Jet star

[ukulelelab]

Today I picked up my dream bass: 1964 Jet Star bass.
Missing thumb rests, a strange dot on the body between the pickup and the neck and a star shape on the upper horn (I tried to capture it with my phone, perhaps there was a decal there. I don't know).
Overall I can not believe the condition. This really is a survivor and I'll probably die without seeing another one like this. The old roundwounds will be off in a bit and a set of TI flats will be on but first thing first: A large whisky

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Thank God it's not Sunburst! Otherwise I'd be really jealous!

I'm looking for the matching bass!

 

[czach]

There's one on E bay. It's a relic sunburst re-finish.

 

[mellowgerman]

Niiiiiiccceeeeeeee! Congrats. I'd love to play one of these sometime. Such a cool-looking (and I'm sure fantastic-sounding) instrument.

 

[ukulelelab]

Thank you. It is extremely light, very well balanced and resonant. The pickup is really lively and impressive (pole height adjusting screws are very useful). The only issue on that bass is the headstock veneer becoming slightly loose on the top and treble sides, which I understand is a common problem on old Guilds. I don't intend to take this on tour so will leave it as it is.

 

[ukulelelab]

It is 1965 after checking the serial up on the Guild website

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

There's one on E bay. It's a relic sunburst re-finish.

That one has a four-in-line headstock. I'm looking for a two-per-side to match the guitar headstocks above.

 

[ukulelelab]

Does anyone know where I can source a couple of original mid 60's guild bass thumbrests for my jetstar?

 

[ukulelelab]

Charlotte Kemp Muhl (Sean Lennon's girlfriend) has the same bass:

 

[mellowgerman]

Looks like Sean Lennon and I have similar tastes 8)

 

[gilded]

Does anyone know where I can source a couple of original mid 60's guild bass thumbrests for my jetstar?

If you can't find them, I believe you can make them. Check with Hans Moust at guitarchives.nl as a source.

Harry

 

[gilded]

Charlotte Kemp Muhl (Sean Lennon's girlfriend) has the same bass:

Uke', will you wear 'a shade of lipstick to match the bass' (like Charlotte does) when you play out? 8)

 

[ukulelelab]

Uke', will you wear 'a shade of lipstick to match the bass' (like Charlotte does) when you play out?

Not a chance. I'll leave that to her
I'll try to make those thumbrests and ask Hans regarding material, dimensions etc..

 

[CA-35]

You have to kick off your Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and play barefoot too!

 

[ukulelelab]

Newark St. Starfire basses are starting to hit customers in NYC so who knows perhaps I'll be able to pick up a pair of 2nd hand or after market thumbrests

 

[mellowgerman]

hmmm just realized, looking at the charlotte kemp muhl picture that her bass has the same dot between the pickup and the neck...

 

[ukulelelab]

Yes it's the same dot.
here is a close up on mine:

and hers again:

 

[fronobulax]

So what do we think the dot is? I can imagine some graphic/artistic designer deciding to put a dot on the body as some kind of continuation of the fret markers but that kind of thing seems too pretentious for what I imagine Guild would have been like in the 1960's.

 

[gilded]

The Dot!

The dot is also on the pic of a JetStar in Hans' book, page 158.

So why a dot? To cover a hole! My theories revolve around treating the 'symptoms' of a drill hole in the body.:

1. If you pulled the 'dot' out of the body, you would find the head a wood screw, said screw being placed there for the purpose of additionally securing the glued-in tenon joint and the body together. Dobro used to attach some of their necks this way.

2. Perhaps, when they made all the bodies, they put a small hole there, as a place marker for a second pickup.

3. Maybe it was a hole for placing the body on a hook in the paint room (a la Fender guitar bodies) that didn't get plugged in time for the final coats to hide the dowel that wasn't ever installed....

4. Maybe they were gonna cover the durn hole with a pickguard and changed design in mid-stream

5. Well, I don't have a fifth theory, I just didn't figure anybody would read this far... if you did, Congratulations!...LOL

 

[mgod]

Hmmm... mine is dotless. How sad.

Maybe I need to go see Sylvester McMonkey McBean.