Washburn B-10 Bass

Hey Guys.

As you may know, I am not a bass player. But I got to play one during a jam the other day and it was FUN!:)

When I was buying a few guitars from a guy the other day, I told him that I was going to refurb them and we got talking about my addiction and GAS.

When I was leaving, he gave me this Washburn B-10 for free. Told me he couldn't fix it and when he was tightening the truss rod, once, he heard a snap. So I took it home to gave a look.

I don't know what happens when you party naked (I have deleted the expletive), but I know that the snap he is talkin' bout was the end of the truss rod breaking...can't be adjusted now. and there's a pretty significant bow in the neck. Aside from that its missing the control cavity plate (easy fix) and i am not worried about the electrics.

I don't know if its a good bass or not, so I don't know if i should sink any money in to fix it.:eek:

The question is....what should I do with it?:confused:

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I guess the fretboard has to come off for a truss rod replacement but an easier alternative would be to get a PBG neck that has the same size or slightly wider heel and mod it to fit.

That's a great get by the way, can't go wrong at the price

The model number indicates it's a low-end bass, though it's supposed to have an ebony neck and active pickups. Made from 1986-91.

The unique neck-end shape precludes getting a low-cost replacement neck for it.

So you either use it as practice neck for removing the fingerboard and replacing the truss rod, or you strip most of the parts and fit them to a kit Jazz bass (omitting the pickup selector switch) - with the proviso that the B-10 may have a narrower string spacing than a PBG JB, so you might not want to use the nice solid looking bridge. I'd measure and compare it against a standard PBG kit bridge spacing. Someone here should be able to give you the PBG string spacing.

As for the sound, there's nothing stopping you plugging it in and seeing what it sounds like, regardless of the action. You either like the sound, or you don't.

Hi mate, interesting little project you have got here?

I would at least take the neck off to see if there is any way to get at the truss rod from the heel end of things. If not that has just upped the degree of difficulty plenty.

YB4 neck might be closest PBG one that could fit. Maybe there is a Washburn one on eBay somewhere out there in the world?

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Originally Posted by wazkelly

I would at least take the neck off to see if there is any way to get at the truss rod from the heel end of things. If not that has just upped the degree of difficulty plenty.

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The truss rod is adjusted from the headstock end, so there won't be any chance of heel access (generic photo, not actual guitar).

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I guess the trick is figuring out what the factory used to secure the board. I've stripped the boards from both of my first two PBG kits and it's not hard if you set up correctly for it.

Given that the bass was a freebie and it's going to need a re-finish any way, it may be a good tester to have a crack at stripping the board.

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Originally Posted by FrankenWashie

I guess the trick is figuring out what the factory used to secure the board. I've stripped the boards from both of my first two PBG kits and it's not hard if you set up correctly for it.

Given that the bass was a freebie and it's going to need a re-finish any way, it may be a good tester to have a crack at stripping the board.

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Basically got nothing to lose and could learn a whole new skill set in the process. Still reckon there could be a substitute neck option, just might need a bit of filler on the body. Looks like 22 frets and gotta wonder what the scale length is as in that shot everything looks very long indeed. If scale is 34" from nut to G saddle that is pretty standard and almost anything could fit however there would most likely be a bit of bodywork required.

Online reviews for it are favourable so probably worth having a crack at salvaging.

@ Andy40 If I were you I'd do a quick search of eBay to see if there was a second-hand replacement neck going for a good price, sometimes I've gotten pretty lucky, second option would be to have a yarn with Adam and see if he could do a custom order for you, it looks like a pretty cool bass, and I agree, playing bass is lots of fun.

Have you tried to adjust the truss yourself yet? It's a long shot, but I had given up on my Ibanez for about 8 years after I was told by a guitar shop repairer that it was stuffed and needed a new neck. Turns out it was just a bit stuck.

But, that hardware looks like some decent stuff. I would definitely consider throwing it all on a new kit if the neck repair seems too daunting.

Thanks Simon, FW, Doc and Waz. all great ideas.

Yeah Pabs, I was trying to adjust the truss rod myself and then I noticed that there was no end bit for the allen key. Its snapped off and there is just the butt end of the shaft you can see.

I did consider FW taking the fretbard off (its rosewood not ebony) to replace the truss rod and re-placing the fret board. As yeah, I agree, what a cool skill.

But I think costwise, some of the Bass kits are on sale and cost 5/8ths of nothing at the moment, so maybe pilphering the electrics and buying a kit is better.

Hey Andy, just caught this thread. I have to agree I'd put some of the hardware on a kit. Replacement neck could cost almost as much as a kit and no guarantee it will fit. It needs a total re-finish, so you could make a clock out of the body
I got a strat with a broken truss rod in the neck as a bar display axe !

As you say, Bass kit is not a great cost, and in terms of degree of effort or stress the least painful path. I won't lie, if you intend to re-use the fretboard, trying to get it off without a major whoopsie and many bad words can elevate the heart rate to uncomfortable levels.

Then once you've discovered what you've got and what you need to do to it to correct things and you've corrected things, you've got to get the bugger back on and securely glued, another potential episode of Tourette's right there.

It is cool when it all comes off the way you intended (See my EXA build) but when it all goes a horrid shade of brown its quite disconcerting (See my SV1 build, even though I had no intention of re-using that board, it was still a shame).

lmao thats a funny post FW I'll have to check out those threads

With some free time (HAHAHAHAHAHA, wtf is free time?) I may actually get one or both of these kits finished this year(ish).

Sounds like no choice but to cannibalise and an Ash J Bass PBG kit may be the one to go for.

Waz....I'm convinced...watched your video again. Ash J Bass PBG kit on its way to Brisvegas

You won't regret it Andy.

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Originally Posted by Andy40

Waz....I'm convinced...watched your video again. Ash J Bass PBG kit on its way to Brisvegas

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Nice one Andy!