Pictures of your Rickenbacker bass

wim · Post by **wim** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 1:05 pm

My '74 4001 Bass
It started life as a jetglo, when I bought it is was Fireglo but I refinished it to Mapleglo.
This bass has suffered a lot.

Closeup, you can see spots of rust on the hardware

The nut was replaced with a brass one before I bought it, I rhodium plated it.

The original tuners were replaced by Schallers (again, the previous owner did this)
I've had this bass in my posession for about 12 years now and couldn't do a day without it.
It sounds and plays very different to other 4001's or 4003's I've played.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 1:15 pm

Hi Wim
I can't access your photos, maybe because I'm in an internet cafe. I have a 79 4001 with a wooden nut and no varnish on the neck (I think it may have be refretted at some time before I bought it) as the frets ride on top of the binding rather than under it as my 78 does which is all original. It too plays and sounds different than other Rics, I like it a lot, the wooden nut and neck with no varnish tones down the brightness and sustain a little, which I like.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 1:30 pm

Wim - ha! you think that bass has suffered ! My 73 has been worn to the bone but with a big clean and a few little fixes is a fantastic bass. Unlike your 74, it was all original.

It a black one and besides a neck toaster pickup is essentially just like yours. The early 70's one are great eh?

I think i know what you mean by it not playing like most ricks. My 73 has a very flat, chunky neck, with really squared off binding and lower profile frets. Takes a bit of getting used to but its very unique

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 2:02 pm

Great photos, Wim.
Your baby has got nice looking maple!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 2:06 pm

Hey Owen, I think chunky and flat mean opposite things to most players, chunky means fat, thick etc. from the fretboard to the back of the neck, if your 73 is anything like my 72 is and my 75 was, flat;thin is a better way to describe it.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 2:22 pm

lol Bob yeah.....i kinda was trying to say, flat fretboard radius,,, wide and thin......

Help! i dunno wot im saying but yeah an almost totally flat fretboard

wim · Post by **wim** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 2:37 pm

Mine has the normal fretboard radius (still the original lacquer on it) but the backside of the neck is very flat.
Maybe that's because of all the sanding and refinishing it went through.
At the 16th fret it's only 15/16th of an inch thick, fretboard included
If I put heavy strings on it I have a handbow rather than a bass guitar.
I don't mind though, it plays very fast and I don't hit the strings hard anyway.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 5:34 am

Wim:
You've made an interesting comment regarding your 1974 4001. 'It sounds and plays very different to other 4001s and 4003s I've played.' That's exactly how I would describe my June 1974 Jetglo 4001! I believe the (slightly underwound) pickups and the neck shape on both our 1974 4001s account for said vivid difference.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 7:54 am

Sergio - yeah exactly - the basses around that time seem noticably different to play than even the later 70's ones.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 12:12 pm

Yeah, my 72 (even though it's a fretless) and my 75 had identical thin necks. Same radius necks; I think all the early 70's necks were like that, I'm not positive though. And the pickups are noticably thinner sounding. (to me)

wim · Post by **wim** » Sun Nov 02, 2003 1:53 pm

Hey Sérgio, mine's 'birthday' is July '74 that's not that far apart

You mentioned something very interesting: you believe the pickups are slightly underwound.
Is this a known 'problem'?

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Tue Nov 04, 2003 2:21 pm

How about an action pic?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Nov 04, 2003 2:36 pm

Nice bass Scott what year is it? it looks like one of the newer ones with the long headstock.
I don't think Sérgio means that it is a problem Wim, just that they had less turns of wire back then which accounted for the special clear trebly Ric bass sound (along with the treble cap).
He can fill you in much more than I can.