RCA-4 ricks bass

[sansan]

Hi everyone. Im santi, 41, from Spain..yeeeah the other part of the world tecnichally...
Im a musician since i've been remember, but this last few years, left my time from playing to custom and making my own instruments, (drums, guitars, and now one of the most beautiful bass models, for me of course...)

I've been purchased from PB on november, 25. Arrived to spain in december 1, (cool mr phil ) but from this time until today were "kidnapped" by customs, so i decided to pick it up myself, and now its on the back of my car...(me at work...)

Anyway, this meant to be a large project (im pretty busy on the neck finishing of my es335) and plus taking care of my new born child Mara, who (thats for sure) will play this 4001 réplica more than me..I hope so..

Lets start from the base. Almost a month, preparing and doing the online research for plans, models, qand good looking harware, searching forums to when, what and why to choose one or another configuration....even in dreams..... , thinking about the amount of money to put on this or not...I take the risk and go for the best. I only hope not to go wrong....

So many plans on this, since changing the overall dimension of headstock (you know, holes, shaping, wings, front, back) and give him some Ricks appearence.
Inlays reshaping on crystal epoxi covering mop venner (this last one from an australian online shop too)
Make some ebony dyeing and finishing the fretboard (ratlle can acrilycs for sure).

Re-routing bridge pickup cavity to assembly the official 4003 bridge pickup, including surround, bezel, etc..

Body and neck on some dark tones dyes or maybe some black rattle can acrilic and finish on acrilyc or maybe nitro...So much time to this...

Hardware to complete:
Grover 142c
4003 neck/bridge pickups (official)
hipshot rickenbacker bridge
maybe jescar fretwire and maybe too a new les paul style binding edges covering fretboard....who knows...

Well thats all for now...More to come soon!!

Santi

[Brendan]

Welcome along Santi - sounds like a great plan - looking forward to seeing it! Best of luck with Mara as well.

[Paul C]

Look forward to seeing pictures i'm well under-weigh with my Rick replica.

[wokkaboy]

welcome Santi, good luck with the build and the upgrades sound good. You must be the first PBG builder and forum member from Spain. Some champion F1 drivers and MotoGP riders come from your country !

Look forward to seeing the build diary and the build progress

[Fretworn]

Welcome Santi!

[sansan]

Thank you all for this kind welcome...
Brendan, Mara sent special hog to you...
Paul, you're the one guilty on doing this kit. I was doubt about make a guitar or bass and then stopped at your thread here, so...if somethings goes wrong......
Wokka, im not very "sports" fan but yeah, theres so many talent people here in many many arts/disciplines (so to speak).
HI Fretworn, nice to meet you!

Update:
Yesterday, i checked it out the kit and finally i could measure physically all the dimensions i've researched on internet, and all they fit very well.
So, the kit its almost perfect (some glue spots near the body binding and the ugly base of the stock nut) are the most significant negative points of the kit..The hardware, better than i expected, specially machine heads and pickguard.

Clamped the neck and did measure the scale (with print sheets of the hipshot bridge by the moment) and appears to be good.

So, the next steps meanwhile the bridge comes are:
- buy one 18mm round wood strip to fill the headstock holes, some interesting wood plank to make the headstock wings and pick one 3mm wood plank for cover the new headstock reshaping (front and back). Im thinking maybe maple or mahogany, sapelle or something like that.
- Disengage fretwire carefully and neck binding to make the cavities for the new inlays, as you would see on here:

http://www.rickresource.com/forum/vi...art=30#p411117


I will try to upload some photos asap.

S!

[Gavin1393]

http://www.rickresource.com/forum/vi...art=30#p411117


I will try to upload some photos asap.

S!

Welcome along!

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

[wokkaboy]

Hi Santi, those fret inlays will look very cool.
If you are planning a 3mm veneer on both sides of the headstock adding 6mm width may affect the tuners may not fit properly.
If you used a 1mm thick veneer on both sides adding 2mm width may be ok for the tuners to get a thread on the collar

[sansan]

A little xmas update...






Holes refilled and sanded level. Takes a little reshaping due holes measure around 17.50 mm and the strip wood stick measure 18mm, but the end results was very good.

At the moment, i have cutted one headstock side with a japanese saw with excellent results either. Will post pics next week.

Wokka youre right, ive been thinking about this meanwhile the research for the veneers, and yes, i'll have to put on something more more thinner. I found 0.6mm veneers that would make the job.

Relative to the inlays, i did not work with cristal poliester before, should do some training on a crap wood block first...

PD: sorry about my very limited english, i do work on it as much as possible, but you know, not my mother tongue..
Santi


Speaking the devil, hipshot its on da haaus!! almost 25 days waiting for arrive...Damn customs!!!



Looks terrific...cant wait...

[wokkaboy]

Nice progress Santi. Your English is very good for a non preferred language.
0.6mm veneer would be much more suitable for the headstock.
What's the reason for dowelling the tuner holes?
New Bridge looks good