Rick 4003 Walnut build

[TonH]

A few months ago I started building a Rick-copy (walnut).

On request of a fellow TB'er I start this thread.

First I made a template of MDF for the body

And out of 2 pieces of walnut I cut out the two wings with the jigsaw.

Out of 1 beam of maple I made a laminated one with a veneer pinstripe.

All together it looks like this:

A few weeks later, the trussrod is installed.

The cavity for the electronics has been made. It is covered by a pickguard.

I am not going to install a full pickguard, so you see more of the walnut ;-)

Then it was time for the binding on the body

And a trussrod cover:

The fretboard is so beautiful (birds eye maple) that I don't want those triangle inlays.

Black dots is fine, so now it is a mix of the 4003w en 4003sw ;-)

After that it was time for the profile of the neck:

More to come....

 

[thebassbuilder]

Looking good! Are you using a thick cut fingerboard? I just see a joint under the binding which looks like the fingerboard. If so, that is a great idea for a neckthrough design.

 

[TonH]

Original Rickenbacker's have a thick fretboard, about 9 mm. Google for pictures and you see the binding is not covering the whole fretboard side.

 

[thebassbuilder]

Now I see why they went with such a thick board. You do not have to cut the body side of the neck to compensate for the bridge and this I am sure helps with the lack of head stock tilt back. This is not a bad idea.

 

[TonH]

Original Rick-parts like pickup's or bridges are very hard to get in the EU.

Or are very expensive.

So I am going to put Duesenberg pickup's in the bass: Single coil / rail.

And this bridge:

 

[mapleglo]

This is looking great! Sub'd.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Nice looking bass! How did you route for binding, Stewmac rabbet set?

 

[TonH]

Nice looking bass! How did you route for binding, Stewmac rabbet set?

Indeed with a router bit for binding (not from stewmac).

 

[TonH]

Last evening/night I had some time to work on the project.

So I finished the headstock with help of a MDF-template and also the holes for the tuners

After that it was time for the frets. Here they are prepared for putting them on the fretbaord.

And today I pressed the frets in the fretboard:

 

[Snowglo]

Very nice! The neck is gorgeous.

 

[TonH]

With this tool ( I don't know what is called in English) I measured the neck's profile:

Can anyone tell me if this somehow correct?
Is it as an original Rick's neck?

 

[TonH]

Because I am not going to install a full pickguard I have to drill holes in the wing before glueing it to the neck.

When routing the cavities for the pickup's the holes will reapear.

 

[mapleglo]

With this tool ( I don't know what is called in English) I measured the neck's profile:

Can anyone tell me if this somehow correct?
Is it as an original Rick's neck?

It's close to my 2010 4003, but a little chunky (deep) for a early 4001. The profile looks good though.

 

[TonH]

Today I glued the first wing to the body.

Here it is clamped up.

 

[TonH]

Last evening I glued the lower wing to the neck.

The wings were a few mm's thicker than the neck. So with a special rig and the router I got them leveled.

And after some sanding this is the result.

Before I clamped the lower wing I put the ground wire in the channel.

For the nut I ordered a piece of black Buffalo horn.

Because the fretboard is so thick (9mm) The Buffalo horn was not high enough.

So I put some maple under it. Next time I make the fretboard a litter longer.

So next on the list are:

- edges at the back side (knee/ belly / body)
- pickup cavaties
- finish (gloss / satin?)

 

[wraub]

This is looking very good.

 

[tubedude]

Great work, and that is some great looking walnut.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Very nice work, the more walnut rics I see, the more I like them.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Maybe satin on the neck and back and gloss front?

 

[TonH]

So this week I had some time to work on the bass.

Next was making cavities for the pickup's.

Here you can see the channels/holes for the wiring of the pickup's, that I made before I glued the wings to the neck, re-appear.

And the back:

These pictures are made outside in the evening light. Now the beauty of the wallnut is more visible.