The Restoration of a Fender 2000 D10

[basilh]

Hammerite Alan,it's the only paint for the frame..

[Mike DiAlesandro]

I know this is a 4+ year old thread! but I am curious, did this project ever get finished?

[Alan Brookes]

No. After attempting to fill holes and reshape the worst of the necks I came to the conclusion that it was far too gone and needed a complete new neck.
In the meantime I managed to get my hands on a brand new same model at a knocked-down price, but in view of the problems I've been encountering in cables getting tangled up in all my Fender cable models I've put the job aside. I may build a new neck to replace the old one, and change the mechanism over to use automobile brake cables, but I have a lot of other jobs on my list before I get to it, one of which is converting a Harlin Multi-Kord over to regular pedals.

I just looked at the date of the original post and it was over six years ago. I didn't realise it was so long. Time flies. I've retired since then, so I have more time on my hands now to work on instruments and record music. I'm currently working on an Hawaiian album.

[Mike DiAlesandro]

Thanks for the update Alan. I really liked your thread about the Stringmaster rebuild!

[Craig Baker]

Hi Alan,
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. My first steel was a Fender 800, the single neck version of the 2000. Mine was the same beautiful blue color as yours, and if I recall, it had a slight "metalic" appearance. You rarely see them in that color. That Wednesday afternoon in 1966 when I stopped by Clemmers Music in Harleysville, PA, it was love at first sight. In the late 70s I converted the under carriage to a system of pull rods and bell cranks, all set in ball bearings. Sadly, the guitar went through a flood in the early 80's. Wish I could find it today. It's easy to say don't give up on it Alan. . . but it really is a ton of work.

Sincerely,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

[basilh]

I have a lot of other jobs on my list before I get to it, one of which is converting a Harlin Multi-Kord over to regular pedals.

That we HAVE to see and hear..
My first pedal steel was a Gibson EH-610 (A poor man's copy of the Multi-Kord mechanism..)

[Bob Gibler]

Alan, do you know what kind of wood it's made from? I know Fender used to use swamp ash that's supposed to really enhance the sound.

All jokes apart, your comment set me thinking. I don't want to change the sound of the instrument, so I think I'll keep the original wood and work on it. It may take longer, but splicing in more wood to replace the rotted wood will probably be the better course.

So, the next thing I've done is applied sealant to the underneath, where wood is peeling away but not too deep...

[/quote

Andy, Before you commit to using the cabinet wood you have there, you might get it checked out by a professional woodworker to see what wood you have there. then decide if you want to completely rebuild a new cabinet or splice in wood.. The reason I say this is that sound resonates through the cabinet and if you have block splices in the wood from repairs. The joints will disrupt the flow of the sound waves and the tone value will change some. I personally would find the same wood and rebuild from a new foundation and maybe receive less headaches. JUST A THOUGHT.

[Alan Brookes]

Basil, it's a shame we live 5000 miles apart. I know that you have become an expert on Fender cable models over the years, and could help me set up the three I have in storage right now. In return, I could help you out with some Fender spare parts.

It's good to see you posting on the Forum again. We miss you.

[basilh]

I'll be back Alan it's just all beginning to come together now, the new TV Station and my weekly instrumental spot. 5 Year contract for the show, and much more.
The station launches on Paddy's day (March 17th 2014) and is a 24/7 Irish ethnically orientated station. Satellite TV (HiDef) and also streaming.I'm musical director for the Saturday night chat show..

[Alan Brookes]

Do you have to be Ireland to do that, or can you do it from home?
I'm planning on being over in your area in February or March, so we can get together and do some recording.

[John Billings]

"did you determine whether the finish (Lake Placid Blue)or (San Marino Blue) is actually a 'factory' job "

I think San Marino was a bit darker, and somewhat metallicy? Looks like my '57 Strat, which a collector told me was San Marino. Or,,,,, are they actually the same color?

[basilh]

The station's hub is in Birmingham and the studios are also there. Look forward to seeing you Alan, we maybe can finish off Night Life ?

[Chris Lucker]

It is a shame i did not know you needed a cabinet. I have gotten rid of a couple of them since 2007. I can check to see if the owner of one of them still has the one I gave him.

Chris

[Alan Brookes]

Chris, it's not the cabinet that the instrument needs, (if, by that, you mean the cast iron frame), it's just the neck, which is supposed to be "swamp ash", but, in the case of this instrument has too much swamp and not enough ash.

Basil, "Night Life" is complete except that it needs the pedal steel part recorded.

John, the finish looks like the deeper blue that came with the instrument originally. The finish is actually in quite good condition on the remaining neck. This guitar was a double ten, which is rarer than the more-common double eight.

[Chris Lucker]

I meant the wood, but the frame would come with it anyway as they are kinda useless without each other.

[Jan Viljoen]

Is the project coming on ?

[Alan Brookes]

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ght=hybrid
Yes Jan, but not as I originally intended. It was too far gone, so I decided to take the usable parts and build a hybrid 2000/Stringmaster with them. I gave the frame and cable parts to a fellow luthier who is well-known in the Forum, sold the mechanisms, and discarded the rotten neck. I still have the one good neck, but I haven't used it.
Check out the above post. I've almost finished it.