May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

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Baz Cooper
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May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by Baz Cooper »

Hey guys!!! I've not been on here a while since I had a Dale Fortune 4000 a few years ago...I am in line to possibly pickup a 1985 4001 V63 MG Saturday. I'm told it has the magnetized pickup. Can anybody please tell me how identical this bass is to a vintage RM1999 like McCartney
's or Squires??? And any other characteristics??? Thanks!
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aceonbass
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by aceonbass »

That bass would be closer to Squire's than any 4001CS due to the magnetic pickup, and similar to Paul's...except for the upside down headstock and bridge pickup bezel. Get a set of reverse winding set of C64 tuners from Rickenbacker, and it will be a lot loser.
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by Baz Cooper »

Great! 2 more questions...Is the headstock and body shape the same as a real rm1999 and do you know if a 1985 V63 would have the folded truss rod??? Thanks! I haven't owned a Rick in YEARS!!! Would LOVE to get a real RM1999..I have a couple of 1960's Thunderbirds that I would even trade!!!!!
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bassduke49
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by bassduke49 »

As far as I know, the V63s should all have the "modern" trussrods, not the old "folded" or "hairpin" rods. The V63 was a pretty decent approximation of the LOOK of the RM 1999 surrounding a more modern structure and electronics. Still not sure whether they actually sold early V63s with leftover original Horseshoe treble pickups or if some were experiments or some were retrofitted.

The headstock shape was more like the original RM 1999 in the early years of V63 production and was later shortened slightly. In any case, they did not look like the shorter, stockier late 4001 headstocks.

As far as performing like an old RM 1999, that's more up to the player's technique and choice of equipment. Really hard to describe the sound and tone of an RM 1999 when you consider the range of tones that exist on recordings: Squire's "gronk" or Macca's "plunk." So many variables. Strings, setups, signal chain, recording levels, settings of your playback machines, acoustics . . . . Just get it and play it. You'll enjoy experimenting as you seek "your" sound. :D
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cheyenne
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by cheyenne »

Andy O'conner aka "Bottom4" is a long time member here, and has a V63 from the same year I believe. His may be an '86, but I know it has the actual magnetized pickup. Drop him a line, I'm sure he could answer your questions.

I had an '88 for a while, and it had the modern pickup.
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ram
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by ram »

I don't know much about the other stuff but if the magnetized pup is similar to the original Lollar law suited horseshoe (I have one), I can say that the sound from it is somewhat unique. Much warmer sounding than the HighGains and Replacement Horseshoes. There is almost a microphone quality to them. I just love it! Good luck and let us know what happens!! And we are not opposed to bass porn either!!!
The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions - George Berkeley
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jps
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by jps »

ram wrote:I don't know much about the other stuff but if the magnetized pup is similar to the original Lollar law...
The original Lollar was a very different pickup to the RIC RI HS PU. Those Lollar shoes were, basically, "refrigerator magnets" that were sandwiched between two thin, springy pieces of metal, unlike the solid mild steel of the RIs or tungsten (?) of the original Rick shoes from way back.

As to sound, I have seen only one Lollar, on a bass that Ken Swearingen owned in 2005, but it was never plugged in to try. I do recall pushing on the shoes and they were quite flexible and moved easily,
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bottom4
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by bottom4 »

cheyenne wrote:Andy O'conner aka "Bottom4" is a long time member here, and has a V63 from the same year I believe. His may be an '86, but I know it has the actual magnetized pickup. Drop him a line, I'm sure he could answer your questions.

I had an '88 for a while, and it had the modern pickup.
Yep, Scott, you're correct.

Yes, I have an '85 and I'm the original owner - I always say that and I'm proud to say that too! It's a March 85 that I purchased from either Sam Ash or Manny's on 48th St NYC. Pretty sure it was Manny's.

The only thing I regret about that purchase is I didn't buy the two V's that they had that day, but as it was I barely could afford the one I bought. They had a fireglo and a mapleglo from the same production run. At that time I had no clue that the bass contained the original horseshoes. As a matter of fact I didn't know that until after sometime joining this forum... I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but I've always said that this is as close as you will get to a RM1999 as you can. The neck is super thin and really easy to play. It does have the modern truss rod assembly and I can say, knock on wood, I've never had a neck issue in the now nearly 34 years I've owned it and I did gig with this bass - sometimes my main and sometimes my backup... and she even made the trip back and forth across the atlantic to Germany
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ram
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by ram »

Hmmm, mine don't seem all that springy to me Jeff. But I was talking more about the sound than the feel and flex. What I have noticed in the sound is that the Lollar HS has almost a warm tink/buzz to it as opposed to a harsh clank/hiss I've heard from the HGs and replacement HS. I'm very happy with the Lollar pickup. If this is the case with V63 original having an original HS then I think Baz Cooper will thoroughly enjoy the bass! I'm looking forward to hearing about it!!!
The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions - George Berkeley
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jps
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by jps »

I think a large part of the tonality of a magnetic shoe pickup is due to the magnetic field surrounding the strings. I know mine was a bit rounder sounding, even with the .0047µF cap in line with it.
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by Baz Cooper »

Thanks for all the info guys...So ...it's basically an RM1999 with a good truss rod!!! I'm supposed to see it tomorrow at noon!!! Fingers crossed...If I like it...I'll Snap it up!!! And OF COURSE...post pics...
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ram
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by ram »

jps wrote:I think a large part of the tonality of a magnetic shoe pickup is due to the magnetic field surrounding the strings. I know mine was a bit rounder sounding, even with the .0047µF cap in line with it.
I have a pull/push knob to bypass the cap - and yes, I agree sounds great either way!
The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions - George Berkeley
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jps
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by jps »

Baz Cooper wrote:Thanks for all the info guys...So ...it's basically an RM1999 with a good truss rod!!!
Well, not really. It only superficially looks similar to a RM1999.

Why do you say? Many of us hear prefer the older style truss rods as they are quite stable; it is only when improperly adjusted that trouble may occur, so it really is sown to the operator, not the tool (although, they can, sometimes, be one and the same :lol: ).
teeder
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by teeder »

"the operator, not the tool (although, they can, sometimes, be one and the same :lol: )."

:lol:
Baz Cooper
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Re: May Be Picking UP a 1985 4001V63 MG Need advice

Post by Baz Cooper »

UNFORTUNATELY It did't work out...I couldn't come up withy the $3,000 that the seller wanted...I could only come up with $2500....oh well.....maybe someday...
Thanks for all of your help guys....
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