I have been planning this kit for a long, long time. Finally, I am in the financial place to start it! I ordered an RCA-4 on the 21st for my birthday, and it arrived on the 5th here in the States. Here's the initial inspection:
The first thing I've noticed is that I got some really bad luck with the grain on my guitars I buy sight-unseen. Oh well. I was going to do a transparent red oil finish, but maybe a sunburst of some kind is in order, instead. All else fails, I can paint it... no idea how I'll do that, so fingers crossed that the stain works...
I also noticed a wood knot in the base of my neck. After emailing Adam, he's informed me that the knot won't affect the structural integrity of the bass, so I'll be able to move forward with a mere birthmark, instead of something worse.
I purchased some Duncan SRB pickups (their Rickenbacker pickups) soon after ordering the kit. Turns out... the pickguard I bought from Allparts (black) does not fit the body at ALL. Only $19.99 USD down the drain, but it was still disappointing. Probably should have checked in with the other forum members first. Live and learn. But... I had an idea.
I have a pair of Thunderbird pickups from an older project sitting around. What if I were to...
YES. This is great. It'll take some work to carve out the bridge pickup cavity, but it'll fit juuust right. I work Monday to Thursday really long hours, so Friday, this build's going to really take flight. Hoping to get some sanding and body contours done this weekend, and prep for grain filler, if not take care of that if I have time.
Ok, question.
With the bridge position not being set in stone yet, is there a certain rule for the RC-4 basses as to the distance between the bottom of the neck pocket and the base of the neck? Is it flush against the cavity, or is it X millimeters from the wood? If the string angles line up, can I just shove it all the way in and move the bridge back a little? I'm using a Hipshot Kickass bridge.
***Let me know if you want some Duncan Ric pickups because I sure don't need them now lol***
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