The Geek - if you haven;t used a router before, I would buy a cheap bass and practice first. It's very easy to make a mess, ( I got a carpenter to do that bit) and check out different string holders for the head. The cheap ones are intended for guitars, so wont take a full E string binding/diameter, and can easily break a bass string. (That's why I had to put posts in and put a single string wind in before the holder/clamp).
Andy "enough" - yep your right, I would have preferred the red or black version to start on but, this marble came up close and cheap so....
The trouble is this is a laminate coating, so to get the coating off to repaint would be a nightmare. Laminate because the body is made up of three pieces of wood, a hard mahogany type, a composite ?? More glue than wood, and a soft wood (pine ???). So Pea it's not made of marble, although it does weigh a ton.
BassApp. For the mark king look I would need about another 30 knobs and switches, but yep I know what you mean. thanks