These are my best pictures yet of the finished bass, taken in different lights. The browner look is closer to the real colour of the varnish.

(The TALKBASS discussion thread about this bass is here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369921)

This varnish colour is much closer to the real colour:

You can follow the build of this bass here: http://bresque.studio205.net.au/workshop/14-construction/14-castelvecchio-build-pic 

The original bass I was copying is here:   http://www.stefanosciascia.it/inglese/8.htm