j. pierce Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 What exactly is a "scoobie"? It's looking very nice though! I'm excited to see this build come together. What did you label your trussrod cover with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 scoobies are those hollow pvc tubes that all the kids round here had a few months ago creating various plaited things of different colours - zip pulls, key fobs, etc. The lettering is just deskjet printed onto acetate sheet, then cut out carefully and a few coats of clear acrylic sprayed on the top to seal it in. Jeez, I'm giving away all my home secrets.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 definately stealing the scoobie idea... mind you, none of the kids would be seen dead with them now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Heh, thats how I got hold of the rest of my duaghters stock Scored some wood today. A small departure from authent-rickity - just cut the rough body wing shape out of mahogany; this will get a maple cap (well it works for Gibson and PRS) The neck is 2 pieces of maple with a central cherry strip to add a little flavour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travismoore Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Looking good =D Keep it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TemjinStrife Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I dunno, I always thought a rear-routed 4003 would look really classy... but I'm not a pickguard kind of guy, so to each his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 I dunno, I always thought a rear-routed 4003 would look really classy... but I'm not a pickguard kind of guy, so to each his own. The pickguard is ESSENTIAL to any Ric design. How do you cut your pickguard? Nice clean work there. And how did you apply the lable to the TRC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 How do you cut your pickguard? Nice clean work there. And how did you apply the lable to the TRC?Cut simply with a coping saw. The TRC logo was deskjet-printed onto acetate sheet then cut and stuck to the TRC, and a few light coats of acrylic clear lacquer applied to seal it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Birth of the neck. Here she is, all clamped up and oozing PVA. Luverly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 More work on the body. Mahogany base and maple cap cut to size, being glued together. the pencil line marks the final thickness of the cap - a lot to plane off over the weekend. This brings the body depth to the regulation ric 1 1/4 inches and also the maple cap thickness will then match the depth of my white binding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Maple cap on the mahogany wings has been planed to thickness and edges sanded smooth. The maple will be routed for the binding later once the wings and neck-thru have been joined. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/al_heeley/mcap.jpg Here's a quick mock-up to show the body and neck together. Next it's time to start carving and shaping the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 I'm really getting off on this build. It's easily the best WIP we have right now. It's looking GREAT so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 This is darn amazing - loving this build. Totally agree with Avengers' comments. The maple will be routed for the binding later once the wings and neck-thru have been joined. When I did a neckthrough, I found it easier to at least route the binding channels on the upper horns (where it meets the neck) before joining the wings and through-neck. Taking advantage of the fact that the router does that job so well by letting it get in there and such, rather than cleaning up the last bit with a chisel or something. (Not that that doesn't work as well.) Also keeping that big binding router bit as far away from my neck as I can. (Not that I didn't learn that mistake the hard way or anything! ) Of course, I waited until things where joined to do the rest of the binding channel around the thing. EDIT: What are you using for pickups? Trying to get originals, or using the Duncans, or what? I can say I love the Seymour Duncan Rick bass neck p'up, but I haven't tried their bridge model yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Thx guys - good advice on the binding routing at the neck join - makes good sense that. On the pickup front, I am in search of proper ricky pups and it's been a steep task. My search continues. If there's anyone out there that come across any in their travels pleasse let me know! Hard enough to get hold of in the US but in the UK it's nearly impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted January 27, 2008 Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 That is great advice on the early binding. I am now wishing I had cut the channel on my headstock before attaching the fretboard because the fretboard is taller than the headstock and prevents a router base from cutting the areas near the nut. Anyhow, excellent work, I really like the design and how clean your work is. Keep up the great work and keep those progress pics rolling in. Best of luck. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 27, 2008 Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 That is great advice on the early binding. I am now wishing I had cut the channel on my headstock before attaching the fretboard because the fretboard is taller than the headstock and prevents a router base from cutting the areas near the nut. I ran into the same problem on a build. Since my board was bound, I ran the headstock binding up all the way through the board, continuing the headstock angle and melted the two bindings together(headstock and fretboard), so at least I didn't have to worry about the hitting the fretboard with the router bit. Of course this only would work if the fretboard and headstock binding was the same, it'd look weird if you had multiple binding on the headstock and just single binding on the board. Anyway, what I did, was since my headstock template was just a throw-away MDF copy of my master, I notched the back of it so it would sit over the fretboard, and attached it to the tuner holes. Then I routed the binding channel, routing away part of the template in the process, but the added height of the template was enough to raise the router so that the base of the router didn't run afoul of the fretboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 Here the thru-neck block has been planed and sanded level, fretboard position and nut marked on, and truss rod channel routed. (Yes I know, rod is wrong way up here but the blue colour makes for a better pic ). On either side of the truss rod channel I've routed a 6mm channel to take the carbon fibre reinforcing rods. Hopefully this will mean I can carve the neck down nice and thin and still retain good stability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiki Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 (edited) man, it's great! I'd like to make one rick for me too, in the future... can't wait to see more photos! thanks for sharing the photos and the "secrets" of yours! Edited January 28, 2008 by kiki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 I don't like Ric's much, but this is porn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I dunno, I always thought a rear-routed 4003 would look really classy... but I'm not a pickguard kind of guy, so to each his own. Like the 4004s? http://www.bassemporium.com/images_product...cker4004cii.jpg Never did it for me, maybe with binding? Although the ones where the neck-through showed pulled it off a little bit better: http://www.mandoweb.com/Images/Ric_4004c.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bygde Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 (edited) Like the 4004s? http://www.bassemporium.com/images_product...cker4004cii.jpg Never did it for me, maybe with binding? Although the ones where the neck-through showed pulled it off a little bit better: http://www.mandoweb.com/Images/Ric_4004c.jpg Well, Ric's without pickguard dit it for me! Never thought that would happen, but they looked stunning without it! Probably sounds a bit wierd when you read my last post, but I've never seen Ric's without pickguard! Edited January 29, 2008 by Bygde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 The more I look at them, I realize the more my problem with 'em is the overly rounded edges and lack of binding. Something about that shape just doesn't work for me without the binding. I think you could lose the 'guard and rear-route it, and I wouldn't have a problem, but rounding the edges that much and dropping the binding just kills it, at least for me. They appear to use different bridges, too. I just can't abide by a Rick without that huge hunk of metal bridge contraption with the mutes that no uses. It's important, I tell you! (I don't know why though.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Yep, it's the big characteristic bridge, the pickguard shape, the white binding, the chrome bridge pickup cover, that make the Ric 4001 & 4003 the iconic bass instrument for me. These are it's defining features. Lose any of those and it just doesn't push my buttons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I agree. You have kept all the elements that really give the 4001/4003 its fundamental appeal, and made your own personal touches in the right places. It's going to be a beautiful bass! This is a 12 string I did a while back rear routed, and with a different bridge/tailpiece ( kinda necessary in this case ) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/orgmorg/ric12d.jpg I liked it a lot, but it still lacks that old ricky vibe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al heeley Posted January 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 That's a lovely looking bass, must have been quite a build getting the 3 sets of strings on, but I know what you mean - very tasty bass but not really a ric, just the same body shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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