DarkHeart Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Just taken a punt on one of the RD kits on offer from Pit Bull, always wanted a Gibson RD but can`t afford one so i`m going to build my own, not too sure about having it with jazz pickups on as per kit so I might see what I can come up with. I might yet see my friend Wilf and get something custom made, anyway I got the email this morning to let me know it`s on it`s way. Can`t wait! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Looks like a nice kit! What colour you thinking of? 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Now that is VERY interesting... Did you enquire about different pickup routings available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted August 27, 2018 Author Share Posted August 27, 2018 3 hours ago, Jimothey said: Looks like a nice kit! What colour you thinking of? 😀 Natural as Im no painter and have nowhere to paint it anyway so its going to be oiled although I have several stains available. Although if there were anyone on here who would be able to do a decent paint job at a reasonable cost i`d be more than interested as I`ve always fancied a white RD with a black headstock. 3 hours ago, Bigwan said: Now that is VERY interesting... Did you enquire about different pickup routings available? I inquired about not having it drilled for the 3 point bridge but it would knock the delivery back 3 months so I left it (its a birthday present to myself and that`s 2 weeks time) , I`m toying with 1/4 pounders, some Ghost pickups or even just some Warman but then again I have no idea how good or bad the supplied pickups will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothey Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 29 minutes ago, DarkHeart said: Natural as Im no painter and have nowhere to paint it anyway so its going to be oiled although I have several stains available. Although if there were anyone on here who would be able to do a decent paint job at a reasonable cost i`d be more than interested as I`ve always fancied a white RD with a black headstock. I'm sure there will be someone who can help, look on the repair and technical section and there's a list of BCers prepared the help fix a bass, find someone local to you and PM them 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 How about those chrome or nickel Chinabuckers? Nice pups y all accounts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted August 29, 2018 Share Posted August 29, 2018 (edited) I've seen these kits before. Interested in seeing how this comes out. Loads of photos please. Don't be too perturbed about not having a spray booth...you can do the primer with rattle cans in the open and then sand it back/repeat. A good tip would be to hit up a local garage who do body repairs and just ask them to shout you next time they're doing a colour close to what you want. They're usually pretty accommodating and interested in doing something that's not a car! Also, you could stick a Babicz FCH three-point replacement in there. Edited August 29, 2018 by NancyJohnson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 RE: no spraybooth ive done several projects with rattle cans, but for my stingrayish building followed @Andyjr1515 s advice and used chestnut’s sanding sealer and melamine lacquer- I stained the body using water colour concentrated pigment and wiped on the finishes and achieved a reasonably good gloss- if I had used less I could have got a decent non gloss finish. Andy in his next build used some Osmo product that I ended up investigating and using their top oil for my kitchen work tops... that also is very very good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 Updates........... 1, The kit is in the UK took no time at all to come from Australia, probably take 3 times as long to get it 300 miles up north! 2, I have a painter!! Mate of mine who is also a bassist has his own vehicle detailing business and has agreed to paint it for beer 🙂 3, I have just bought pickups and a bridge for a ridiculously low price. 2x Kent Armstrong humbuckers for £10 and a Gotoh bridge also for a tenner, will be paying a visit to Howard for scratchplate and routing. If anyone has any info or a clue on how to wire the pickups can you drop me a pm, previous owner is trying to get a pdf off the schematics but info is always good. Pups are these bad boys and the bridge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Here's a diagram I got years ago from Aaron Armstrong regarding pickup wiring - I think it might be very similar to what you have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Have you got a multimeter to measure the coils? You can then work out if they are the same as the diagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 10 minutes ago, Jabba_the_gut said: Have you got a multimeter to measure the coils? You can then work out if they are the same as the diagram. Unfortunately not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba_the_gut Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Whereabouts are you based? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 Co Durham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 So your the one that nabbed the Kent Armstrong’s 😤 Seriously though, if you want a pro bass paint job in the North East, there’s only one place to go. Mr Dave Wilson who is out Hexham way. He’s the local go to guy.😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted September 1, 2018 Author Share Posted September 1, 2018 5 hours ago, JPJ said: So your the one that nabbed the Kent Armstrong’s 😤 Seriously though, if you want a pro bass paint job in the North East, there’s only one place to go. Mr Dave Wilson who is out Hexham way. He’s the local go to guy.😎 Yup that was me 😀 As much as I`d like a pro paint job I can`t justify what Dave would charge for what is essentially a cheap kit bass, I built a Fender Blacktop Jazz a few year ago and wanted a vintage amber tint to the neck and he wanted to charge more for that than what I`d paid for the body, I know he does a first class job but it`s not practical on a £150 kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 (edited) 8 hours ago, DarkHeart said: Yup that was me 😀 As much as I`d like a pro paint job I can`t justify what Dave would charge for what is essentially a cheap kit bass, I built a Fender Blacktop Jazz a few year ago and wanted a vintage amber tint to the neck and he wanted to charge more for that than what I`d paid for the body, I know he does a first class job but it`s not practical on a £150 kit. Fair point we’ll made 😉 You can achieve pro-level finish with rattle cans, it just takes time. I did this telecaster for a friend and whilst the materials only cost £30, there was about 100 hours of prepping, painting, flatting, painting, buffing & polishing to get to this. Edited September 1, 2018 by JPJ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 Latest update, i`ve found a chippy who sprays and will fill the bridge holes, rout the pickup cavities and spray it! Just wish it was out of customs now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 The kit is here! Cant start it till the body is routed, holes filled and painted but it seems quite good, neck joint is tight, neck isn`t a baseball bat which is a bonus. Turns out my pickups are Kent Armstrongs passive Alembic pup and theyv`e supplied me with a wiring diagram for coil tapping etc, may look into that but i`m definitely no electrical genius. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 32 minutes ago, DarkHeart said: The kit is here! Cant start it till the body is routed, holes filled and painted but it seems quite good, neck joint is tight, neck isn`t a baseball bat which is a bonus. Turns out my pickups are Kent Armstrongs passive Alembic pup and theyv`e supplied me with a wiring diagram for coil tapping etc, may look into that but i`m definitely no electrical genius. That's looking like a great start. Mine had a simple scheme that gave me individual vol and tone for each. Pitbull had included it with the kit. In addition, I had downloaded all of their YT clips detailing various aspects of building and wiring their kits. Two unbranded humbuckers were supplied. The pickups had all of the coil tails accessible so that coil tapping is a possibility. I looked at many of the wiring schemes that are in, I think, the technical section of this forum but in the end I stuck with the simple scheme as supplied with the intent of modifying the wiring later. Would you mind posting an image of your scheme as supplied? It isn't clear whether you meant that the scheme was supplied with the Pitbull kit or the Kent Armstrong pups but I might be able to use it in either case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 The scheme is for the Kent Armstrongs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 (edited) 6 hours ago, DarkHeart said: The scheme is for the Kent Armstrongs Thanks. That deserves recognition so; Edited September 13, 2018 by SpondonBassed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted September 15, 2018 Author Share Posted September 15, 2018 Ive decided its going to be a bright yellow with the black plate ala Dingwall, should stand out a bit 🤣 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 Couple of update pics, routes are done and bridge holes filled, painting this weekend in lemon yellow...its very yellow!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkHeart Posted October 7, 2018 Author Share Posted October 7, 2018 It is now in primer! Looks nice in white but will be awesome in yellow ( I hope!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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