Here it is: The P/Rick!

[Papalampraina]

I had previously bought a Rickenbacker, which I loved for its tone, but after playing Precisions for so many years, I couldn't get used to the ergonomics (and the rosewood fretboard) and eventually sold.
Then one day, my singer/best man told me that he had bought a wood router.
Long story short, here is the P/Rick. All pickups, electronics and knobs are from a couple 4003 basses, the neck is from a Fender Am Std and the body is from Warmoth. Needless to say it needs a new pickguard and the pickups need a little bit of realigning. Also, if I decide to screw the bridge pickup on the pickguard, it will be one piece instead of two.

 

[Picton]

Dig the name, too...

 

[JRA]

so: does it sound like a ric, or do the P 'tonewoods'* favor fender? it looks like you're set up for "ric-o-sound"



*

 

[Bass4LifeRS]

so: does it sound like a ric, or do the P 'tonewoods'* favor fender? it looks like you're set up for "ric-o-sound"



*

I think you mean Prick O' sound

 

[Papalampraina]

so: does it sound like a ric, or do the P 'tonewoods'* favor fender? it looks like you're set up for "ric-o-sound"



*

Definitely not sounding like a P, sounds a lot like a Ric. I want to listen to it on my amp, which I don't have available right now. I have only a small home amp here and the tones I am getting are really nice.

 

[JRA]

sounds a lot like a Ric

well, that's what you intended: ric sound from a non-ric shape! good show!

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I see you are using two neck Rick pups. The magnets on those are fairly weak. I suggest routing in and installing a Rick bridge pup in your bridge position.

 

[40Hz]

Love it!!!

Hopefully you can get us some sound clips?

 

[eJake]

The Prick Bass....

When you absolutely MUST let it all hang out.

 

[Papalampraina]

I see you are using two neck Rick pups. The magnets on those are fairly weak. I suggest routing in and installing a Rick bridge pup in your bridge position.

This is actually the coolest part of the project. The person I bought the bridge pickup from, had a neck pickup ring, so he customized the whole thing and sent it like that, after I explained what I wanted it for. The pickups are right, the cake is a lie.

 

[Papalampraina]

Love it!!!

Hopefully you can get us some sound clips?

I'll try my best. I'm just a mediocre bass player.

 

[40Hz]

I'll try my best. I'm just a mediocre bass player.

As am I. You’re in good company and among friends.

 

[mattwear]

That looks slick as... nice work!

 

[Stranger Danger]

I had previously bought a Rickenbacker, which I loved for its tone, but after playing Precisions for so many years, I couldn't get used to the ergonomics (and the rosewood fretboard) and eventually sold.
Then one day, my singer/best man told me that he had bought a wood router.
Long story short, here is the P/Rick. All pickups, electronics and knobs are from a couple 4003 basses, the neck is from a Fender Am Std and the body is from Warmoth. Needless to say it needs a new pickguard and the pickups need a little bit of realigning. Also, if I decide to screw the bridge pickup on the pickguard, it will be one piece instead of two.

View attachment 3264004 View attachment 3264005

Someone needs to mass produce these. I have wondered about this for years. Very cool.

 

[RissKippery]

Precisionbacker?

Looks pretty cool!! Would love to hear it.

Is it actually wired for Rick-O-Sound?

 

[BassikLee]

Bonus points for the white tape over your P hole, as it were.

 

[Papalampraina]

Precisionbacker?

Looks pretty cool!! Would love to hear it.

Is it actually wired for Rick-O-Sound?

Yes, the electronics are from an original 4003. Vintage/modern tone, Ric-O-Sound, crappy Ric pickup selector, the works!

 

[Papalampraina]

Bonus points for the white tape over your P hole, as it were.

There is also a white piece glued to cover the whole, but there was no way to make it cover the "ears" as well.

 

[basspraiser]

That's pretty cool.....

I too love Ric sounds but could not get used to the feel...

Congrats on the creative solution!

As for a name the "Ricky-P"....

 

[Axstar]

Reminds me of Stu Cook's old P bass.

I really like the concept at play here. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to get close to a Rickenbacker tone from a P bass with the right sort of pickups in the right sort of locations. Oddly enough very few bother. I've gored a few cheap basses to try and get close, but never tried this hard!

With a wee bit of smoothing the pickguard outline could look really nice. I would cut a new pickguard and go from there.