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'66 'Slab' Precision Build


Rick's Fine '52
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This is wonderful. I was going to make one of these about 10 or more years ago (Edenhaus gave me a price to do one) and then I was looking at ordering one of the custom shop ones but it dissapeared before I had the finances in order. Me and everyone else, probably. I never saw one in the flesh, and the only one I find out there is that "wrong" one with the rosewood and tort. Why would anyone bother paying that much for what - for Fender - is less work and is wrong?

In spying the tell-tale incorrect feature, I guess it is the maple cap, no? The Roger Waters bass has a slab, and the real ones should be curved and thin like a 66 rosewood board.

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[quote name='eb2jim' timestamp='1351271875' post='1849601']
This is wonderful. I was going to make one of these about 10 or more years ago (Edenhaus gave me a price to do one) and then I was looking at ordering one of the custom shop ones but it dissapeared before I had the finances in order. Me and everyone else, probably. I never saw one in the flesh, and the only one I find out there is that "wrong" one with the rosewood and tort. Why would anyone bother paying that much for what - for Fender - is less work and is wrong?

In spying the tell-tale incorrect feature, I guess it is the maple cap, no? The Roger Waters bass has a slab, and the real ones should be curved and thin like a 66 rosewood board.
[/quote]

This is mine, it [i]is[/i] a maple cap. Try finding someone who'll make you one!! trust me, I did, searched high and low, not out there. This one is just fine. Thats why this project has been 3 years in the making, because if I couldnt get a maple-cap neck, I wouldn't have done it, I'm a bit obsessed like that, which is not always a good thing. ;)

Thanks for the comments, and interest though, genuinly appreciated.

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[quote]This is mine, it [i]is[/i] a maple cap. Try finding someone who'll make you one!![/quote]

No - I got that. I am seeing the Roger Waters neck as having a slab (thick flat, not radiused) separate maple board, but the originals had a mid 60s cap, like the rosewood, just maple (curved thin).
Edenhaus did offer to make a maple cap neck (thin cap, no truss rod stripe) when I was going to do it. I think they will make one now, they just don't make it too obvious on their site.

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Great looking build - have fancied making one of those for a few years now - funnily enough contacted Edenhaus about the slab body last month. I fancy something approaching Bob Daisleys slab (when he had it) - Birdseye maple neck with Birdseye maple cap.

Do you know anyone that does a single ply tort pickguard - It's just a look that appeals at present.

Was also giving thought about a maple body to go with the maple neck - just to be different !

Pickup wise I was thinking about a Wizard - I'm sure yer man is familiar with the legend. Maybe he could cook up something !

With my 50th approaching next year I am also making plans for an 63 Fiesta Red rosewood board project.

May ask you to be a consultant !

Have fun with the rest of your project.

Edited by dmz
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  • 4 weeks later...

Ooooohh, the finished slab body has arrived from the US!! Havent seen it yet, will open it when i get home later, so I'll have a few pics to upload at the weekend, and the assembly process can begin.

I also managed to score a set of late 60's grey bottom pickups, so good to go!!

Stand by for some hopefully now, more regular progress updates!

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OK, the body has been unwrapped and its absolutely stunning, the single piece ash body has amazing grain showing through the thick nitro white blonde, and the weather checking, and ageing is absolutely spot on, just the effect i wanted, like the blue veins John spoke of, it took almost 10 weeks, alot later than I was told, but nevertheless, it's well worth the wait.

I got all my bits out the box for the slab, and laid the pieces together. Firstly, the neck was slightly wider than the neck heel route, but 2 mins with the dremel sander, and it slipped in a treat. The alignment of the pickup routes are spot on with the '66 wide bevelled scratchplate and aluminium shielding plate. So far so good.

Next job is to align the bridge and get that fixed. Using a piece of black cotton, i threaded it through the nut, over the pickups (through the middle of the string poles, and set the bridge, same with each string, until it was perfectly aligned, then fixed.

Here she is, just the pieces laid together, note the grey bottom pickups are still seperate.....more to come later this evening;

Edited by Rick's Fine '52
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The late 60's pickups are now in place (Not soldered together yet, I'm making sure it sets up OK before i set to work with the soldering iron), the pots (6609), knobs, and thumbrest are now in place. I'm missing a correct screw for the thumbrest, so I used another for the time being, pickguard and shield fixed, threaded saddles aligned;

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Problem...I can't find the tuner ferrules, which means I can't screw on the tuners, and string her up!!! Nooooooooooo!!!

I was tempted to strip one of my others for the parts, but that would be silly, and show my impatience, so I'll get some, and wait, so this is as far as I'll take her until I get some. So I've added the 3 strap buttons, (remembering that the one on the body end is slightly offset on these, and not centrally located, to stop the twist when hung from a strap, due to the body not being contoured), and the covers.

Despite the frustration of not being able to string it, I'm delighted with the results so far, and it will be by far my best build yet.

So this is as far as it go's today, here's a couple of final assembly pics (Tuners aside), one of her naked, and one of her with her clothes on.

Thanks for looking.



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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1354403700' post='1885707']
Jesus Christ Rick, that is truly amazing! :o
Very impressed - I await further developments with bated trousers.
[/quote]

Thanks for the comment, it[i] is [/i]amazing, I'm more than impressed with the finished look. Even better in the flesh........if you're ever in the area?

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[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1354449517' post='1885991']
Looks great! But a bit uncomfortable, here's a tip - sand over the edges a bit and contour it where the forearm rests.
;)
[/quote]

:rolleyes: :lol:

It's actually not at all, although I regularly play slab basses ('52's & Tele's), so I guess I'm used to 'em. It's also remarkably light, I'll get it on the scales.

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