Chris Squire Had a 22 Fret 4001

homer · Post by **homer** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:50 pm

Anyone want to know something of interest? Anyone have The Yes Album? The checker-bound 4001 bass Chris Squire is playing in the picture has 22 frets, like that one that was on ebay about 10 months ago. Probably a 1971. I just bought the remastered CD of Fragile and there is a nice shot of Squire's 4001, plainly showing a slightly longer fret board with 22 frets. You can tell also on the picture on the inside sleeve of The Yes Album. Kinda neat!

homer · Post by **homer** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 1:52 pm

SORRY SORRY!!! 21 frets. Whoops.

homer · Post by **homer** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 2:19 pm

I suppose that's what happens after playing Strats: if you think of one extra fret, you automatically think "22." Anyway, after Peter Banks departed Yes in 1969/70, he formed a new band called "Flash" in which the bassist also used Rick 4001 basses. Here's a good photo of the bassist's 21 fret 4001.

http://www.dippyrecords.com/psychosync/photogallery.htm

Possibly sold to him by Chris Squire? Anybody know?

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 11:46 pm

Hey Mike,
Certainly a topic of great interest. The number 22 in the title sure is heart-stopping, haha!

Check out these threads back in January:
The 21 Fret 4001 Basses Thread

Album Photos

Now that you mentioned it, yeah, could Ray Bennett's 21 fretter have been purchased from Squire?

Notice that the 2 screw holes for the finger rest on Squire's 21 fretter didn't appear on Ray Bennett's. But maybe Bennett had a new pickguard made at the time of the shot?

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 11:54 pm

Squire's had a black toggle.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 11:57 pm

Or was it white?

dminer · Post by **dminer** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 12:28 pm

Paul, that sure looks like a telecaster bass that's behind Chris in the first shot! Do you have any pics of that entire bass...of course, I wouldn't ask you to post them HERE, but if you do have such a picture, send me a jpeg please...David

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:29 pm

I had a Tele bass with that exact same neck, mine had a humbucker on it though, I almost bought one with a single coil last year, a 68, nice shape, they are pretty much a copy of the original P bass.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:55 pm

Paul, I think the toggle switchbat on Squire's 21-fret 4001 was white, and the nut sure looks it too....kinda reminds me of my own bass('72LH)..I think the white switchbat on my bass is factory...

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:53 pm

David,
You've got mail.

John,
Yeah the black switch bat in the 1st pic could be an illusion caused by the lighting from above, revealing only the shaded part. My '72 fretless came with a white nut and white switch bat too but I believe the latter to be not original since it's the short Gibson type. I don't know if RIC ever used this kind of short white toggles...

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 2:23 am

Paul: They did use the short style, but it was back in the 50's on the Combos, Capris, 1958 325s etc.....

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:17 am

Thanks for the info, John.
Glad I replaced it with a new RIC togggle to make her closer to original.

So the one on your '72 is the long and white bat type?
I've yet to see one in person.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 2:47 pm

Funny - I'd swear I had posted a message in here saying I didn't think Bennet's 21 fret 4001 had at one time belonged to Squire.
Well, truth is, I spot some differences between Bennet's and Squire's 4001s, which to me suggest we're actually looking at two different Ricks.