Custom RDbacker build

[Benjamin]

Please move this thread if it shouldn't be in here

I have been contemplating a custom build over the last few years, using the neck off my old broken Epiphone Ripper. It is a great skinny maple neck, maple board, brass nut, black face on the head.

The plan is to build a Gibson RD body to bolt neck onto, with 34" scale. Originally I thought about Bartolini electronics, since that's what old Ripper had and new Epi Ripper now has. BUT now I am thinking about going for Rickenbacker Horseshoe and Toaster pickups and full Rickenbacker passive harness. I have a friend who can CNC a custom pickguard for me, close to RD specs/style, modified to work with the Rickenbacker pickups.

A few questions float around:

- Body wood choice. Probably maple, maybe Queensland maple. Open to suggestions.
- Natural or Black? My Epi Ripper is natural with black pickguard. I have a black 4003. Natural will be cheaper of course.
- Pickup placement should be as close to early 4001 as possible? What are the approx measurements from 12th fret?
- Wiring harness and pots. Should I run with standard 330K setup a-la 4003 or go earlier? I will wire in a push-pull for the treble cap
- Bridge choice will be interesting. I have the original Epiphone/Gibson 3-point Tune-O-Matic, but I can do better. Do you think a Hipshot Rickenbacker bridge would look ok on this? Going with chrome hardware.
- Does anyone have measurements/diagram of the new horseshoe pickup I could use in a drawing program? Or just dimensions. I am thinking the pickguard will blend with the shape/curvature of the bridge side of the horseshoe surround.

I'd like for the bass to be a real passive growler/nasty machine. Since I can't afford an early 4001, and I don't want to drop Horseshoe and Toaster into my 4003, I figure this is next best for fun.

[iiipopes]

Yes, good idea, but it does need to be moved to the "Low End (Non-Rickenbacker)" sub-forum.

[rickenbrother]

Making the transition to "The Low End". I'll leave the shadow topic in Rickenbacker Basses for a little while.

[MiroN]

is it your thinking?

[Benjamin]

Good move. Thanks!

MiroN, did you mock that up? Basically yes. Difference is in the pickguard. Controls would be rear loaded. Pickguard will be based on the standard black RD guard. It will butt up to the horseshoe but surround the toaster, with the U shape between them.

Considering putting the switch in the RD Artist position. Are there other switching methods to apply to Rics? RD Artist have two switches.

[Benjamin]

Did a little mock up this morning. This is kinda what I am thinking. The Epiphone neck and head looks similar, just a bigger version of the Gibson style.

The two switches on RD Artist basses were for expansion/compression and brightness. If I wire one switch for the standard pickup selector, the other could be for something else. Would the second switch then be used for a vintage cap, instead of having a push-pull pot?

[aceonbass]

- Wiring harness and pots. Should I run with standard 330K setup a-la 4003 or go earlier? I will wire in a push-pull for the treble cap.

I'd use the industry standard 500K CTS tone and 250K CTS volume pots with a .047uF tone cap. The stock 330K pots RIC uses all around on everything they make are, IMHO, tone suckers for single coil pickups, and especially humbucking pickups. While the RD Artist body shape is a cool idea, I think putting RIC single coil pickups on it in the stock 4000 series positions would be a bit out of character for a Gibson bass. Depending on the taper of the neck, you may have to use a bridge with wider spacing which would not line the strings up with RIC single coil pickup poles. Stock string spacing at the bridge on a 4003 is 2 1/16". However, if you use RIC HB1 humbuckers, you can go as wide as about 2 3/8" spacing at the bridge. At that point you're also better off using a Hipshot SuperTone bridge, which is made for Gibson basses. If you go with humbucking pickups, 500K pots all around with .022uF or .033uF tone caps would sound good. At this point, I'd just use Bartolini pickups though.

[Benjamin]

Interesting thoughts Dane. I see your logic. The Epi neck is Jazz thin. It throws a spanner in the works - that being the desire to have a bass with horseshoe and toaster pickups.

[aceonbass]

The Jazz width at the nut is good. Just check the taper on a 34" scale to see what string spacing you'd end up with at the bridge. RIHS pickups have pretty wide poles, so there's a little wiggle room on the spacing. Toasters are actually 6-pole pickups originally designed for guitars, but I don't know the pole spacing.

[iiipopes]

The 3-point bridge has a similar string spacing as a RIC bridge, so using RIC pickups should not be an issue.

Do the original electronics work? Remember, everybody who plays a RIC instrument seems to want compression, and you already have it on board!

[Benjamin]

Hi guys, I think there's a little confusion, but that's ok

The bass is definitely NOT an original RD. I don't believe in molesting originals unless you can return them back, and even then... that's why I don't really want to go to the trouble of putting horseshoe and toaster pickups in my 2000 4003JG. I love her the way she is.

This RD style build would use a new body, to which an Epiphone Ripper neck is bolted. Gibson RDs are set necks. I love the RD shape and figure the black-faced Epi neck would look cool. So it is an exercise in achieving an RD body, using a great neck I already have, and hopefully experimenting with Rickenbacker horseshoe and toaster pickups to achieve some kind of monster, even though I know it won't sound the same as a Ric for many technical reasons. It should still be a beast, no?

Cheers!

[iiipopes]

Sorry. Misunderstood. I would consider chambering a solid maple body for weight, but not so light you get neck dive from the large tuners. With the maple body, it will sound similar, although with bolt-on there will be a dip in @ the 400 Hz range, give or take, depending on the final weight of the instrument.

If you like it, go for it!

[cheyenne]

Any update on this??

[Benjamin]

It will be some time off. Long-term project I think. A bit busy with playing and business.