Fresh Pics #4 - 1981 4001S/FL

byu · Post by **byu** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:10 pm

This is #4 because Fresh Pics #1-3 were posted in the guitar forum over the last month or so. Check 'em out. I've been snapping pics of my Rics and this is the first of my basses. It's been posted on the forum before and is featured in the bass article on the main site but never in this quality.

It's a set neck 1981 4001S/FL. It originally came with a white pick guard & TRC (which I still have) but I preferred black. I also added a Bartolini in the bridge position in '82.

Cheers,
Bill

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue May 03, 2005 9:44 pm

Nice pics, Bill!

One minor quibble: I think that the fretless model designation doesn't have the "S" in it, i.e., it's a 4001FL.

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed May 04, 2005 1:40 am

Paul Yan's 4001FL has binding, so I would consider this a 4001S/FL!

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed May 04, 2005 2:40 am

Yes, it's a mono bass with no binding, the 'S' has it.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed May 04, 2005 7:34 am

Point taken.

henny · Post by **henny** » Wed May 04, 2005 10:11 am

One hell of a sexy shape, is the S...

Probably the best-looking bass body on the planet.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed May 04, 2005 10:37 am

That's a rare bass, I would put it back to original if it were mine. What kind of strings do you have on it? Those aren't Rots are they?

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:30 am

i adore the black! nice bass overall.

byu · Post by **byu** » Wed May 04, 2005 1:03 pm

It can be put back to original any time. I have all the original parts.

Yes they are Rotosounds. They had started to eat through the finish so I had the original planed off by Flynn Brothers in Evanston. Then I Jaco'd it with 6 coats of Petit's Poly Poxy. It's been that way since '91 and I've played out with it a ton of times and it still shows no sign of wear. The new finish looks like the old and you'd be hard pressed to say it looks different.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed May 04, 2005 1:57 pm

The reason I ask is because I did that around the same time to an early 80's 4001FL and the tone changed, it never sounded as good as with the original neck finish, did you notice a change at all?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed May 04, 2005 1:58 pm

Although I don't remember what kind of epoxy I used but it was a different brand than you used, maybe that was the problem.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:33 pm

So this is a factory hold over 4000 model that RIC themselves made into a 4001?

Coool!!! Very nice.

byu · Post by **byu** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:35 pm

The strings had gradually eaten through so if the tone had changed from the time it was new to the time it was on the wood, I didn't notice. When I put the new finish on however, I felt it sounded better.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed May 04, 2005 3:45 pm

I only played mine one night with Rotos, I could see, hear, and feel the handwriting on the wall. It sounded unbelievable with Rotos and the original finish, talk about growl, I could never get that growly sound with the epoxy. I think part of the growl came from the strings eating into the finish however. I get good growl with TI flats on my 72 though with the original finish.