OctoberBass RCA-4 First Build

[OctoberBassRCA-4]

Mark Casey, where do you suggest purchasing the maple veneer here in the States, what thickness is typical to do this? Have you any links showing how to do this?

[OctoberBassRCA-4]

Since last I posted, I've sanded the machine marks and the ends better. The fretboard has been 0000 Steel Wooled, although I will take Waz advice and maybe 1500/2000 wet dry a bit more to smooth out the inlays. Received my MM pup, and have ordered a Humbucker template and a 12" radius sanding block. Coming along slowly.

[OctoberBassRCA-4]

So I'm looking at the bridge placement. Not sure I'll keep the MM style bridge, but overall placement is critical. I already ran my pencil centerline off. Now I'm using the factory routes to determine center and work off of that. To keep the bridge square, I measured the same distance back from the rear pup cut. Experimenting with placement, from the saddle to the nut cut for each string, I'm testing with this laser. Does anyone know if this is not the way to go? 34" from the inside nut to 3/4 of the bridge saddles adjustments, approximately.

[wazkelly]

That end grain looks superb.
As for standard MM style bridge I reckon they are pretty good and better than most Ric lookalikes as they are solid and provide more fore & aft travel of the bridge saddles.
Scale length is best measured 34" from inner side of nut on treble side to mid point of G string saddle, ensuring there is still a little bit of forward adjustment available, but more important to have lots more aft adjustment available for low end E string saddle.

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[OctoberBassRCA-4]

That end grain looks superb.
As for standard MM style bridge I reckon they are pretty good and better than most Ric lookalikes as they are solid and provide more fore & aft travel of the bridge saddles.
Scale length is best measured 34" from inner side of nut on treble side to mid point of G string saddle, ensuring there is still a little bit of forward adjustment available, but more important to have lots more aft adjustment available for low end E string saddle.

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Waz, thanks. I worked hard on that end grain and kept going. The other side too, just kept looking at it and going till what I thought looked good.
As far as the bridge placement, I am still fooling with the where to place it, your advise is sound. I am more worried about the neck position. Making sure I keep it straight to the bridge.

[wazkelly]

Waz, thanks. I worked hard on that end grain and kept going. The other side too, just kept looking at it and going till what I thought looked good.
As far as the bridge placement, I am still fooling with the where to place it, your advise is sound. I am more worried about the neck position. Making sure I keep it straight to the bridge.

Drop in the bridge pickup and run some string or fishing line from the Low E & high G tuners, through the nut, over the pickup, and down to where bridge should be located. This helps to see how everything is lining up and whether neck is sitting at a slight angle in the neck pocket. I would probably place a few strips of masking tape around where you think scale length and bridge should end up and draw lines where the dummy strings would pass on through. Make sure there is an even amount of space on either fretboard edge too as you want as close to perfect parallel lines all the way through to the bridge saddles. Precision over looks is so important with the aspects.

[Brendan]

Also - check out: http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au...ead.php?t=3048
DB - former resident luthier did this up for me a while ago when I was trying to work out how to set up a P Bass bridge. Different bass - same process.

[OctoberBassRCA-4]

Great tips Brendan. I'll certainly consider these procedures. My worries are that the RCA-4 neck pocket is minimal, allowing the neck to drift from the headstock right or left very easily. I'm not sure if the neck needs to be placed as far against the back pocket or should there be space allowed. I can line it up as shown and through video's, but once glue is applied, shimmed or not, I'm concerned with how it will line up with all the clamps in the way, and the amount of time before the glue sets up and/or can I make adjustments. Are these valid questions, or am I Way overthinking things?

[wazkelly]

Neck break angle seems to be an issue with these kits and would suggest checking that before doing any gluing.
Place neck in the pocket and leave a few mm clearance at the back as they are not always square at the end. Hopefully neck is flat, if not adjust truss rod until it is. Next step is to clamp bridge where it should sit in relation to scale length then run a long metal ruler or straight edge from inner side of nut to groove in a bridge saddle and check how much gap there is underneath all the way along fretboard to bridge. This gives an indication as to where the action will end up and whether any shim modifications are required.

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[OctoberBassRCA-4]

Thanks Waz, gonna need to buy deeper throated C-clamps, quick purchase from the Box Store and these wont work. Can't clamp. Setting the neck is a while off. Just checking, while I wait.