Bronco Bass conversion: Belew-Bronco-Stang-Caster

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:59 am

Small update:

I found the Kluson "deluxe" tuners yesterday in the attic, so all I need now for this thing to make a noise is to sort out a nut.

As for finishing, that red that is on there is thick horrible poly, so I guess heat is the easiest option of getting it off? I tried paint stripper and it didnt even make a mark.

Rhysyrhys · Post by **Rhysyrhys** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:26 pm

Any refinishing I've done has needed a few different types of sand paper. If you have a power sander (one of the mouse style ones, not the drill attachment rotating style or belt sander (because they are hard to control how much you're sanding off)) use that for the first few passes and then uses finer and finer paper to get a smooth and paint ready body.

Some people swear by heat guns, personally I think they're dangerous to you and your guitar. You can get mental paint stripper for cars and shit but always remember your safety goggles and masks and ting it's badboy stuff.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:46 pm

Heat gun??

No BLOW TORCH

moore65 · Post by **moore65** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:27 am

I sanded the finish off my Bronco bass using sandpaper by hand. I'm sure it would be way easier with a power tool sander, if those exist. If you're going for a vintage look, I'd sand off part of the finish - but not all - so that whatever you paint over it will relic easily.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:31 am

i lightly scuffed the paint on my bronco bass and blasted that shit with krylon.

jumbledupthinking · Post by **jumbledupthinking** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:27 am

I did pretty much exactly this too...

Quick going-over & scuffing up the existing finish with sandpaper.

Sprayed liberally with paint (Montana Gold in my case)

Put back together when dry (I didn't even bother with clear on mine). Not going to claim that it looks like a factory-perfect finish, but it looks good.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:12 pm

Whats the difference in size between the Mustang Bass body dimensions and the regular Mustang's, does anyone know? Its a cool idea though!

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:51 pm

Don't think there is much of difference size wise only real thing is the neck pocket.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:05 pm

rps-10 wrote:Don't think there is much of difference size wise only real thing is the neck pocket.

yeah, that looks about right, and the bridge placement is farther back, plus the obvious diffence of the pickup routing(would work for a single pickup, and the lack of routing for the mustang bridge.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 10:16 am

Had house to myself on Saturday so got it all together. Coping saw to modify the pick guard

Action is way way high and I need to find a set of micro Allen keys so I can adjust the bridge saddles etc. Neck feels too big for me, even though I did custom order it, over 10 years ago.

I'm inclined to leave it as a one pickup Punk guitar now and in time I'll get rid of the horrible thick poly red and maybe even get a proper guard made.
Needs string trees. Plus if I did ever add another pickup in near the neck I'd relocate the jack to the body side like a Tele/LP and have two vols and one tone, no switching just blending of TOANZ.

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:26 pm

New direction for this thing...

I'm not happy with the strat neck and Kahler on there, so they will come off and maybe sold off to fund some new parts.

The eldest has given up guitar lessons at school so I'm going to nick the neck off the Jagmaster (ex UlricvonCatalyst) he's been using and use it on here along with a tele style bridge making the guitar 24" scale and fixed bridge with a single pickup. (kind of a Tele-Sonic I guess?)

Hopefully will end up with a nice light guitar for the eldest and the other childrens to bash around the house, the Jagmaster is way too heavy for what it is.

h8mtv · Post by **h8mtv** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:30 pm

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rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:58 pm

Yeah something like that, but with the full tele style bridge and most likely a one piece pick guard.
I would like to finish it in a dark stain like AddamInsane did with his project but seeing as there will be a few filler marks left exposed I may go for a white finish and then let the kids loose with their paints on it - then clear coat the resulting mayhem

BillClay · Post by **BillClay** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:51 pm

shucks man, I loved the belew bronco. Good luck to you.

au_loki · Post by **au_loki** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:35 pm

I was thinking of doing a similar job but with a fixed bridge (tele split bridge or similar) any recommendations?
Thanks in advance

au_loki · Post by **au_loki** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 5:35 am

I think I've nailed it - duosonic bridge. Can't believe it took so long to come to that

Cagethelephant · Post by **Cagethelephant** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 3:46 pm

This looks awesome!!

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:22 pm

This is our new direction, we hope you like it

As stated previously got rid of the kahler and USCG neck and went in some other direction. It's pretty much a shortscale build now even though it is a 25.5" scale guitar.
As in most of its parts have been sourced via Shortscale.org. Main ones being:

Moldy Squier STRAT neck from UlricvonCatalyst
Kluson clone tuners from Johno
Pickups from Johnnyseven

So filled in the hole I made for the kahler. Won a 1 pence Tele bridge of ebay (Â£6 delivery)
Cut deeper tummy contour.

This was the status last night.
The existing tuner holes were bigger than the bushings of the tuners I got off Johno, so cocktail sticks were employed in the bodge to make a snugger fit.

Found some old strings and lined up the bridge by hand and eye.

Tonight, after spending all day painting the hallway and stairs and landing...

Soldered in tele bridge pickup and ground to bridge.
Hand chiselled out hole for tele bridge pickup.
Mutilated the pickguard even more so the bridge will fit.
Put it all back together and have this a result so far

Just need to set it up now so it's playable now.

In the future I would like to get a proper guard made up and also get the tele style neck pickup routed out so it becomes a two pickup guitar. Also do string through - if and when I get long enough drill bit of correct size.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:02 am

Are you going to refinish it?

rps-10 · Post by **rps-10** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:30 am

Yes.
THat will be the last thing to do, no.point in going through a finish if the thing plays like a piece of firewood.