) and despite the deeeeeep neck pocket upper fret access isn't too much of a pain (though keeping this once I've put new strap buttons on it will necessitate relocating the one that was on the neck). Plugged in it gives a good sound... with the neck pickup. The bridge pickup is, frankly, useless on its own and sucks a lot of tone out of the thing when both are on. Don't know if this is because it's a rubbish pickup or if it just needs bringing closer to the strings, I'll find out when I've cleaned it up and put the strings back on! The volume and tone pots are not at all scratchy and all seem to work fine. Might replace the caps though, they've got those cheapo green ones at the moment. The switch is on its last legs, it has a lot of side-to-side movement and no longer 'clicks' when used so that'll need replacing too.
Next week I'll be doing the full clean up and replacing the nut as the current one is seriously damaged and I just happen to have a brass one lying around because of a parts order where I first got the wrong stuff, but then got the right stuff but was allowed to keep the wrong stuff. Win.
First impressions are good. The finish is translucent (and pretty bashed about, but it is 40-odd years old), which means obvious plywood is obvious, but overall the quality of the materials and workmanship isn't at all bad and the neck appears to have been carved from a single piece rather than two as is common on cheaper necks with angled headstocks. The fretboard is nice and smooth, all the (quite small, considering I'm used to medium jumbos) frets are in good nick and the binding is very well done. The bridge is some weird floating thingy that seems to be a hybrid of the old Gibson 2-point bridges and the original Danelectro bridges and the strings are bent almost at right angles between the bit where the ball ends anchor (which is quite sturdily fixed to the body) and the bridge itself. Oh, and it turns out the 'saddle' isn't fixed to the bridge and has been stamped out of some cheap, thin metal.
It's pretty comfortable to play sat on my knee (the guy kept the strap buttons, so I presume they must've been expensive ones for strap locks or something) and despite the deeeeeep neck pocket upper fret access isn't too much of a pain (though keeping this once I've put new strap buttons on it will necessitate relocating the one that was on the neck). Plugged in it gives a good sound... with the neck pickup. The bridge pickup is, frankly, useless on its own and sucks a lot of tone out of the thing when both are on. Don't know if this is because it's a rubbish pickup or if it just needs bringing closer to the strings, I'll find out when I've cleaned it up and put the strings back on! The volume and tone pots are not at all scratchy and all seem to work fine. Might replace the caps though, they've got those cheapo green ones at the moment. The switch is on its last legs, it has a lot of side-to-side movement and no longer 'clicks' when used so that'll need replacing too.
Next week I'll be doing the full clean up and replacing the nut as the current one is seriously damaged and I just happen to have a brass one lying around because of a parts order where I first got the wrong stuff, but then got the right stuff but was allowed to keep the wrong stuff. Win.
Monday, 26 September 2011
Late 60s Columbus EB-3 copy
So... the early 70s Jazz copy I reported on yesterday turned out to be a late 60s EB-3 copy. Which, frankly is a bit more of a win as I've wanted an EB-3 style bass for ages and as it's a freebie I don't lose anything if it turns out I don't like playing it.
Strings are new, but will probably get some new ones anyway because it's short scale and the nut is in dire need of replacing.
And I reckon I could get a better bridge too.
Strings are new, but will probably get some new ones anyway because it's short scale and the nut is in dire need of replacing.
And I reckon I could get a better bridge too.
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Early 70s Columbus Jazz Bass
Edit: turned out to be a 60s EB-3 copy... see next post for more details.
Columbus were a brand that ran from the late 60s to the early 80s and were put together in the Ibanez factory a Japanese factory that may or may not have been one of the ones also used by Ibanez. Not seen many pics of them, but with any luck it'll be a tobacco burst with bound fretboard and block inlays. Because that looks nice.
Will probably do the 'usual' mods on this... so swapping out the electronics, and possibly the pickups as well.
I'll post pictures tomorrow evening.
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