Bassfinger Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 I fancy building another bass, a slow burning rainy day project. Sadly, I have the woordworking skills of Reg Prescott (younger members should chuck the name into Youtube to see what I mean). So, after a week or somof perusing I went for one of these, and ordered it last evening... https://guitarkitfabric.co.uk/bass-guitar-kit-rickenbacker-rosewood-7141269436391-en.html Plan is to use the body and neck, but fit moderately decent tuners, Allparts Ricky bridge, and maybe ditch the Jazz bridge pickup for a Retrovibe Ricky style item. Im considering using a blue dye and then giving it a deep, satin tung oil finish. However, any ideas, thoughts ior guidance appreciated. So waiting for the kit to arrive - word is this place ships pretty quick - then I can get jiggy with the build. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Go for a colour that Rickenbacker themselves would never do - satin blue would look good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 Or pebble-dash it and call it Bung-Glo. 🙈 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 The photo of the bass made up doesn't really inspire confidence. Everything is on a wonk... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 2 hours ago, Happy Jack said: Or pebble-dash it and call it Bung-Glo. 🙈 Winner of the internet - Thursday 09-Jun-22 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted June 9, 2022 Share Posted June 9, 2022 44 minutes ago, BigRedX said: The photo of the bass made up doesn't really inspire confidence. Everything is on a wonk... Its fine if you shim your monitor 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 9, 2022 Author Share Posted June 9, 2022 (edited) A josh, but a serious point behind it. This ain't my first rodeo, and it will be inspected closely the moment the box is opened before progressing further. Any problems and back it goes, but I'm hoping das ist gud. And it's due for delivery tomorrow. Ding dong! Edited June 9, 2022 by Bassfinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 14 hours ago, BigRedX said: The photo of the bass made up doesn't really inspire confidence. Everything is on a wonk... To be fair, nothing's screwed together there - it's just the parts laid on the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 7 hours ago, Bassassin said: To be fair, nothing's screwed together there - it's just the parts laid on the body. But as someone who works in advertising, I know they could have spent another couple of minutes making sure that everything was straight before taking the photo. I know from experience that product shots that don't show off the product in the best possible light are worse than useless. Whoever took the photos went to the effort of using proper lighting and a white photographer's back drop so it's not as though they were taken on someone's phone in the office. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Well, mine will be screwed - and glued - together. I also ordered the wood glue they recommend, and I have a fine assortment of clamps and hammers. Due for delivery between 1521 and 1621hrs today...right when Im out doing the school run (or the school walk, as I walk the 3/4 mile into the village and back). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 (edited) Nice... Great Summer Build Project! If the wood looks sounds good on stain n oil. Got an 'AliBacker' Rickenfaker made for fun... came in at £165 delivered 0after a negotiated partial refund due to build issues... and £15 on a replacement bridge just got to sort the bridge n saddle height... bit of a faff as thru neck and the Rick-ish bridge overhung the body a little... Edited June 10, 2022 by PaulThePlug 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Aye, I think tung oil will be the way to go. As aforementioned, I may dye the top first, but will wait to see what the wood grain is like before making the final decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 It's arrived... First impressions are good. A nicely grained bit of ash, frets well finished, the routing looks accurate, neck pocket a snug fit. Time to get started. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Titebond applied, neck and body clamped firmly - but not too firmly - and left alone in my warm workshop for 24 hours. Meanitime, I've checked the rest of the gear. Tuners are cheapo, but seem susprisingly positive and firm. I may yet keep these. Bridge is a Musicman syle BBoT and is going in the bin. Ill use an Allparts Ricky bridge instead. Can't really gauge the pups by just by looking. I may yet swap the bridge pickup for a Ricky style one, but if I did stick with J style I have an Entwistle that can go in. For the sake of a few quid I'll probably fit a Retrovibe neck pickup anyway. Blue dye on order, watch this space! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 (edited) Nice looking body wood... With the cheap tuners... a dab of coppa slip on the worms and a good twist to remove any plating flashing and get a bit of 'conforming mesh' with the wheel... or wire wool if ya can be arsed to dismantle them... then a clean and dab of vaseline... surprisingly smooths things up for not a lot of effort... Blue or Blueberry-Burst? Edited June 10, 2022 by PaulThePlug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 (edited) I always dismantle and lube new tuners. These seem really good, no flashing or the like and the gears mesh firmly with no slop. Mighty impressed for tuners thst were undoubtedly sourced cheaply. Edited June 10, 2022 by Bassfinger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) Neck glued on. The whole thing rubbed down with ever finer grades down to 800 grit. I'm not going for a high gloss finish so no need to fill the grain. Indeed, the tung oil slurry method will take care of that anyway. Now just waiting for the dye to arrive. Edited June 11, 2022 by Bassfinger 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 3 minutes ago, Bassfinger said: Neck glued on. The while thing rubbed down with ever fine grades down to 800 grit. I'm not going for a high gloss finish so no need to fill the grain. Index, the tung oil slurry method will take care of that anyway. Now just waiting for the dye to arrive. Looking good. If you did want a high gloss finish tru-oil with the slurry method would provide one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 (edited) Done some measuring. The jazz pickup will easily fit inside and under a Rick-O surround and cover, so I've ordered the Retrovibe slim jim version. I'm not worried about the tone - I actually like the JB tone and the Entwistle pickup I have ready is a sizzler - but I want to look like a Rick-O, at least to the casual glance. So I've ground to a halt until the dye and tung oil arrive. Edited June 11, 2022 by Bassfinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 (edited) On 10/06/2022 at 16:19, Bassfinger said: Titebond applied, neck and body clamped firmly - but not too firmly - and left alone in my warm workshop for 24 hours. Meanitime, I've checked the rest of the gear. Tuners are cheapo, but seem susprisingly positive and firm. I may yet keep these. Bridge is a Musicman syle BBoT and is going in the bin. Ill use an Allparts Ricky bridge instead. Can't really gauge the pups by just by looking. I may yet swap the bridge pickup for a Ricky style one, but if I did stick with J style I have an Entwistle that can go in. For the sake of a few quid I'll probably fit a Retrovibe neck pickup anyway. Blue dye on order, watch this space! It'd be worth checking you're happy with the string spacing of the Allparts bridge before you commit yourself to it. Rickenbackers are narrower spaced than most other four strings at the bridge, and not all modern day copies imitate that. You might find it leaves you with a lot of space at the edges of the fingerboard. Edited June 13, 2022 by Beer of the Bass 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 Cheers, I'll check that before buying. Other parts slowly arriving.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 22 hours ago, Beer of the Bass said: It'd be worth checking you're happy with the string spacing of the Allparts bridge before you commit yourself to it. Rickenbackers are narrower spaced than most other four strings at the bridge, and not all modern day copies imitate that. You might find it leaves you with a lot of space at the edges of the fingerboard. This will definitely have conventional string spacing & neck proportions - I'm pretty sure only the 70s Fakers had correct Rick string spacing. The Hipshot bridge has adjustable spacing, although they do cost a fortune these days. I think I'd be inclined to go for a decent conventional bridge, Schaller 3D or something. Apropos of nothing, if I was doing this one I'd take the opportunity of binning the scratchplate (which I think is a horrid design that spoils the look of the bass) and put an original 50s 4000 style one on. In gold, obvs. 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 Hokay, the Allparts bridge is 18mm string spacing, and the bridge supplied a fairly standard 19mm. Thats a cumulative 1.5mm at each outer string. I think it may be OK but i'll take some neck measurements and do some sums, just to be sure. Cheers for the heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Check bridge length... I had to change my rick-o-like bridge on my faker cos of 5mm body over hang when saddles in correct place for intonation on a 34"... Real Ricks @ 33 1/4"... there's ya 20mm! Now got a chunky cheapt conventional style... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/84mm-Metal-Electric-Bass-Bridge-Fixed-For-4-St-Bass-Guitar-Parts-Accessorie-G2O9-/255140684363?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 Oh lordy, is nothing going ro be simple?! Ok, cheers. I'll be a bit more research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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