It's a little sloppy, but I had a number of things to do besides painting. I thought it wouldn't look right with new paint, so I cut a few corners and just let it happen. The cavities were over-routed, and it was suggested that it could compromise the neck strength. Not only did I plug the holes with hard maple blocks, but I also lined them with carbon strips that are stronger than steel, but light as plastic. I KNOW it was overkill because I didn't allow for much room for the pickups and they stick up a bit. The action is not as bad as it looks in the large inset. Compare the gap to the pickguard thickness. But it is a little high, and quite short. Yet looking at the early John Lennon photos, he was playing a shortscale.
It suffers a bit without the real bridge. I can't turn the Sorkin wheels without running into the pick guard. I was going to try to find some course thread 4mm nuts, but of course the bastard hardware store was all out. So even better, I got a small bag of washers, which gave me more flexibility. As it turned out, I tightened the wheels down all the way and then used two washers on each side. The pups are repros of the newer Ric high gains, because toasters are too expensive. The guard is a repro that has been scratched up to look older. The pots came in a harness with a few other Ric-only pieces so that the small details would be right. It's light, and all maple. The rosewood on the neck is almost as thick as the neck! My solders are totally clean and the wires drop right in.
I had to put it with the Big Muff I bought from Light Rail because it makes the guitar looks even smaller.
