New Walnut Project bass.

[M.R. Ogle]

Yeah... no strap buttons as of yet. I ordered some recessed Dunlop Strap Lock buttons, but they ain't here yet.

 

[Lava]

Wow! Great job

 

[causeBASS]

View attachment 4140542 I love how Ric's look, I don't much like how they feel.
I'm a big believer in the single-pickup simplicity of a P-bass.

looks great!!

this flamed walnut will be my new bass sometime this year... 4 string fretless to be built by Jimmy Wilson of Landing Guitars in Pittsburgh

 

[Jeremy Richards]

I have this inner desire to build a bass, but I keep talking myself out of it. The basses that I have are plenty good for everything I do. I figure I can buy a really good bass cheaper than I can build one from scratch with new parts. But then, I see this and....WOW...that looks like it would be so rewarding! VERY NICE!

speaking from experience, it is so rewarding to play something you made yourself. Even though my basses aren’t up to the quality I’d like (it’s mostly finishing details at this point) they function perfectly well and now I only play instruments I’ve made myself, just on principle

so even though it’s not necessarily cost-effective, I say go for it!

 

[Paul Caridi]

Beautiful job!!! Enjoy your masterpiece

 

[Mark Karwan]

As I was finishing this one up, I was seeing these threads on a few manufacturers making basses (Jackson, in particular) that were "inspired" with classic Ric styling cues, and the results were less than appealing to me. As someone said, it's like when two A-list stars get together and have an ugly baby.

But this would be an EASY bass to produce, one pickup, simple and streamlined. Heck, Ric could revive the "Electro" sub-brand and sell it for under a grand, LOL!

That's what I thought of immediately- often the "inspired by" or two-things-in-a-blender designs just look weird. This does not look weird. It looks "right" in its own way. Outstanding design and execution!

 

[mdmarkle]

I built myself something during the pandemic. Had some real nice figured walnut in the basement, bought an Ibanez neck off the 'Bay., and had a lot of time off my usual schedule to put this together. Also had to try the new Billy Sheehan View attachment 4140189 DiMarzio "Relentless" chrome P-bass pickups, although I "reversed" them. The inspiration from the two famous Santa Ana, CA bass manufacturers is obvious, lol!

This is beautiful!

 

[mike reed]

I built myself something during the pandemic. Had some real nice figured walnut in the basement, bought an Ibanez neck off the 'Bay., and had a lot of time off my usual schedule to put this together. Also had to try the new Billy Sheehan View attachment 4140189 DiMarzio "Relentless" chrome P-bass pickups, although I "reversed" them. The inspiration from the two famous Santa Ana, CA bass manufacturers is obvious, lol!

I did a similar project with a nice piece of curly maple (rebodied Epi); will send pics, if I can figure out how...

 

[Whitebeard]

Beautiful. Hope it plays and sounds as good as it looks.

 

[redstrand]

I built myself something during the pandemic. Had some real nice figured walnut in the basement, bought an Ibanez neck off the 'Bay., and had a lot of time off my usual schedule to put this together. Also had to try the new Billy Sheehan View attachment 4140189 DiMarzio "Relentless" chrome P-bass pickups, although I "reversed" them. The inspiration from the two famous Santa Ana, CA bass manufacturers is obvious, lol!

 

[Cernnunos]

I built myself something during the pandemic. Had some real nice figured walnut in the basement, bought an Ibanez neck off the 'Bay., and had a lot of time off my usual schedule to put this together. Also had to try the new Billy Sheehan View attachment 4140189 DiMarzio "Relentless" chrome P-bass pickups, although I "reversed" them. The inspiration from the two famous Santa Ana, CA bass manufacturers is obvious, lol!

That's a beautiful instrument!

I'm curious as to why you reversed the pickups. What does that do to the sound of the instrument?

 

[mike reed]

rebodied Epi Rumblekat in Oregon big-leaf maple;partial chamber; sounds,plays about the same as donor

 

[Quasar Wave]

AMAZING! LOVE IT! More photos please!
As for different knobs, I agree, maybe make your own matching walnut like suggested, or the chicken head?
I found these cool brown ones that would go nice with the walnut:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Also I think a recessed jack plate would be much nicer.

 

[Quasar Wave]

View attachment 4141525 View attachment 4141526

Wow! Flame on the back! What wood is that?

 

[ejaggers]

I considered parchment, but I had this satin-pearl drum wrap material that I had been wanting to use on some retro-theme project (think Coral Wasp) so I used it here.

If I get tired of the look, I'll make a duplicate set in parchment or cream.

That bass is sexy!!!

I'm going to agree with you about cream.
I also agree with @Quasar Wave on the brown chickens & recessed jack plate......057912

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Wow! Flame on the back! What wood is that?

It's some light variation on Mahogany. Maybe what they call Phillipine Mahogany. I'm not 100% sure, the board was given to me.
I also did consider a strat "boat" jack plate. But those don't like right-angle jacks sometimes. I just thought the chrome football was less prominent, and worked with the pickguard shape.
If I build a bass, I aways reverse the two P-bass half-pickups like this. I like leaving the E/A half in the "normal" spot, and putting the D/G forward to give it a little more bassiness. Better "balance" string to string, in my opinion.
I played it extensively last night, did not record with it yet, I will. The D'Addario halfrounds give a very smooth, mellow sound and good note fundamental without the roundwound "edge".

 

[retslock]

I built myself something during the pandemic. Had some real nice figured walnut in the basement, bought an Ibanez neck off the 'Bay., and had a lot of time off my usual schedule to put this together. Also had to try the new Billy Sheehan View attachment 4140189 DiMarzio "Relentless" chrome P-bass pickups, although I "reversed" them. The inspiration from the two famous Santa Ana, CA bass manufacturers is obvious, lol!

Beautiful work. I love that you’ve taken out the silly top-of-body scoop that Rics have. I did a mock-up some time ago of a Ric to see what it would look like without that scoop. Yours is way more classy.

 

[A9X]

Looks like very nice work, but I loathe PGs and the white plastic spoils it for my tastes.

 

[TH63]

I built myself something during the pandemic. Had some real nice figured walnut in the basement, bought an Ibanez neck off the 'Bay., and had a lot of time off my usual schedule to put this together. Also had to try the new Billy Sheehan View attachment 4140189 DiMarzio "Relentless" chrome P-bass pickups, although I "reversed" them. The inspiration from the two famous Santa Ana, CA bass manufacturers is obvious, lol!

Walnut, one of my favorites. And that's a mighty fine looking walnut bass.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

First night playing "out" with it... hope to have some sound (from the board) to share soon!