Who bought the March '73 4001 FG for $1800?

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:19 am

I feel lucky that I haven't paid over $850 for any of the 3 Rics I've owned; 2 80s and 1 79.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 5:29 am

Thanks Steve. I think this may have Marc's name on it but I really like this bass.... I'd even be willing to give a skunk another try!

It's weird, sometimes you see a bass with the right features but it just doesn't speak to you, and sometimes another bass with the same features just shouts.

I must admit I'm still kicking myself a bit for not going for Andy's '72 recently. All it needed was some blue paint..

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 5:42 am

And that's as it should be, Sean. My $700.00 Rick plays and sounds as good as my most expensive Rick.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:17 am

My '72 cost a third the price of my CS and considerably less than my 4000, but is my favourite....

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:00 am

So paint the next one blue, Shaun! I find that it is the setup of the bass that will totally change the feel. Also, taking it apart and putting it back together. The first thing I do when I buy a new vintage one is to totally strip it down, remove the truss rods, scrape them down, sand with emery cloth until they are smooth and shiny, spray with WD-40 and wipe off the excess, then wrap them spirally with masking tape, being careful to not overlap the tape more than 3mm or so on each winding, then WD-40 the tape and wipe it down dry. When I put it back together, the neck adjusts better and does not rattle or buzz. Never once have I bought one that was not improved by doing this. Same with the pickups and the wiring cavity, there are lots of little bits that will be loose and rattle and putting it back to gether will solve the rattles, and oiling the springs and resoldering the joints will work wonders too. Jacks usually need retensioning too.

Last thing is always a new set of light-gauge flatwounds. The basses feel totally different afterwards, much better. I find that more of my basses "shout" afterwards than before. I have pulled too many out from their cases upon arrival and thought how sick and junky the poor thing feels and plays before a strip-down and Tender-Loving-Care job is done for the poor things.

Then it is time for Scratch-X and then several coats of ZyMol

bassbob · Post by **bassbob** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:03 am

Elys,
I hope this isn't a stupid question but, do you work at Ric ? If not you must be a luthier somewhere huh? It seems like you do this for a living is all, hope I'm not being too forward.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:26 am

Elys, that's the plan, to paint the next one blue. The problem I'm having at the moment is actually buying the next one as prices are going up and the people with really deep pockets are snapping them up....sound familiar?

Setup is indeed extremely important, but I find it's very uncommon for two basses to really feel identical whatever you do to them. Each tends to have it's own feel, although I will add that I'm extremely sensitive to subtle differences in feel.

Oh, to clarify, what I meant by some basses just shout was that that some say "buy me!!" and others, despite having pretty much the same features, don't. One thing I have just realised is that the "date of birth" of Steve's bass has a great emotional connection for me, for reasons I won't bother going into.

BTW Steve, e-mail sent; given recent problems I've had with e-mail I'd be really grateful if you could let me know if you got it.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:34 am

Also, taking it apart and putting it back together. The first thing I do when I buy a new vintage one is to totally strip it down, remove the truss rods, scrape them down, sand with emery cloth until they are smooth and shiny, spray with WD-40 and wipe off the excess, then wrap them spirally with masking tape, being careful to not overlap the tape more than 3mm or so on each winding, then WD-40 the tape and wipe it down dry.

An even better (and possibly easier) way to do this is just slide a bit of heat shrink tubing over the rod and shrink it. I've done this away from the shop without a heat gun over a kitchen stove; works like a charm. The rod is completely dampened this way, much more so than with tape.

Elys doesn't work here. If you read his posts, he implies that his wallet is too heavy to stand upright in a shop like ours!

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:38 am

ROFLMAO!!!!

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:54 am

Shaun - e-mail sent.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:03 am

Thanks Steve.

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:04 am

John, that is an excellent idea, and I just ordered a big spool of heat-shrink to use when doing my next one, which is the January 1970 21-fret 4001 that is on its way from Frankfurt at this moment! Superior damping is certainly a Good Thing here, and I thank you most sincerely for the knowledge of a better way to obtain it

No, Bob, I have never been privileged enough in my 52 years of life to have had the dream opportunity of a lifetime - to have worked at RIC or its predecessor entity. If I had, I would have had an experience which I would cherish all my days. And that is truly from the heart!

John is too kind (and possessed of a stellar sense of humor too). He should know from his own experience that neither he nor I carry heavy wallets around. We have others to do that for us

In my case, my wife is always lifting my wallet, usually just before she goes shopping with the five kids. She is so considerate; she even cleans it out for me, of all that pesky heavy cash that gets in the way of the credit cards .....

In my case, I absolutely love my Rickenbackers, and make it a point of pride to seek out and learn all that I can from the best luthiers around so that I can do everything to them myself. My years of having worked summers in the guitar manufacturing and repair business in my teens and early twenties only taught me the basics. Paul Wilczynski will tell you that - I bug him often enough for his advice on fine nuances of technique so that I can internalize each nuance and master a tiny bit more each time. When it comes to these guitars and basses, there is too much pleasure in doing everything for yourself to ever allow someone else to have all the fun!!

bassbob · Post by **bassbob** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:28 pm

I am currently trying to do the same, I have always intonated my own guitars and basses, and set the action, tweaked the rods, minor wiring, etc.. I recently did some work on my 74 with help from Joey, Dane, David and the rest of the guys over on the Ric site, and it spurred my ambition to know everything I can about the instruments I love so much, so pardon my future ignorance when I start asking a jillion questions, if you would.

wints · Post by **wints** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:47 pm

It would appear this bass has been relisted.

http://cgi.ebay.com/W-W-1973-Rickenbacker-Bass-4001-Model-Fireglo_W0QQitemZ160106193871QQihZ006QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

In the same location, by "another" seller. If I didn't know better, I'd say the original seller found out he undersold the bass and has decided not to honor the original sale...

lyle_from_minneapolis · Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:36 pm

I just read that link. I, too, am a Klink's fan. The Colonel was especially good, although I know nothink.