John Hall, what kind of Rick bass did I see?

rikk · Post by **rikk** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:38 am

On the other hand, my little Fender Musicmaster bass ('78), which is one of the best sounding basses that I have owned (really!)

Ilan, what pickup do you have in the Musicmaster? I too have a 78 and it has NO high end. I put a strat pickup in it in the 80's and it sounded better, but I had to give the pickup back. It's back to stock, plays nice but it's way too dark sounding for my liking. BTW my fretboard id rosewood. In keeping on RIC topic, the Musicmaster is right next to my 4001;-)

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:38 am

Rikk, it's the original pickup - a 6-pole guitar pickup, same part as in the Musicmaster guitar. It doesn't have a high end, and I like it this way, this is my "thump" bass. It's strung with dead roundwounds, and it sits perfectly in the mix. If I want ringing highs and piano-like lows, that's what I have my Rics for, with fresh DR Lo-Riders...

A popular mod is to replace the stock pickup with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails.

And all Musicmasters had rosewood fretboards.

It's seventh from left in this pic - which also has some Ric content

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:34 am

Didn't Chris Hillman play a Musicmaster bass with the Byrds, early on?

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:48 am

Great collection there, Ilan! I love the ES-125 - looking into getting one myself.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:58 pm

it would be cool if Ric would make basses like this ...

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:19 pm

It's not Fireglo !!

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:32 pm

I'd like to see that with chrome hardware, Jeff.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:01 pm

Paul,
Hillman never played a Musicmaster bass in the Byrds; in fact, I'm pretty sure that bass had yet to be introduced by Fender at that time.Hillman
originally played a sunburst Jazz Bass, then a 1 PU guild Starfire, then a 2 PU Starfire, and finally, up till the time he quit the Byrds, a P-Bass.

stanislav · Post by **stanislav** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:25 am

Jeff,
Where is that bass from? Is it the naked Tuxedo refinished? I think it's beautiful just like that. BT is my favorite.

gray · Post by **gray** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:38 am

I wanted to know that, too. Where did the above bass come from? Please tell me it's real and not from the land of Photoshop, because it's pretty cool-looking!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:44 am

Photoshop.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:46 am

Don, I'll have to check my copy of Mr. Tambourine Man. It sure looked like a MM bass; I agree that this was early for one, too.

Jeff, that bass is awesome, and black is the perfect color for the hardware.

The background gives it away as Photoshop (pattern, and no shadow). Killer, nonetheless!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:21 am

that is a 1998 4003s5 red with black trim bass tweaked with photoshop ... I replaced the red with burled elm wood ...

Someday I'd like to modify a 4003s5 to be like that one ...

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:50 am

I have an elm tree out front I'd be more than happy to donate to the project! Of course the city and the National Registry might mind....