Rc-4

[Paul C]

Hi people, this is my first Pit Bull guitar but i have built previous guitars mainly from parts purchased from eBay or donated, i have always wanted a Rickenbacker but the price put me off, my kit arrived in the UK in super prompt time and i hurried to open the box and examine what i had purchased. I am delighted with my purchase and i can't wait to get under weigh with it, amazed at the fit of neck to neck pocket, i may purchase a replica tail to replace the one supplied, nothing wrong with the one supplied but i would like a replica one, i have ordered the glue and some new clamps as my old ones died on me and i am wrestling with myself over colour i should apply, my heart wants to leave it natural wood but the demon in my mind is conjuring up all kinds of ideas. My previous builds have been a Strat in olympic white with maple neck and large headstock, a telecaster that i fitted with strat trem unit and gold humbuckers, finished in graduated black edge to dark wood, all gold fittings. I customized a Squire strat with scalloped fret board and new scratch plate loaded with twin humbuckers. Current work in progress rebuilding a Shergold stereo marathon bass, wondering what to do with a flying V copy i bought for £10 that was unplayable, its now playable but looks like a dogs dinner and given up on a Washburn strat style guitar i had given me that was a train wreck of a mess. Recent repairs Les Paul by Vintage with a broken neck.
Oh just to clarify my chosen weapon is the drum kit and i have played them for more years than i care to remember, i play guitar mainly acoustic classical, steel 6 string and 12 string.

[stan]

awesome stuff Paul, welcome.

sounds like you are more than able to tackle an RC build, do a diary and let us enjoy the ride with you

[Paul C]

Cheers Stan, i have some wood dyes on order i will do some sample tests in the pic-up and control chambers to see how they take, this weekend i intend to clear out my attic space and build a new bench to set up shop on as it is heading for winter here in the UK and my lock up is too cold to work in and too expensive to heat, my plan is to carry out the build, prep up and stain the neck and body over the winter then come spring get it lacquered ready for the final build. I will photograph it at each stage and share them on here as i go along. At the moment the neck and body are slotted together i can't help but keep looking at it as the Rickenbacker bass is something of a magical shape and so unique and i can't wait to get started.
The bassist in my band is keen to see how this one turns out, i dare say it will lead to a "are you open to a sensible offer" as he calls it when he wants to buy something off you.

[Fretworn]

Welcome Paul

[wokkaboy]

welcome to the forum Paul, don't think there are too many forum builders from the UK !
Reading all your background repairs and mods I'm sure you will build a cool RC-4.
Can't wait to see progress in the build diary.
Might as well include pics of your converted attic/man cave !

[Paul C]

Update, well spent best part of yesterday sorting out my attic or trying, the wife has used it as a dumping ground, so as it will take another weekend to clear enough space to even see the area i want to build a work bench i have made a start on my guitar by setting the neck, carried out a dry run using a clamp to hold it firm, checked the rake using my metal straight edge. Happy with the look i applied the titebond and reset the clamp checking on the rake again before leaving to cure.
Needless to say the atmosphere in the house is a little frosty after i bagged up a load of stuff and threw it out without informing my other half and as it turned out some of it was items she had offered to store for other people as they didn't want their house looking a mess. I am trying to post photos but it keeps telling me they are too large and i have lost my copy of photoshop to re-size them, i did try an online free one but it still came up as file to large. I will sort it out and get some posted, as i am taking the photos of each step and putting them into a desktop folder.

[dave.king1]

Gday Paul,

I would have said welcome to the madness but from your intro it looks like you already have it

I'm a fellow Shergold owner, I started a Handmade Guitars thread in the Non Pitbull / General Guitar Discussion section perhaps you might share the Maraton with us in that thread.

Good luck with the Ricci a few really nice ones have graced the build pages over the last year or so

[Paul C]

Photo of neck set, extra glue into the wells either side of the neck for my home made hardwood filler, saw dust from a hardwood this happens to be walnut, mixed with Titebond into a paste and built up allowing each layer to dry, this should give the neck more stability.



Photo of last mix of filler, leave it to set hard.
More supplies arrived, micro fine rubbing papers, masking tape and various wood dyes, still unsure of the colour i want, it looks so good in its natural state but i feel it needs darkening. I am toying with the idea of doing the top black edge into colour burst and same on the face of head stock with a black ebony sides and back, this all of course depends on how well the wood takes colour.

[Brendan]

Looking great Paul - as for apps - I use Irfanview to resize - will allow batch resizing and its free.

[wokkaboy]

nice one Paul so you set the neck very early in the build. Have you done any sanding yet ?
Will be more awkward to work on being one piece but the neck/body transition should be smoother.
The neck pickup with that putty make sure the neck pickup fits, you may have to drill out a section for the mounting screws