R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

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espidog
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R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by espidog »

I wasn't sure whether to put this under basses or artists, but here goes.

I've just been looking at the RickResource facebook page (I don't have a FB account). Saw this video of R.E.M. on the David Letterman show in 1984.

https://www.facebook.com/OldSchoolTimes ... 376904475/

Couldn't help noticing that Mike Mills has a non-RIC bridge/tailpiece on his 4001. Rather hard to say for sure exactly what it is, given the image quality of the video. It looks kinda similar to what you might find on a MusicMan Stingray - but not quite.

Here's a cleaner shot of it. I still don't recognize it:

Image

Anybody got any ideas - or maybe know for sure?
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by jps »

That's a Leo Quan BAdAss II bridge sitting on top of a plastic (maybe, metal) plate. A very common mod from back in the days of Geddy Lee changing out his bridge/tailpiece in the '70s (?).
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Dirk »

Yes indeed I can confirm and certainly blame Geddy for the trend in the 70's- 80's.
It really did improve things back in the day. You'll see it on my '69 in my avatar picture. --->

And the plate was a surround to cover the factory routing.
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by espidog »

Aha! We live and learn. Thanks, guys. :)
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Benjamin »

I agree. I also spot a Strat-style pickup close to the bridge, doesn't look like the Bartolini model.
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by espidog »

Benjamin wrote:I agree. I also spot a Strat-style pickup close to the bridge, doesn't look like the Bartolini model.
Which no doubt explains the extra toggle-switch on his pickguard - I hadn't noticed it before you mentioned that!
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Dirk »

Ah cool I missed the extra single coil pickup in the mute spot, another popular 80's mod I think.
Just in case you weren't getting enough treble already. ;)

When I got my '69 4001 it had 4 Treble tone knobs, that always made me chuckle.

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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by prowla »

It's a Badass. I think with a surround (ie. not sitting on a plate). I had one on one of mine for a while, with a brass plate to cover the mute bay.

Cliff Burton had a pickup in the mute bay, so did I for a while on one Ric, but it sounded rubbish. Bartolini made one to fit there.

I guess on that one they decided if the hole was there, they might as well use it.

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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Isaac »

I have a couple of those mute compartment pickups. Have to wire one up one of these days.
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by thx1955 »

Here's one of those Badass POS on my 73-Fretless, come November it's coming out to be replaced with the new style Bridge
IMG_2102 Forum.jpg
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Kiddwad57 »

I'm no fricking prude, but the idea of having the word(s) bad *** in chrome, as a corporate trademark, on a musical instrument just never appealed...now if I want to spray paint it on there, that's a different story!
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Dirk »

Well lets see, the original was the Bad ***, Hipshot has the Kick *** bridge, maybe someone needs to come up with a Good *** bridge. :lol:

To me the sound and function will always be more important than a brand name.

That said it's nice to have choices though.
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by Kiddwad57 »

Not a big deal, just an aesthetic preference.

I didn't own a Rick back at the time the Leo Quan bridge was one of the few options available. There was the dedicated Starz Guitars replacement bridge which was supposed to be good, but it required surgery to install as well and looks bulbous.

Besides the slight tail lift, and maybe the rocking back and forth thing, I've gotten over the limitations of the stock bridge. The intonation is fine on mine and it works far better for me than the usual 3rd party replacement bridge, which looked cool but as a traditional finger-style player was nothing but trouble. They should call it the PITA bridge.

Now Rickenbacker's new version is out and from a distance appears to have resolved these quibbles. It's awesome that they kept the mute!

Thankfully that whole trend to "replace every piece with unfinished brass" seems to be behind us.
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by jdogric12 »

Kiddwad57 wrote:Thankfully that whole trend to "replace every piece with unfinished brass" seems to be behind us.
Don't worry, I'm sure it will come back at some point soon... just about every trend does! :lol:
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Re: R.E.M. - Mike Mills' 4001 - odd bridge!

Post by jps »

Kiddwad57 wrote:Thankfully that whole trend to "replace every piece with unfinished brass" seems to be behind us.
http://www.alembic.com/info/fcvault.html
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