al heeley Posted February 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Finally got some time to get back to the bass build today. Here the lower wing has been sanded smooth, binding channel routed and binding glued and trimmed flush. MArked on the routing area for the ctrl cavity. Work started on shaping the neck/headstock; a real apin without access to a bandsaw. Annoying Miscalculation with the jigsaw in cutting the headstock to thickness means its now a little thinner than i would like before final sanding, and there's a bit of an ugly gouge out the back. Maybe I can glue on a 2mm laminate to get back up to thinckness before drilling for the tuners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Made some good progress on the neck carving this evening. Sadly doesn't really show up well in the photo. It's immensely pleasing to see a slim neck carve slowly emerging from a thick slab of wood. Getting this done is a massive milestone in the guitar build. Once it's done, it's time to attach the fretboard and glue the wings. Then she'll really begin to take shape. Ric Pups arrived today, courtesy Rosetti London. Now waiting for the bridge pup mount ring and cover to arrive, which had to be sourced US-side. Watched a 4003 bridge mount and cover soar to a ridiculous price recently on ebay. HORROR! Been searching for a jackplate narrow enough for the slim ric body. Yet another non-standard item with all the UK parts shops selling only the Les Paul and Epiphone generic types, which are too wide. Luckily I have a friend who is a master of metalwork and has promised to fashion me a nice little chrome piece to fit the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 Wiring up the pickguard. Nothing fancy in the end. 500k pots, 0.047uF caps, no extra 'bright'(bass cut) cap or push-pull, output will go to a single mono jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Moving on nicely. Finished profiling the neck. Wings jointed and glued on. Neck block planed flat and flush with wings. Top wing routed and binding fixed. Next job: Rout for pickup cavities and stick on the fretboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Black really does it for me. Here's the first primer/undercoat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 DUDE! :D This is amazing. Excellent work so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capello Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 cant wait to see it finished! it looks great!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andronico Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Looks fantastic ! Congratulations ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Ooooooh - yeah. That's nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Been loading on the Rustins Plastic Coating. Body about 80% finished now. Neck pup cavity routed. Here's a quick progress shot. Thx Setch for the Rustins finishing advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Oh wow... Oh wow! The mahogany works even better with the scheme than the maple would have. Why the decision to paint only the top? Not complaining whatsoever, it looks fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassisgreat Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 (edited) This is a great build! I'd have left the top natural, but it's looking great the way it is! A real classic. Edited February 14, 2008 by Bassisgreat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Disaster - about 10 mins after taking this pic I noticed the top started crazing. I had not spent enough time levelling off earlier priner coats or the wood. it really started bugging me so i 've just spent the last hour in the garage sanding all the paint off back to bare wood and preparing to start again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassisgreat Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 hmmm, perhaps my post about a natural top was a sign. Hope the next round goes better for you. I know it's frustrating to work for hours on something just to go back and have to undo/redo it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Bum luck, dude. Don't give up on the black paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 It happens! My Les Paul got sanded back to barewood when I realised I hadn't adequately filled the grain, and my colour coat just wouldn't get smooth - man I was pissed off! A couple of years down the line, the guitar still looks great, and the afternoon lost sanding is (mostly) forgotten... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Nearly there... Not happy about the finish but I think it's the best I'm going to get within the limitatins of my equipment, ability and patience. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/al_heeley/r1n.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassisgreat Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 It looks great! are we gonna get to hear it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Hoping to finish the neck and electrics, seal the back and string her up at the weekend. Then I need to get the truss rod, fret dressing and nut cut right. Thx all for the good comments and encouragement, it's been a tricky project for me and I can't wait to hear how she sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiki Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 it's looking beautiful! congratulations man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Here she is wired up and strung up for the first time. Not a great pic; you can see the black finish needs more work. the neck could do with another lb of wood off the back and the action needs sorting. However, first quick checks thru the practice amp are very promising; great tone variance from neck and bridge pickups, that deep fruity ric bass tone is there in abundance, I just have to make her a bit more pleasing in the hands. I decided to leave the back and the headstock au naturel. The neck will still need tru-oiling but I've got quite a bit of work left to do slimming it down a bit. I'm confident the authentic ric tone is bursting to get out, once I get a nice slim neck and a good fret levelling what she lacks in cosmetic refinements she will make up for in tone and feel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 looks great! i really think you could pass that off as a real Ric. I really like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inisheer Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 I've never been a real fan of Rics, but I have to admit, watching the progress on this has changed my mind. It looks great, congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Congrats, Al! I like the dark look a lot. Definitely want to see more pics when you get some more work done on it. What type of Ric pickups did you end up getting, I meant to ask you. Vintage, high output...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Extremely nice looking work. You should be proud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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