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Post subject: Restoring a '65 P-Bass
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:10 am
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Location: Texas
I am looking for origanal replacement parts for my '65 and possible upgrades for the pick-ups. Any help where to look would be greatly appreciated.


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:14 am
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Location: In the pocket north of Washington D.C.
Fender dealer for a pickup and more reasonably priced parts than Ebay.

Any original 1965 parts will be extremely expensive : like $400 for a pickguard!

I would buy new parts to get the bass up and running. keep a lookout for older parts as you can get them.

Post a pic if you can. It sounds sweet.

_________________
If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum.


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Post subject: Cool!
Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:57 am
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Nice year. In my signature is a link that goes to my resources page. There are TWO headings to checkout for your project. INSTRUMENT MAINTENANCE will have the wiring diagram. Then scroll a little farther down to REPLACEMENT/UPGRADE BASS PARTS.

I agree with BC. I'd also add that you should get it working using as many of the currently installed parts as you can. I'd buy new parts only as needed to get it restored. We don't know what parts you need beyond the pickup which you specifically mention. But whatever you need just buy new stuff. Year specific parts are painfully expensive. You actually might be better off to just buy another complete 65 P-bass and take what parts you need from it and part out the rest on eBay.

If the pickup is dead or dying, with a bass of this vintage I'd have a reputable pickup custom shop rewind and restore the original pickup and then put the original back in instead of slapping in a new pickup. This is probably only worth the trouble if the pickup is original. Links to the top services are also on my RESOURCES page. Good luck!


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 1:40 pm
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I restored my 65 P-Bass about two years ago. It has all original parts, but they were extreamly rusty, so I boxed them and replaced all the hardware. The wood it pretty beat up too, but it looks cool with the new hardware. The thing I had the most trouble with is getting the correct tuners. Tuners that said they were direct replacements for the 60's P-Bass had screw holes with a different spacing. I can't remember which ones I ended up with.


I replaced the pickup because I thought it was dead (replaced with a duncan quarter pond) but later I realized that it was just a bad wire between the two pickups and i'm going to try putting the originals back in next week.

The 65 is a great playing bass.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:10 pm
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Well I put the old pickups back in and i'm not sure if there is still a problem or I just don't like the sound.
It sounds real week and the low string is VERY tinny.
It does make sound however, so it's not a bad connection like before.

Any thoughts?

-Eddie


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:11 pm
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The ones I had in before were the Duncan QuarterPounds which I liked, but wanted to try the originals since I found the broken solder connection.
-Eddie


Last edited by eddie_bowers on Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:38 pm
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if you're think about changing the pickups, try lindy fralin pickups they have more of a vintage tone


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:07 pm
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Again on a bass of this vintage I'd try to keep as many original parts as possible and REWIND the ORIGINAL pickups. Any custom pickup shop can do this for you. Even Seymour Duncan has a "Custom Shop" that rewinds pups. They are all about the same price due to the amount of labor involved and a rewind costs about the same as new pickups but they will not be the original pickups which will matter a lot if you ever have it appraised.


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Post subject: BassLines Quarter Ponders
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:58 pm
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I appreciate all the input more than you know. I am keeping my original pick-ups and will have them repaired as mentioned. I have decided not to restore too much due to cost. All parts are still original except pots and the pick-ups I decided to install for a hotter sound and the wiring. I am having a problem with getting my quarter ponders installed. I followed the diagram provided SD but it does nothing. I can't find an exact wiring diagram of a '65 but i have found many others. Any suggestions on which might work. I am playing at my church tomorrow night and trying to get her up and running. Any advice is appreciated more than you could imagine.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:02 pm
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I never intend getting rid of this bass. I grew up learning to play on it. All I plan on doing is getting these dang SD-Basslines Quarter Ponders working. I did get a new pickguard due to the old one was cracked really bad around the jack input.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:11 pm
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Jash006 wrote:
I never intend getting rid of this bass. I grew up learning to play on it. All I plan on doing is getting these dang SD-Basslines Quarter Ponders working. I did get a new pickguard due to the old one was cracked really bad around the jack input.


This diagram works:
Image


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 2:10 pm
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One more thing. The diagram calls for a 0.10 capacitor. I prefer a 0.05 there. 0.10 will be a darker more bassy sound. It is ok, but I like a slightly brighter sound.


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