HI All,

Well Im already onto my next build,its for a local bassist called Tony.He started making the body last year but couldn't find the time to finish it.So I offered to get the project rolling again.

The Spec,

Tony's Custom body shape of one piece mahogany
5 piece bolt on neck of maple and Purpleheart
Custom headstock design
Bubinga fretboard 35" scale 24 frets
MOP side markers
Custom volume location
6 machine bolts with thread inserts in neck

Seymore duncan MM pickup
Aguilar OBP-3 preamp 9v
Shaller roller bridge
Custom wooden control covers
Hipshot ultralite tuners
JD flush mount straplocks
Oiled finish

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/10042006536.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/10042006534.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/11042006541.jpg

More updates to follow in the next few days,

Cheers,

Robbie.

that will look pretty cool :)

I like, I like, ........definitely Ritter-esque, which is fine by me!

Got a question about your "R" inlays on the headstocks----how exactly do you execute these inlays? I like the idea of using wood (as opposed to pearl, etc.).....and your's just seem so exact. Do you have a machine at work that does this for you? Thx in advance....

Hi JSP,

Yeah glad to see you like the wooden Logo,I basicly start of by machining some 25mm round wooden discs up of various woods.Then I send them to a local Laser cutting/engravers,they laser the R logo into the discs.Once I get them back its the simple task of machining a counterbore of 25mm dia by 5mm.Then sand any sharp edges,I like to sand a slight chamfer on the 25mm holes edge.I then drop the wooden disc in with a little titebond on the underside and leave it about 1mm lower than the top face of the headtsock,this gives me another the effect like this,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/13042006542.jpg

By the way,this is the trussrod going in yesterday afternoon,should be getting the carbon fiber rods in next week and tapering the neck etc.

Cheers,

Robbie.

Hi Robbie...looking good man!!!

Can't wait to get my hands on mine when you get it done :D

And to everyone else...i put an order in for a RIM Marseer yesterday...i played the one Robbie's just finished...it's awesome...he's a really talented luthier, and a top chap!!!

Get your orders in now people!!!

Hi All,

Ive got the trussrod and carbon fiber rods in.Also I glued the Bubinga fretboard on tonight before I went home,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/18042006550.jpg

Also I received some nice maple tops in the post from canada,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/18042006551.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/18042006558.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/18042006559.jpg

cheers,

Robbie.

Ain't nothin' quite like Canadian maple, eh?
Don't answer that.

I dig it by the way, smooth looking body, can't wait to see the board.

For sure Its the best,when I go over to Canada next year to visit family I'll have to bring some more back.

Today we started getting the neck shaped up and the bass is taking shape,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/21042006575.jpg

Cheers,

Robbie.

Hi All,

Got some more work done on the neck today,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/22042006581.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/22042006582.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/22042006579.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/22042006584.jpg

Cheers,

Robbie.

Robbie,
That bass is looking fantastic.
I for one am very envious of your speedy work. It seems like just a couple months ago you were introducing yourself and showing your first project, and now you are whipping through one project after another and doing a fantastic job. Keep up the good work!:)

Cheers Karl,

Things are going great,and Im really enjoying the work.Its good to see the customer happy also.This bass is a little easier to build which give me a little break before I get into a 5 string Singlecut Jazz and another 6 string fretless Marseer.By the way mate,I loved your last bass with the maple top.

Keep in touch,

Robbie.

wow... i don't really like the shape of the horns, but the quality and beauty of your work just blows that all away. great job!

Looking good Robbie! I'll have to live vicariously through you for the next year or so until my thesis is done and I finish flight school and I have some time to build again. :D

I like it, I like the shape and I like mahogany also.

The question is:
Why the custom volume location?

Cheers for the kind words Lads,about the custom volume location.Well its what the customer wants,he likes the idea of quick adjustments during his sets.It should look interesting for sure,

Cheers,

Robbie.

Today we got the first few coats of padding Lacquer on the bass body and it looks great! Also Ive put the MOP side markers in and 12" radiused the fretboard.So things are going well,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/25042006596.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/25042006589.jpg

Hi All,

Well its been a few weeks since my last update,things are going well.The neck is nearly finished just got to buff it out,gonna be putting some wax on the body and then fit the preamp and hardware.So here's the lastest pics,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/05052006617.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/03052006613.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/08052006618.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/10052006621.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/10052006622.jpg

Beautiful work Robbie!

Beautiful work Robbie!

No Doubt!

PS--good luck with the thesis and flight school Geoff!

I love to watch you work. You are very talented. :)

how, THAT's what I call a HORNY bass!

looks great!

Cheers for the nice words lads,

Today I fitted the MM pickup and battery box,finished the nut and got the flats on the bass.Gonna be setting up and wiring the preamp in next week,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/12052006631.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/12052006633.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/12052006632.jpg



Cheers All,

Robbie.

wow that's a tight pickup cavity. nice work!

For sure Its the best,when I go over to Canada next year to visit family I'll have to bring some more back.

Today we started getting the neck shaped up and the bass is taking shape,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/21042006575.jpg

Cheers,

Robbie.

Hi Robbie,

First of all, as usual, nice looking bass there. I really dig your work. I have a question though regarding that pic. If I can see correctly, is the heel of the neck rectangular? If so, then the neck is wider than the fretboard at some point?

Hi Phil,

Yeah the pocket is parallel and the fretboard runs tapered,ive blended it in quite well so it looks fine.

Cheers,

Robbie.

Hi All,

Today I got all the wiring sorted and took the bass home for a blast thru my Aguilar 412 mesa 400+ rig. All I can say is this bass sounds sweet,is got lots of scope with the Aguilar OBP-3 and the coil tap switch gives you series/split/Parallel on the pickup.There lots of detail and the B string has a good focus.

Im sure Tony will be happy,just got to get some more knobs as Ive run out of 16mm ones and change the control cavity screws for 4mm black posi head style.A couple more coats of wax and she will be finished

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/15052006635.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/15052006636.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/15052006637.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/15052006638.jpg

nice!!!!!!!!! it looks so nice now. what's that top knob for?

nice!!!!!!!!! it looks so nice now. what's that top knob for?

volume

Thats right,Tony wanted his Volume knobs to be above the bridge so Ive gotta do what the customer wants as this is his custom design.Im getting use to it now.Just waiting for the other 16mm knobs to turn up and she is finished.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/16052006642.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/16052006643.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/16052006644.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/16052006646.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/16052006645.jpg

Hi All,

Ive done some better pics for everyone to check out,
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass025.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass019.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass011.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass020.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass010.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass012.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass014.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass016.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/otisband/Bigtone5stringRimbass008.jpg
Enjoy,

Robbie.

Outstanding work. It looks great!

Glad you Like it Bud!

Robbie, I love you.
er... I mean, beautiful work.:D

Beautiful. You've got a gift.

Guys thanks for the kind words,it means alot to me.Im looking forward to seeing more basses from you guys in the future.

Cheers,

Robbie.