Repaint my 4001?

96hokie · Post by **96hokie** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 3:12 pm

How much would a paintjob for my '80 4001 cost? and does anyone have any recommendations for someone to do the work?

It's got quite a rash on the front that was present when I got it in 1991. It was well worn when I bought it. These aren't the best of pictures but I think they'll do. The SD pickup will be replaced. Opinions, recommendations??

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:55 am

Hi, Scott. Well, I wish I could give you an idea how much a refinish for your 4001 can come to. I'm sure some members of the Forum will be able to brief you on that one.
What I do know is that the above SD pickup doesn't look good on a Rick bass. As soon as I obtain magnet wire I'll finish your treble pickup. Stay in tune. And Happy New Year.

fenderbender · Post by **fenderbender** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 2:33 am

Not sure of pricing in the USA. I'm in the UK & had a Musicman Stingray refinished last year & it set me back £200. That was having the old finish stripped, re-sealed & re-painted. My luthier did a fantastic job, better than any factory finish I've seen.

Given that a Ricky has a through neck & binding I'm sure it will cost a fair bit more.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:23 am

Sergio said : "What I do know is that the above SD pickup doesn't look good on a Rick bass".

My experience with those SD pickups is they sound even less impressive than they look on a Rick bass.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:50 am

Have you tried buffing it, or polishing it? Sometimes these old Ric finishes can really come back if you try. Obviously you can't get rid of deep scratches but you can make them kind of disappear it the bass is real shiny.
I have a 78 Midnight Blue 4001 that looked like that when I bought it, even had the rust in the screw holes, I polished it up and it looks great now, some people thinks it's a lot newer than it really is, especially from a distance. What color is that anyway? Looks like Burgandy in the photo, or is it jetglo?
I guess JH recommends liquid Turtle wax mixed half and half with water, I've used California Gold Carnuba car wax and it also does a real nice job, I've never tried the turtle wax.

96hokie · Post by **96hokie** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 8:01 am

IT's Jetglo black. I don't know if this stuff will buff out, it looks pretty deep. ALmost like chips in the paint. I polished it (with some guitar polish from the local store) for the first time since I had it about a month ago and it looked awesome. I'm replacing all of the harware on it so it should look pretty new except for that paint rash and some dings and the end of the headstock.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 11:38 am

The Meguiars Liquid Carnuba Car Polishing Wax does a great job too.
For swirl marks and fine scratches, some luthiers recommend Finesse It by 3M. I've never used the Finesse It. I think you need to use it with a powered buffer, in which case you would have to be very careful not to burn the finish.

ken_james · Post by **ken_james** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:04 pm

The Finesse it II is excellent if done by hand or better yet there's a product by Zymol called HD cleanse. It's probably the best paint nourishment product on the market, but the price is pretty steep, but you get what you pay for.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 10:22 pm

whatever you do stay away from those polymer or silicone waxes.

They do a great job of penetrating the finish but in the event of a refinish you gotta take all the finsh off, even some wood.

Of course this probably doesn't apply to nitro finishes-IMHO

keb · Post by **keb** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:29 am

Out of curiousity and somewhat off topic, but how does that Seymour Duncan pickup sound? I've heard a lot of negative things about it.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:06 am

Well, if I had to take an educated guess I'd say it sounds very unbalanced across the strings and noticeably un-Rickenbacker-like. Anyone?

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:57 am

Sergio, noticeably un-Rickenbacker-like is the perfect description of the SD replacement p/u's for Rick basses and the output wasn't any hotter than the high gain pickups of the early 80's.

Bartolini replacement pickups for Rick basses do keep the Rickenbacker sound.

96hokie · Post by **96hokie** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:03 pm

I can't tell you what the Seymour Duncan really sounds like because in twelve years of having the bass, I think I played on it once and didn't like it. I just play on the neck pickup when I play the bass (which is rarely right now). ON the other hand, I dont' really know what a "Rickenbacker sound" is either considering I haven't heard any other Rick live.
Someone give me a good example of a true Rick sound in a recorded song. Rush, Yes??

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 3:47 am

Yes - Close To The Edge, America, Roundabout
Spock's Beard - anything
Flash - Small Beginnings

Note that the McCartneyites would classify "true Rick sound" as something totally different.

Actually, John Cyg was compiling a list of RIC bass recordings, I wonder if he's made any progress.

keb · Post by **keb** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 3:52 am

Geddy Lee's little riff in Cygnus X-1 as it starts to kick in. So thick you could stand a spoon up in it. Also his playing on Exit Stage Left; his Rick just dominates everything.