4001 Refin wizards?

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:00 am

Does anyone have any recommendations for somebody who might be able to do a quality refinish on a '73 4001? I've had it for a fairly long time and it was totally stripped (finish-wise) when I bought it. I've left it natural, but I don't play it much (even though it plays and sounds really nice) because it isn't as beautiful as my others. However, a scheme is starting in the back of my mind since I can't seem to afford a 4001CS. I'll leave the specifics to your imagination.....

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:07 am

do a tung oil finish ...

like this one ...

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:24 am

Yep, I came very close to doing that, but there are some aspects to the grain that make me think that this bass was originally a solid color. I figured that tung oil would be something I could do myself, but I worried that if I decided later to do a different finish the oil would make it all the more difficult to have the finish take well.

So, if it needs to be a solid color, I was thinking a nice cream-colored finish could be interesting; then I started thinking about a little shaving here and there, and....

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:49 am

A couple forum members had Mike Dolan refinish their Ricks. One was a '68 Burgundy. I didn't see either in person but I saw close-up photos of the '68. It looked like new.

http://www.dolanguitars.com/

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:16 am

What area are you in Les? I live in So.Cal. and I've been using someone who does excellent work. Are you gonna add walnut headstock wings or maybe just stain them walnut? Are you going all the way with the CS look or just the color?

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:34 am

I'm in Texas; Austin probably has some top flight guitar people, but I am thinking finish work only, no setup stuff. Having a person who was really familiar with Ricks and with the CS model in particular seems like it would be a plus.

I don't think I would replace the headstock wings, but it seems to me they could be stained, given that the entire rest of the 4001CS bass (including the neck slab of the headstock) is cream. And the triangular fret markers are a given, but I think that neck might look quite cool with an S-type shaved, unbound body--it would really be a one-of-a-kind. Making irreversible mods to guitars is not in my nature, but this one having had the finish previously removed alleviates my guilt a bit. And, of course, where would we be if Squire and Macca weren't a bid mod-happy? Still, having the body shaved gives me pause...what do folks think? Harebrained scheme?

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:14 am

I say shave it! I had a '74 Jetglo that I refinned and because I found the binding so uncomfortable, I pulled it all off. I spent a few days off and on sanding the edge till all traces of the binding were gone and i had the soft contour I liked. The wood was actually pretty good so I went natural on the refin. Also, since I didn't use the Ric-O-Sound, I wired the extra jack to be a bypass of the tone and volume control for a purer sound for recording. What are you doing pickup wise on this bass?

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:23 am

It has the original pickups (and the cap is still there) from 1973; the sound is nice and my inclination would be to leave them alone, rather than trying to pick up a vintage horseshoe and toaster. Just thought I would mention that this one doesn't have the checker binding, of course. Don't think I would do any shaving if it did!