Headless Rick-Shaped Thing Disaster

[Richard R]

Distinctive 👍

[Bassassin]

On 04/10/2022 at 15:40, SpondonBassed said:

 

Not something I was expecting to read in a Build Diary but I do like what you've done with the bass.

 

Probably best not to post this:

 

 

That's gonna cost you. And not just your sanity. 

 

Anyway - it plays OK as it is but will need a bit of work to get the best out of it. The saddles on the bridge/tuner things don't have the height adjustment range of the original (and bunging the lot on a bit of plastic hasn't helped) so I'll need  to do a bit of filing to get the action a little lower. The saddles sit in slots on top of the slidey intonation adjusting bits (I know all the technical terms, me) so it should be straightforward enough to take a mil or two off the bottoms of each. If that's not enough, I'll need to rethink the plastic baseplate, maybe a thinner material, or cutting holes for each tuner assembly so it's more of a surround.

 

As it is, it looks quite nice hanging on the wall & seems perfectly happy there, so there's a realistic possibility that I'll just get bored and wander off again.

[lemmywinks]

Looks great that.

[Ralf1e]

On 05/10/2022 at 19:44, Bassassin said:

 

That's gonna cost you. And not just your sanity. 

 

Anyway - it plays OK as it is but will need a bit of work to get the best out of it. The saddles on the bridge/tuner things don't have the height adjustment range of the original (and bunging the lot on a bit of plastic hasn't helped) so I'll need  to do a bit of filing to get the action a little lower. The saddles sit in slots on top of the slidey intonation adjusting bits (I know all the technical terms, me) so it should be straightforward enough to take a mil or two off the bottoms of each. If that's not enough, I'll need to rethink the plastic baseplate, maybe a thinner material, or cutting holes for each tuner assembly so it's more of a surround.

 

As it is, it looks quite nice hanging on the wall & seems perfectly happy there, so there's a realistic possibility that I'll just get bored and wander off again.

Like that. At first I thought the head stock (whats left of it) looked strange but seeing it in context with the body it fits in with it. Looks organic like something that came out of the sea. Blue eyed sea monster!

[Bassassin]

4 hours ago, Ralf1e said:

Like that. At first I thought the head stock (whats left of it) looked strange but seeing it in context with the body it fits in with it. Looks organic like something that came out of the sea. Blue eyed sea monster!

 

I'm having second thoughts about the headstock/headstump/headflap. I don't particularly like it & having found a stand which has tuner clearance & doesn't need neck support, there's no longer much of a rationale for its existence. It'd look a lot better with something more minimalistic, and reshaping it/refinishing it would be easy enough given it's an oil finish - so watch this space...

 

That said, I am a spectacularly unmotivated creature so realistically, I'm unlikely to get beyond the side-eyeing it and tutting phase. There's always something more important to avoid doing.

[Ralf1e]

5 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

 

I'm having second thoughts about the headstock/headstump/headflap. I don't particularly like it & having found a stand which has tuner clearance & doesn't need neck support, there's no longer much of a rationale for its existence. It'd look a lot better with something more minimalistic, and reshaping it/refinishing it would be easy enough given it's an oil finish - so watch this space...

 

That said, I am a spectacularly unmotivated creature so realistically, I'm unlikely to get beyond the side-eyeing it and tutting phase. There's always something more important to avoid doing.

The headstock on my Steven Hart bass. Minimal! But you still need to truss adjust.

[Bassassin]

8 minutes ago, Ralf1e said:

The headstock on my Steven Hart bass. Minimal! But you still need to truss adjust.

 If I do it (and it's a big 'if'!) I'd probably just re-shape around the existing string clamp position & still use the same truss access. Could re-visit the idea of having the clamp on the back.

 

[Ralf1e]

4 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

 If I do it (and it's a big 'if'!) I'd probably just re-shape around the existing string clamp position & still use the same truss access. Could re-visit the idea of having the clamp on the back.

 

Would that limit your choice of strings? I had a nasty experience of wrecking some Labella flats turning them too tight

[lemmywinks]

The Aria Sinsonido models had some nice minimal headstock designs, might be able to do a variation on that:

[Happy Jack]

2 hours ago, Ralf1e said:

The headstock on my Steven Hart bass. Minimal! But you still need to truss adjust.

 

Have you considered maybe plaiting the strings? Or at least a ponytail?

 

[Bassassin]

On 13/10/2022 at 11:43, Ralf1e said:

Would that limit your choice of strings? I had a nasty experience of wrecking some Labella flats turning them too tight

 

It would, and it's not really practical. There's not a huge amout of travel on the tuners so having a straight pull through the clamp, and being able to haul on the string with pliers while you clamp it is useful. Would be a lot more awkward if they were bending to go through the headstock & into the clamp.

[Ralf1e]

On 13/10/2022 at 13:42, Happy Jack said:

 

Have you considered maybe plaiting the strings? Or at least a ponytail?

 

No I've too plain lazy to do that yet or should I say getting around to cutting the off 😉

[Waddo Soqable]

Nice job 👍.. I had one of those Wesley Ricko things about 2010, it was quite a good bass, tho as you allude to, the headstock's hideous and spoilt the look of the original thing.( I see why they felt the need to do it of course) 

I'm thinking of doing similar to a rocktile Rick, do you have a link to the seller for the Guyker tuner/bridges and head block set you bought by any chance?.. the ones I've seen are somewhat more expensive and 45 for the whole lot is a good price!  The Guyker stuff seems better quality kit, I'd be avoiding "overlord of music" from what I've heard these have a bad rep for rather "soft" metal components! 

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Waddo Soqable

[Bassassin]

2 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said:

Nice job 👍.. I had one of those Wesley Ricko things about 2010, it was quite a good bass, tho as you allude to, the headstock's hideous and spoilt the look of the original thing.( I see why they felt the need to do it of course) 

I'm thinking of doing similar to a rocktile Rick, do you have a link to the seller for the Guyker tuner/bridges and head block set you bought by any chance?.. the ones I've seen are somewhat more expensive and 45 for the whole lot is a good price!  The Guyker stuff seems better quality kit, I'd be avoiding "overlord of music" from what I've heard these have a bad rep for rather "soft" metal components! 

 

 

Unfortunately no longer in stock but as the seller presumably is Guyker, probably worth hanging onto the link - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203735338271

 

I think I remember seeing these on AliExpress so probably worth having a dig around there. If you go ahead with the project, do post a thread here!

[lemmywinks]

There seems to be two different individual headless bass saddles on AliExpress, ones like those Guyker units with the turret style knurled knob and some thinner ones with brass inserts and a standard knob. Would be good if you could get the ones Ibanez use on the EHB basses as they're rock solid with loads of travel.

[Waddo Soqable]

Thanks for the Intel guys, I may message the ebay seller to ask if they're going to restock, I've seen a variety of this type of stuff on ebay, the Headless project kit seems to be fairly expensive for what it is, I've never bought on Alexexpress before but will give them a look, the stuff on there is always a suspiciosly good price! 

If I do a butcher's job on the faux-Rick I'll be sure to do a blow by blow account. 

[lemmywinks]

I've bought loads of stuff from AliExpress, had more issues buying from UK eBay sellers tbh.

[Waddo Soqable]

Well I registered on ali-ex. after a bit of a faff, and (to the best of my knowledge!) have ordered the exact same kit of guyker parts as used here, with shipping and "tax" the total was 49 quid so not too much of a price hike, provided I don't get hit for yet more sleazy import duty on top!

So it appears I'm kind of committed to this madness now eh! 

[Waddo Soqable]

Ironically after ordering the stuff on A. ex, I got a few "special offers" from ebay sellers for the "overlard of music" bridge kits, due to having simply viewed them, I may have been tempted to give one a go had the offers arrived earlier, (allegedly ships from UK too)... but the route I took was probably for the best as they don't seem to have a very good build quality by all accounts. (and the guyker stuff has already been nicely trialled here!) 

I look forward to the arrival of the kit I did get anyway, though gawd knows how long it'll take with post strikes and Xmouse etc intervening. 

A question for @Bassassin.. On your bass what was the approx measurement between the flat top of the body and the top of the fretboard (at fret height)? I ask as you mentioned the need to drop the saddles a bit to get a reasonable action and wondering if I'll need to do likewise (I suspect I will! )

I've revisited your thread numerous times for inspiration for sure.. One thing that occurs to me, I really would do the trimming the head "lump" right down to the block as you theorised, it would look much better, purely IMHO of course! 

[Bassassin]

1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said:

A question for @Bassassin.. On your bass what was the approx measurement between the flat top of the body and the top of the fretboard (at fret height)? I ask as you mentioned the need to drop the saddles a bit to get a reasonable action and wondering if I'll need to do likewise (I suspect I will! )

I've revisited your thread numerous times for inspiration for sure.. One thing that occurs to me, I really would do the trimming the head "lump" right down to the block as you theorised, it would look much better, purely IMHO of course! 

 

It's about 10.5mm at the edges and looks like 12-ish in the centre. Still needs a little bit more fettling to get it playing at its best, tbh.

 

On reflection the headflap isn't the thing of stylistically coherent beauty I'd hoped for (I'd still contend it works better than Laurus' attempt!) so in due course it'll get a bit of hacking about. Not sure I want to just lop it right off but it could do with being a bit more minimalist.

[Waddo Soqable]

Thanks for the measurements 👍 I will get the calipers out and see how mine compares shortly, I'd think fairly similar by the looks.

I'll be 100% hacking all bits of extraneous headstock off mine, I prefer the straight "sawn off" look, I did have one of those Jack headless basses years ago, probably only got pennies for it when I flogged it, so shame I didn't keep it for the parts /project potential as it turns out, hey ho.. 

I'm already kind of planning in my feverish noggin another theoretical headless build project, thinking of another Rickesque scratch built body for that one ( I'm clearly drinking way too much black coffee at the mo..) 

[Andyjr1515]

On 10/12/2022 at 19:00, Waddo Soqable said:

Nice job 👍.. I had one of those Wesley Ricko things about 2010, it was quite a good bass, tho as you allude to, the headstock's hideous and spoilt the look of the original thing.( I see why they felt the need to do it of course) 

I'm thinking of doing similar to a rocktile Rick, do you have a link to the seller for the Guyker tuner/bridges and head block set you bought by any chance?.. the ones I've seen are somewhat more expensive and 45 for the whole lot is a good price!  The Guyker stuff seems better quality kit, I'd be avoiding "overlord of music" from what I've heard these have a bad rep for rather "soft" metal components! 

 

Have you considered Nova Guitar Parts?  @Andre_Passini in Brazil is a member here.  They are superb products with a proper ball-race to minimise turning resistance - essential with headless systems.  Drop him a line - they are very reasonably priced, huge range of options and very quick and easy shipment from Brazil.  

 

I used them on @Jus Lukin's headless project:

 

 

 

And yes - don't use Overlord of Music unless you buy two and use the second one to make one good one out of the two

 

[Andre_Passini]

5 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Have you considered Nova Guitar Parts?  @Andre_Passini in Brazil is a member here.  They are superb products with a proper ball-race to minimise turning resistance - essential with headless systems.  Drop him a line - they are very reasonably priced, huge range of options and very quick and easy shipment from Brazil.

Thank you very much @Andyjr1515

[Waddo Soqable]

Thanks for the Info re. NOVA parts, I've already got the guyker bits ordered and en-route so will use them in this instance, but as I mentioned, I've got a fancy for maybe doing another headless if this experiment goes well and will certainly look at the Nova kit in that case. 

I had another twisted idea that a headless Stingray might be an interesting thing! 

[Waddo Soqable]

The Guyker bits arrived today, so not bad timescale from China considering strikes and Xmas... certainly look to be decent enough quality and as observed by @Bassassin the nut end block seems pretty substantial! 

I may in fact be able to snug it right up against the nut and access the truss rod underneath, maybe filing a small groove in the blocks underside for the Allen key, be able to do a pretty much totally cut down headstock then, we'll see! 

I'll start a thread of my own for the "build" in the new year I guess, with of course many thanks to all on here for the encouragement, advice and input 👍