What do you make of this one....

outlaw · Post by **outlaw** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:46 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/78-RICKENBACKER-4001-BASS-RED-HANDYMAN-SPECIAL_W0QQitemZ190095280755QQcategoryZ118984QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

the routes don't look right to me, unless I'm just usedto seeing all the routesd from you folk's old RICs

edski · Post by **edski** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 3:14 pm

This is an old Rick, supposedly. I though the route between the neck PU and the control cavity was usually a bunch of drill pressed holes? This seems too smooth...

Something seems odd here, but I'm by no means an expert.

**************

The "Interesting Faker" thread seems to show a neck through, dual truss faker with a smooth route. It has a flush bridge however...

Hmmmmm

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:34 pm

That is a late 70's Burg. The famous forstner bit wire channel of the earlier 4001s gave way to a smooth route about 78 or 79. My '80 has the smooth route.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 4:56 pm

I don't recall ever seeing a burgundy faker.

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:41 pm

What are the two slots between the base of the neck and the pickup cavity ??

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:08 pm

Those would be for the truss rods. What gets me is that the route for the neck pickup doesn't look right. Shouldn't the bottom of it be stepped?

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:23 pm

I've had 70's 4001 basses routed like that. Looks legit to me.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:04 am

Totally legit.

bassassin · Post by **bassassin** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:16 am

Two russ rods, correct colour fingerboard wood, unbound end of body. Some copies might occasionally have one of these details - but not all 3 at the same time. Most don't have any.

Shame he'll only ship to the US - I'd love a project like that.

Jon.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:37 am

The location of the truss rod channels can tell you something about when the bass was made. Notice how close the channels are to the shedua stripe? That example is typical of a 4001 made after '76. Prior to that, the channels were about twice as far apart. The older ones were nearly parallel to the sides of the neck.

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:27 am

Certainly is intriguing; you just have to wonder why this thing ended up this way. What would possess someone to remove every electronic bit from a Ric and leave the rest intact?

The listing does say it CAN be played....although it doesn't say anything about whether it actually plays okay. I just wonder if the neck has some sort of nasty twist that led to someone scavenging the electronics (funny they wouldn't do so with the TRC, though).

heinpete · Post by **heinpete** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:38 am

I have the strong suspicion, that the neck warped or bent to an impossible stage. However with the knowledge here in the forum someone should take it and bring it back to life!
It might give a good ROI, so to speak with one new focus of this forum!

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:19 am

I had this bass in my hands yesterday. It seems to be in good shape. The owner of the store told me it was $750. I saw him working on the digital photos as I was there and I asked if it was going on ebay. He said no that he is putting it on his store's web site. I could not find the web site. Here is where it is at:

Junkyard Guitar
30333 Woodward Ave.
Royal Oak, MI 48073
248-435-3930

He had 4 other Ricks there:
A late 330FG
'65 new style 360FG
'65 new style 360MG
some sort of lap steel (wooden)

ken_j · Post by **ken_j** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:46 am

I forgot to mention that this one has the reverse tuners on it.

bassassin · Post by **bassassin** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:13 am

OK - non-expert obsevation here: That's a later 4003 type pickguard, isn't it? A 1" gap between the end of neck & pickup cutout, meaning the guard doesn't match the neck pup rout.

I think either the original electronics & pickguard have ended up on a different bass, or this one had been modified with a non Rick neck pickup, and the original guard cut to take it.

The fact it has a Badass & a bit of plastic stuck over the bridge recess suggests the last owner didn't mind hacking it up!

J.