Fenderbirdbackerwick project

[el_berserko]

Ok, since there's a gozillion posts about Fenderbirds I needed to get your attention.
Hello everybody, I'm new here and I need your advice.
I'm planning on assembling a Fenderbird with these features:

- Warmoth Thunderbird style body
- Warmoth P-bass style necK (maple/maple, black binding and black block inlays, Geddy Lee style, I'm not sure yet if I want it with a standard or reverse peghead)
- Rickenbacker Hi Gain Neck Pickup + Rickenbacker Vintage Bass Pickup (Toaster) in Bridge position
- Warwick style two piece bridge

I'm going to order all this stuff from overseas, paint the body, buy all the other hardware, put it together and make a luthier set it up for me following precise instructions that I don't quite know - and judging by the expertise of luthiers where I live, they both don't.

Now... I'm kind of a dreamer, it will take a lot of (hard earned) money and I'd like to know if there are any known problems about this kind of configuration.
For example, the combination of P-bass neck, Rick pups and Warwick bridge can be troubling for different string spacing and stuff like that?
Is the pickups' placement gonna be a problem too?
Has anyone tried this before? Is there any detailed project or a template that I should stick to?
Is it gonna sound anything good in your opinion, or I'd most probably end up waving around a gorgeous, expensive useless piece of wood and metal?

I know it sounds quite vague, I'm asking you this because I'm enthusiast at the idea but I'm kinda lost and looking for motivation (or a bashing) and some tips.

Thanks!

[Nocturnal]

Welcome to the outpost!! Sounds like an ambitious project you have in mind. One thing that was brought up in the past was that Warmoth didn't route the neck pocket as far into the body as they should (instead of joining the body at the 17th fret, it was at the 19th). It makes the neck more of a stretch to play on. They may have changed this by now for all I know, but I remember this being discussed at this forum and others. Good luck with the project!!

[godofthunder]

Hi and welcome!  Interesting idea, a Fenderbird with Ric pups, not for me but if it works for you run with it! The build should go together rather easily the hardest part inmho is getting a quality finish. I built a Warmoth Fenderbird about 10 years ago nice parts, nice bass I didn't mind the stretch due to the neck joining the body at the 19 th fret. I have very long arms lol and I liked the access to the upper register. Good luck with your project!

[godofthunder]

 Here is a pic of my Warmoth Bird

[TBird1958]

Hi and Welcome!

I'd echo the comments about the Warmoth body's neck rout - for the average player you're going to get a bass with difficult to reach money frets. I don't know what Warmoth sells them for but I'd sure consider buying somebodies Epiphone carcass on ebay instead. We had a TB get together for the Seattle area awhile back, the Warmoth guys were there and they admitted that the T Bird body needed to be re worked.
Not sure the Rick pups are the way to go either, as there very good Thunderbird pickups from Steve Soar, Jason Lollar and Mike Lull.  



My efforts.............

[Dave W]

The Warwick bridge sits too high for surface mounting with no neck angle. You would either have to rout the body to recess the bridge (like Warwick) or have the neck pocket angled (like Gibson did).

The Rick pickups might work if the string spacing at the bridge is narrower than standard Fender spacing, we would need to know the exact spacing.