Building a bass with mostly Rick parts

[jwr2]

I was half kidding and half serious ...

[teb]

These are a couple of concept drawings I did when I was initially thinking about buying the 2030 and trying to build a new body for it. As you can see, I was still thinking toasters and conventional wiring at that point. I still may eventually trade-in the TRC for a gold one, make another set of pickguards and buy some oven knobs, but it's always nice when the finished product winds-up bearing a reasonable resemblance to the plan. Maybe I'll drop these in Mr. Hall's suggestion box, if there's any room left in it.

[jwr2]

those are both beautiful ... damn ... Ric should mass produce those ... with the 4005 shape and the 2030 electronics and pickups and neck ... that bass could sell for under $1000 ... they could reuse many 2030 parts ... I would buy one ...

[teb]

As long as we're dreaming, my dream bass would be built like a mainline instrument, not a 2000 series - stereo-wired, toasters, neck-through solid body, autumn-glow, gold guards and TRC, oven knobs and a bound top and headstock. The 4001/4003 body and headstock are probably the most distinctive in the industry, but I lean toward something a little more understated and classic. This bass wouldn't be any more complex to build than any other Ric bass (except for binding the headstock) but it's just plain elegant. Oh well, it's always nice to dream.

[jwr2]

then it would cost over $1000 ... probably over $2000 ... and then somebody would want it hollow body ... hmmm ... $3000 or more ...

the 4002 had a bound headstock ...

[jwr2]

Todd ... that bass is even prettier than the 4005 ...

[ken_swearingen]

It would look really cool with an f hole.

[teb]

Sure, it would be a mainline product and just as expensive as any other, but it would be nice for those of us who have always wanted to see a more subtle solid body bass shape that's still obviously a Rickenbacker. When your production is already booked up more than a year in advance making top-of-the-line products, it generally doesn't make sense to pull people off the line to also make a lower-priced selection, even if they're excellent products themselves. So I would doubt that the Hamburg-style will ever fly again unless Rickenbacker opens a production facility offshore (gag). Look at the mess that Fender has created. You have to find out where a guitar was made to tell whether it's worth $200 or $2,000. It is fun though to sit around and try to nail down one's ultimate fantasy Rickenbacker. I'm lucky in that I can draw them quickly on the computer and get a pretty good idea what they would actually look like (though it makes them seem even more attainable and just makes you want them more). Maybe I should put out a coloring book for Ricoholics so that they can plan out their dream guitars.

[jwr2]

Todd: I would like to put pics of your designs on my web site ... and the one that you built ...

www.3dentourage.com/425

[teb]

I changed my mind. As long as I can't have it anyway - I want this one...

[rickaddict]

They just keep getting cooler, Todd. And I like Rootbeerburst for COY 2006!

[ken_swearingen]

Yea ,i want that one too

[los_sentidos]

Now make it hollow bodied I tell you!!!



Tis looking cool. What dya reckon Mr Hall, dya like em? BTW AT the SoCalCon did Mr Hall say which his favourite basses, guitars, colours were? (Sorry if this has been posted somewhere!)

[ricosound]

Hey where's Ted lately? I can't believe he wouldn't chime in on all this repair/upgrade talk.

[ken_swearingen]

Good question.