Pablos RC-4

It's here and looking way better than I had imagined. :D Really happy with the quality of the kit. As with all of my builds, this will probably be a long process as I have a few mods that I need to get my head around. Let's take a look, shall we?
http://i.imgur.com/lkoVs9H.jpg?1
Nice.

First thing I noticed, I don't think that fretboard is rosewood. It is quite a bit darker than any other rosewood I have. I'm sure someone will have a better opinion than mine, but is that ebony?
http://i.imgur.com/buXN6Gq.jpg
Top is the neck from my IB-1 for comparison.

Have to point out the quality of the cut going on here. Not even a hint of tearout anywhere on the body. I might have just been lucky and got the first or second body cut with a brand new router bit or the factory is getting better. Either way, I'm pretty happy.
http://i.imgur.com/iaVNr2G.jpg

Mod number 1. I've had this Fender humbucker sitting around since half way through last year and I think this is probably the best use for it. So, there is some routing to be done. Shouldn't be too difficult.
http://i.imgur.com/IlnZAGD.jpg

All in all, this is a fantastic new kit. Pitbull has come through with the goods once again. Got some research to do on staining ash and a few little surprises up my sleeve to nut out, but happy to be working on a new project.

Looks amazing Pablo! Will be following your build with keen interest. This kit is definitely at the top of my to-do list!

cheers,
Gav.

wow Pablo looks awesome, nice kit mate, sometimes the factory manufactures a faultless kit so you scored big time. Look forward to seeing the mods and plans for the future !

or man that is sexy as . I can't wait to see the progress Pab

Looking good, mate! Can't wait to see how this one comes up.

Warning: Hardware porn

This week has seen the arrival of my hardware orders. So happy. :D

The choice of bridge took way longer than I'd have imagined. Originally, I planned on using a ridgy didge Rickenbacker bridge, but as I discovered the string spacing is wrong. Rick basses have a 2" spacing where as this one is 2.5". Doh. After that, to say I looked at every other bridge on the market wouldn't be far from the truth. Badass, Hipshot, Babitz and the KSM foundation were all in the running, but I finally ended up with a Kahler 7440.
http://i.imgur.com/9FMdfhsh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/IeUNpjV.jpg
Solid steel, each saddle has an unbelievable range of movement (side to side, back to front and up and down), all moving parts lock down for stability, vibration transfer and no rattly springs. In short, the ultimate bass bridge. :P

For the neck pickup, I had my eye on a TV Jones Thunder’Mag but at almost $200 after shipping couldn't justify it. Decided on a Gretsch Filtertron (still made by TV Jones but half the price).
http://i.imgur.com/ZDNvNgDh.jpg
Oddly enough, these have six pole pieces like a guitar pickup but I have been assured that this is normal.

I also picked up a couple of bone nut blanks.
http://i.imgur.com/WlGReFkh.jpg
One for this and the other for my TL-1. I might be a little over my head with this idea, but what the hell, fortune favours the bold or something.

That Gretch! Goddam, talk about bits n pieces porn alright. That bridge is hella sexy too. This is shaping up to be a one sick hotrod.

nice hardware Pabs, thanks for the porn warning !
should sound very nice when its finished.

I reckon the fingerboard is 'ebonized' (fancy word for stained dark) rosewood, could be wrong though. Usually ebony has a very tight grain, and I think the grain is very similar to the rosewood here. I've only seen/touched high grade ebony that is 'finished' though, so it could be that...

Sweet looking kit.

Love the hardware mods Pablo! She's going to sound amazing when you are done!

Cheers,
Gav.

Yeah. What they said. The bridge setup in particular has me intrigued. Cool bit of kit, Pabs!

If your interested, here's a video demo of the bridge.
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2eO3TwrhIM[/embed]
Demo guy strikes me as a massive douchebag, but it gets the point across. I have high mass bridges on all my basses now, one of the best upgrades you can make IMHO.

Man, I really want to get one of these kits. I better get off my butt and sell my old Kramer P-bass.

Massive colouring fail. I've been searching for the right shade of blue for about a month now. Thought I had it, I was wrong.

Here's how this stain is advertised on the sellers page.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDAwWDY3NQ...TxKei/$_12.JPG

Here's how it looks for me after three coats.
http://i.imgur.com/yjl1ejs.jpg

Sure it's a different wood, I didn't expect exactly the same, but I expected close. That is nowhere near close. The search continues.....

Oh man, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you've been duped... :(

That build was by a blogger. He used printer's ink to achieve the look there. Incredible axe when he finished it.

http://fredyen.com/diy-les-paul-guit...ng-the-guitar/

Maybe you could have a go with something along similar lines? You never know, might be just the colour you're looking for! :D

Dang, Brodie. Top bit of internet detective work. 100 internet points to you.

Thanks heaps for that link, I'll definitely look into that.

Haha! No detective work. :P

I happened to have already looked at his build before I ever started any of my own. His success was a bit of my inspiration for having a crack, because that LP is phenomenal. Thus, I've never forgotten it. :)

But yes, ink could definitely be an option for that really rich blue you want. Plus, non-toxic and you can vary your intensity with water. Keen to see what you come up with mate. If your other builds are anything to go by, it will undoubtedly be quality. ;)

Just realised I've watched that video before too! Damn my addled brain.

where is that blue stain from Pablo ? 3 coats and its got no depth at all.
Send DB and email and see how he's going with Dingotone bondi blue

Wokka, I'm not proud about this, but let's just say one of Pitbull's direct competitors. Not gonna make that mistake again. Pretty damn unhappy. At least I didn't put it on the guitar.

no worries Pablo, oh well lesson learnt and as you say at least you don't have to sand back the body/headstock.
Did you look at Stewmac colortone or from memory may have been a compatibility problem ?

It was advertised as Stewmac Colortone......

OH! I know exactly where you got it from!

I ordered three stains from there (a red, a blue, and a black) assuming it would be ridgy didge Colortone, just repackaged for Aus. When they arrived, they were a pre-watered down mess. Went through all of the red and all the blue trying to get the depth I wanted on the SG (see below). $45 for coloured water was not a fair deal in my books. Left reviews on all three stains for 3 stars, saying genuinely why I thought they were useless, and the administrators of the page refused to post them! Talk about dodgy!

I will never, ever order from them again, and I always hold my breath when someone on here says they are purchasing something there. :/

http://i.imgur.com/AbCBMC8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bM0yukn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e8acaab.jpg

Never buy this stain! False advertising at it's worst:
http://www.diyguitars.com.au/product...lortone-stain/

If only they had posted the review(s), then you would have been somewhat pre-warned Pabs... :(

Dude was pretty cool with me. He said he'd just taken over the business and was using the pics that were already there. He was quick to offer a refund.

I did send him that link, so I guess we'll see.

Yeah, nice. Glad there is a positive coming out of it for you. :)

Glad I just read this thread. I was thinking of trying that guys stuff for a future build. You guys just saved me time and money cheers.

Funny - the bloke has also copied (traced) the Putbull wiring diagrams as well. There seems to be an originality gap as he's even copied the mistakes that I made with the look of some of the components.

Shady. Very shady. He is still using the same pic on ebay and his site even though I let him know exactly where the original pic came from and he was able to send me example pics of how his stain came out (badly; surprise, surprise).

Anyway, to more pleasant subjects. Grain filling.

My first experience with Timbermate has been a very positive one. Easy to use, great result. I used a lighter shade than the wood to hopefully brighten the colour.

Before:
http://i.imgur.com/u6aHIP6.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/YClwThg.jpg

After:
http://i.imgur.com/86hfbqQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OjYcDhw.jpg

Smoooooooth.

Dropped in to Officeworks to get some stamp pad ink ala Brodie's suggestion and accidentally picked up 'flash stamp ink' which stubbornly refuses to mix with water. Oh well. Read the freaking label next time! Tried some out on my tester anyway. Whoa, as a proof of concept, I am freaking out about this colour.
http://i.imgur.com/jjtiqrY.jpg
It's perfect!

wow Pabs the grain filling has really highlighted the grain and that shade of blue looks what your after, good score ! Look forward to seeing a coat go on the body and neck

Awesome Craig- like green, we need more blue guitars, and this will be a beaut

Agreed Stan. Just realised this is my third blue build! Couldn't go past blue for the RC though. This has been the background image on my phone for about a year and the main influence colour wise.
http://www.buzzardsbass.com/bass-gui...ue%20Burst.jpg

But when we talk influence, who could go past Haruko Haruhara...
http://static2.minitokyo.net/view/18/25/228768.jpg
The real reason I have coveted a blue Ric bass for almost 10 years.

Oooo yeah, baby!

That colour has come up a treat! Keen to see it on the actual guitar now. :D

Routing for jazz humbucker done. Not gonna lie, that was terrifying.
http://i.imgur.com/XwgFmmv.jpg
Still might need to dremel out the corners slightly, but the scary part is over now. Phew!

nice job Pablo, yes using a router is terrifying !

I use routers daily, so I don't usually have a problem with them. Just didn't want my template to move or drop the bastard. This really should have been my first job.

yer fair enough Pablo, as you have already put a grain sealer on and sanded the body.
All good the stressful part is done !

The carpet tape I used to stick the template down pulled a bit if the grain out, so there's still some work to be done. In hindsight, I should have made the template bigger and used clamps. Live and learn.

hell yeah, I'd only use a router with the template clamped. Hope you didn't tear too much grain out !
is it the white mark on the top of the bottom horn ?

Looking awesome Craig! I love your inspiration, and the blue ink is looking like it just might get you there!! Gonna look superb when the colour goes on dude!

cheers,
Gav.

That rout looks like it was there all along, sweet!