This is the Darling neck laminations scaled for your bass:

  This will be inside the veneers of the peghead:

Thanks so much, Mica! Even though I get to enjoy so many of these beauties personally on their way passing thru, when one is actually for myself, it makes me feel again like a little kid awaiting Christmas! Keep those cards and letters coming!

This is the top candidate for your bass:

 
Hope you can see some of the pencil line for the Essence 6 shape. It catches the nice big circles on the body half and again the far reach of the upper horn. This is freshly sanded, so the color will richen up a good bit once you see it with the finish.  
 
Let me know if you like it!

Will,
 
Since you're copying elements of the Darling, and there is a Little Darling, I'd like to suggest a name for your bass:
 
Big Darling.
 
That's a little tongue-in-cheek, but I'm serious.
 
Bradley

Thanks so much for the update, Mica! That IS a nice selection for the top- swirls and straight grains, and shading contrasts as well. Go for it!

Fingerboard is made, LEDs wired, and peghead veneers in place. Next stop, cut the peghead shape out:

 
Then we'll install the truss rods and glue the fingerboard in place. Next photos will probably be of the body construction.

Thanks so much! Any new updates?

In this picture your bass is ready for the sealer:

There is no finish on the bass in the photo, but it has progressed since this photo. I'm trying hard to get one with finish so you can see how amazing the wood looks.

Lookin' awfully good there, Will.
 
Is that an extra long horn, and a Vermillion accent laminate?

Mica, thanks so much for the update - I realize that you're EXTRA busy these days, so it's doubly appreciated! NOW I'm really excited! If you've got any pix of the back of this baby, please post whenever you can.
And to answer your questions Mark, it IS an extra-long horn (actually, the type used on the 6-string Essence), and Vermillion accents all around.

I think the wood looks pretty amazing already.

Some spray on the bass now:
 

looks very nice Will.
 
Mica, can we see a closeup of the buckeye bass in the background please ;-)
 
Graeme

Not thinking of yet another one are we Graeme!!??
 
G

It's a little off-topic, but I don't think Will will mind. Here's the bass behind the bass:

 
Maybe I shouldn't add that this bass is one we're making for our showroom and presently doesn't have a home, though there is someone in Japan considering it. Was that evil?