Restoring a Peavey Patriot Bass...

Got this bass guitar from a friend of mine, it was in rough shape (cracked pick guard at the input jack, missing screws, surface rust, tarnishing, scratches, etc). So decided at 11pm to take it all apart and restore it to some extent.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Unfortunately I don’t have a “before” of the cracked pick guard, but it was essentially broken into 3 different pieces and was only held together with the pressure of the screw. Also, the input jack was fucked, so I replaced it with a new one, re-soldered the connections and it was good to go.

Making the pickguard from scratch:

Painted the underside, similar to how RC cars are painted…

Also refinished the body of the guitar…aircraft stripper, sanded and then a nice coat of UV resistant poly urethane:

Also polished the fret board and frets:

And…the finished project (sans the strings)

dude, that came out GREAT. my eyecrometer tells me the long straight edge of the pickgaurd (just below the pickup) isn’t quite so straight but bang-up job otherwise lol

It’s not perfect :frowning: in my defense though I was using a jigsaw in 20 degree weather =P lol.

It’ll work though, it’s going to get a ton of use!

OH BTW…this bass is from circa 1983…those were original strings and everything.

---------- Post added at 03:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:20 PM ----------

And…they don’t make replacement pick guards for this particular model bass, and to buy a replacement from a company that makes NOS parts, it was going to be $60 lol

Very nice job dude. I wouldn’t have the patience. If you want I have an Ibanez Gio guitar that needs some work.

I hope you replaced the strings btw.

Yeah I bought some new Ernie Ball round-wound strings, I was going to go with flat wound but I didn’t want to have too much of a mellow sound as I don’t play that kind of music.

I heard you started a band… playing Brand New and Taking Back Sunday songs…

I heard you like 17 year old girls…so it works out well for both of us… <3 lol

my jailbait thing went off.

:bigclap:

Psh…17 year old girls don’t know who Brand New are.

Nice work!

I was a bit nervous when I saw the pickguard at first, but it really looks a lot better now.

:tup: to continuing to play. I know too many people (myself included, ugh) who are “too busy” to play anymore.

I played guitar from age 14-18 with only 6 months of lessons…went to UB for architecture and didnt TOUCH my guitars for 5 yrs. I lost nearly all progress I made 14-18 and it was like starting over when I picked it back up about 3 yrs ago. I really wish I would have made more effort to at least retain what I had learned. I’m not terrible by any means and I’m a fast learner, but I really am dying to take lessons again to get some knowledge in theory and all that. I just can’t dedicate the time to go for lessons right now, so I guess I’ll settle for self-teaching techniques by jamming with better musicians and watching how-to videos lol. Never too late to pick it back up though in my opinion jeff…a dude at work is 54 and started playing 2 yrs ago and he’s pretty damn good now. Granted he spends about 4hrs a day practicing becuase its his ONLY hobby

Nick, I am sure my dad would teach you, but I know he only does tabs or just starts jamming to the song. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s a genius when it comes to playing music.

you’re dad is great for sure…I only do tabs as well…but I need to learn stuff like modes, keys, chord relations, and stuff like that. I can learn how to play ANYTHING that is already composed, I want to be capable of arranging my own music without it being 100% by accident…I can come up with a riff or a chord progression but don’t know how to make a chorus, interlude, bridge, etc…

I wish I could, but my instrument is saxophone so I can’t play it in my apartment :(. I had planned to go to college for jazz performance before deciding that I wanted to make an actual living, haha. I play some guitar but I really kind of suck at it so I don’t pick it up all that often anymore.

Definitely jam with other people whenever you get a chance, that’s what I miss most and it teaches you more than any other form of practice. I’m hoping I can find community ensembles when I get to Chicago, like Eastman has in Rochester.

Same here. I’ve been playing for about 10 years now without a hint of lessons. I’m capable of writing music and have. I’ve been in bands before and been invited to join various bands, including some “well” known bands around Buffalo. I was also voted most musical in high school with almost no knowledge of theory, chords, scales etc. I’d love to be formally taught, but I’m afraid I’ve already taught myself out of anyone teaching me. I think I’m too stuck in my method of playing.