So, this sickness just continues to get out of hand. 
I've kind of had this planned for a couple years now, it originally popped up in one of my other build threads so now that build #1 and build #2 have basically come to a close (aside from sorting out some minor setup things), it's time to start taking another look at this one. Thus, we need a post placeholder, and here it is!
The Bird -
In my collection, I own a 90s B.C Rich Warlock Platinum Series -
My wife bought this bass for me as an anniversary gift one year. It was the display model and has a decent sized dent in the face of that beautiful trans-blue burst, thus we got it at a steal. Her favorite color is blue, so that helped. It is the model with the "Widow" headstock, making it more sought after (and more metal if you ask me).
I also have this pretty cool looking B.C. Rich Mockingbird MKII -
It's one of those less than desirable models from here recently with the quilted maple top. I'm not sure if the top is one of those fake prints or if it's just a mega-thin laminate. This one has the "Tombstone" headstock on it. I paid cash for it from a local music store that cuts crazy deals for cash customers.
Get To The Point (See What I Did There? ) -
Anyways, I told you that story so I could tell you this one. The "collection" needs an Ironbird to complete the pointy bass trifecta!
I've looked at original Ironbirds and IF you can even find one, they sell fast and go for stupid prices. So, let's just build one. First we need a plan, so I went to AutoCAD and threw this together -
We'll go reverse standard headstock on this one, because I currently do not own a reverse headstock bass. I try to build things I don't have, and reverse headstock fits the bill here.
I'm also not a fan of the original Ironbird headstock, so we'll just use the standard B.C. Rich headstock, because more pointy anyways!
Things To Ponder -
I'm still debating what bridge I want to use, which will dictate the design a little around that area. The Ironbird basically has a little "block" hanging off the rear that the bridge mounts to. Using a hardtail bridge it would fit just in that block. I'm considering using a tremolo, which may dictate a larger block, depending on which tremolo I choose. And yes, I know, bass tremolos are useless. That doesn't mean I don't want one.
I'm still playing with the headstock a bit. Typically, those late 80s / early 90s pointy hair metal basses had some horrible string angles after the nut. All the B.C. Rich, Jackson, Charvel "hockey stick" headstocks shared that same basic layout. You get one string pulling straight and the other three are all willy-nilly. The question becomes, do I want to "rotate" the whole thing so that the straight-pull string is the D? Or do I just leave it alone and not care? There's literally thousands of basses built like that and it's not really a problem, so maybe I just don't care.
I also straightened up a few of the body lines. The original design had a more curved line from the bridge section down -
And also had more of a weird little "point" at the upper rear tip -
I've eliminated those and just gone more "straight". I've also rounded off the points a bit more, just to make building easier. It also has the added benefit of making my design "less original" and less likely to obtain a "cease and desist".
No, I do not plan on ever selling it, so I know it doesn't matter.
Anyway, everything else is pretty typical here. We're gonna go 24-fret, 34" scale length, 4 string. I'm still not sold on the pickup configuration, because I already own a double-P bass. But the problem there is, I already own a P-J, I already own a double-P, I already own a dual humbucker / soapbar. I'm kind of out of setups I don't already have covered. About the only thing I don't own is a double-J and honestly, I don't really like that sound anyways. So I don't know yet.
Let's Talk Finish -
So there's a really REALLY big part of me that wants to do this thing in neon yellow with black/yellow taxi-cab checkers on the sides. Something similar to this -
Let's be honest here, we're building an 80s hair metal bass and what's more 80s hair metal that neon and taxi-cab checkers?
There's also a smaller part of me that wants to try a crackle finish, because I don't own one and I've never tried it.
Either way, it means we don't need super fancy high end woods here. If we're gonna paint it anyways, basswood/ash/alder is fine as far as I'm concerned.
So there you have it, a design, a concept, a plan. This is how we'll give 'em all the bird! 
Stay tuned as this start moving forward. Right now this is just a placeholder. I haven't even begun gathering wood yet. We're waiting on the budget. I may or may not join the "Great Guitar Build-Off 2022" in the community build category (which is NOT part of the actual judged competition), but if I do this will be the build. GGBO22 timeframe is right now through the end of October I think.
I've kind of had this planned for a couple years now, it originally popped up in one of my other build threads so now that build #1 and build #2 have basically come to a close (aside from sorting out some minor setup things), it's time to start taking another look at this one. Thus, we need a post placeholder, and here it is!
The Bird -
In my collection, I own a 90s B.C Rich Warlock Platinum Series -
My wife bought this bass for me as an anniversary gift one year. It was the display model and has a decent sized dent in the face of that beautiful trans-blue burst, thus we got it at a steal. Her favorite color is blue, so that helped. It is the model with the "Widow" headstock, making it more sought after (and more metal if you ask me).
I also have this pretty cool looking B.C. Rich Mockingbird MKII -
It's one of those less than desirable models from here recently with the quilted maple top. I'm not sure if the top is one of those fake prints or if it's just a mega-thin laminate. This one has the "Tombstone" headstock on it. I paid cash for it from a local music store that cuts crazy deals for cash customers.
Get To The Point (See What I Did There? ) -
Anyways, I told you that story so I could tell you this one. The "collection" needs an Ironbird to complete the pointy bass trifecta!
I've looked at original Ironbirds and IF you can even find one, they sell fast and go for stupid prices. So, let's just build one. First we need a plan, so I went to AutoCAD and threw this together -
We'll go reverse standard headstock on this one, because I currently do not own a reverse headstock bass. I try to build things I don't have, and reverse headstock fits the bill here.
I'm also not a fan of the original Ironbird headstock, so we'll just use the standard B.C. Rich headstock, because more pointy anyways! Things To Ponder -
I'm still debating what bridge I want to use, which will dictate the design a little around that area. The Ironbird basically has a little "block" hanging off the rear that the bridge mounts to. Using a hardtail bridge it would fit just in that block. I'm considering using a tremolo, which may dictate a larger block, depending on which tremolo I choose. And yes, I know, bass tremolos are useless. That doesn't mean I don't want one.
I'm still playing with the headstock a bit. Typically, those late 80s / early 90s pointy hair metal basses had some horrible string angles after the nut. All the B.C. Rich, Jackson, Charvel "hockey stick" headstocks shared that same basic layout. You get one string pulling straight and the other three are all willy-nilly. The question becomes, do I want to "rotate" the whole thing so that the straight-pull string is the D? Or do I just leave it alone and not care? There's literally thousands of basses built like that and it's not really a problem, so maybe I just don't care.
I also straightened up a few of the body lines. The original design had a more curved line from the bridge section down -
And also had more of a weird little "point" at the upper rear tip -
I've eliminated those and just gone more "straight". I've also rounded off the points a bit more, just to make building easier. It also has the added benefit of making my design "less original" and less likely to obtain a "cease and desist".
No, I do not plan on ever selling it, so I know it doesn't matter.
Anyway, everything else is pretty typical here. We're gonna go 24-fret, 34" scale length, 4 string. I'm still not sold on the pickup configuration, because I already own a double-P bass. But the problem there is, I already own a P-J, I already own a double-P, I already own a dual humbucker / soapbar. I'm kind of out of setups I don't already have covered. About the only thing I don't own is a double-J and honestly, I don't really like that sound anyways. So I don't know yet.
Let's Talk Finish -
So there's a really REALLY big part of me that wants to do this thing in neon yellow with black/yellow taxi-cab checkers on the sides. Something similar to this -
Let's be honest here, we're building an 80s hair metal bass and what's more 80s hair metal that neon and taxi-cab checkers?
There's also a smaller part of me that wants to try a crackle finish, because I don't own one and I've never tried it.
Either way, it means we don't need super fancy high end woods here. If we're gonna paint it anyways, basswood/ash/alder is fine as far as I'm concerned.
So there you have it, a design, a concept, a plan. This is how we'll give 'em all the bird!
Stay tuned as this start moving forward. Right now this is just a placeholder. I haven't even begun gathering wood yet. We're waiting on the budget. I may or may not join the "Great Guitar Build-Off 2022" in the community build category (which is NOT part of the actual judged competition), but if I do this will be the build. GGBO22 timeframe is right now through the end of October I think.
Last edited:
