Very strange "1973 4001" on Ebay

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:58 am

Me too, Scott. I think it looks cool! Could have been done better and there's likely to be issues with the bridge height, though.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:53 am

I like the way it looks too, but I'll betcha thats no RIC "special order" fingerboard. Too many things don't add up:

1) Set screws holding fretboard down
2) Fretboard is thinner than stock making it necessary to route out beneath the tailpiece and lower the toaster.
3) Pickguard was trimmed a little at the end of the fretboard to compensate for its slightly longer length.

Sweet wood though!

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:55 am

Good eyes, Shaun. Indeed, it is a thinner fretboard.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:21 am

Genuine bass with fretboard replaced by unknown person.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:33 am

I suspected so, it didn't look right to me. Still, probably repairable by someone like Paul or Dale; I wonder if either could be so good as to chime in? New fingerboard, full width sparklies.....mmm.

I'm going to have to see what happens with both this and Steve's bass. If I by some miracle end up bidding on and getting both (highly unlikely) my CS would have to go; there's no way I could afford both otherwise (even if I managed to only get one, the restoration would likely have to take the place of my forthcoming project). A big decision, but at the end of the day I'm a player and it's about the sound. Still, with my luck I won't manage to get either....

There's nothing like the power of positive thought!!!!

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:39 am

"1) Set screws holding fretboard down"

Is that really the way a new fretboard should be attached to the neck? I've always used #10 finishing nails!

rhampshire · Post by **rhampshire** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:50 am

Better yet - liquid nails!!!

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:20 pm

I, like Elys, think it is a refin, from a JG or other dark finish.

I also like the CB with the dot fretboard.

wints · Post by **wints** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:39 pm

Here's a refin...

That's JG still in the grain. The wood in this bass still appears lighter to me. I'm still thinking it's been in a few smoky gigs and had a lot of exposure. That and the wonderful wood grain leads to that ambering tint that looks so cool on the old MG instruments.

This is one of the best looking basses I have seen.

Someone needs to ask for pics of the cavities.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:25 pm

The finish looks original to me. Neil Brewer's bass was a May '72 IIRC and was exactly the same honey shade, although that one had a skunk stripe.

BTW, John Hall snuck his post in without me noticing (it wasn't there when I was writing mine), and I'd like to express my profoundest thanks for his input. That clears that up!

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:31 pm

You're right Shaun, is always nice to get confirmation from the source.

BTW, I've not forgotten about the 4000.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:32 pm

Cheers Jim. If I manage to snag either of these 2 that's something else that will definitely need to go!!

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:41 pm

Hey there Shaun,
I hope things pan out and you get the exact one you're looking for, I saw your earlier reference to "buses" and figured that one went over 99% of everyone's head, you're right though, it's either flood or famine.

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:41 pm

Shaun, the wood on this is excellent, there is good figuring on the horn section of the maple body. If it is a refinish, it is a very good one! The only thing that gives me pause as to whether the finish is original or a color change is that I would not think that a knot in the back neck-though piece would have been passed by the selection folks at the factory for a MG, and that there is more "color" than just normal stains down in the endgrain between the tailpiece and the jackplate. I agree that we need to see photos with the pickguard off of the cavities. I admit it could still be original MG, but this photo showing traces down in the endgrain (where it is likely to show if anywhere) of a possible former darker finish color is what gives me the "cause for pause":

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:44 pm

By the way, Shaun, please don't take this as discouraging in any way! This is still a great guitar, and if it were me, and I also owned the next serial number down from it as you do, I would buy it in a heartbeat and get an "original" fingerboard put on it by Paul Wilczynski. His work on the fingerboard, plus detail work on the chrome, would make this a real "keeper" (it already is a keeper, for that matter)