'73 4001 restoration?

[Docmus]

Hello to all. This is my first post here. I have a yellowing 1973 4001 Maple bass that has had some unfortunate modifications during its lifetime.
I no longer play it and am thinking of selling but am wondering if I should attempt to replace the original parts first. The frets have been removed, pickups have been replaced with active EMG's, and the bridge was replaced with a Badass Bridge. The original parts (including truss rod cover) were stolen along with the case. (They were in the case) My question is: Should I attempt to replace the vintage electronic and bridge before I sell? Re-fret it? Replace the Badass with a Hipshot? Just let it go as is and see what happens? It still plays and sounds great.

I think it is just wrong to pay $300 for a truss rod cover.
Any thoughts. (Don't beat me up, I am very ashamed that I allowed this to happen)

Thanks!

doc

[sloop_john_b]

Welcome doc. How about some photos? Exactly what month in 1973 it was made makes a big difference.

[johnallg]

Welcome doc. How about some photos? Exactly what month in 1973 it was made makes a big difference.

John is right - 1973 was a huge transition year of varying features. Was any routing done to the bass to put the Badass II on?

And Welcome to the board!

[Docmus]

Thanks for the welcome gentleman!

The serial # is LF 576 I remember buying it in the fall of '73 and it was used. I looked closely at the bridge and it appears to have been routed a bit on the bottom. I guess that renders the instrument firewood?

[chefothefuture]

Dude!
You got a 72, not a 73
Way cool. It also makes the difference
as to restoring. Yours has all the cool stuff
for that era. Too bad about the stolen parts, yet
due to the scarcity of them, the price for the correct parts
is warranted.

[henry5]

Nice wood! Hmmm, apart from the stupid mods, me likee very much....

[chefothefuture]

This bass is very savable. Not firewood at all.
The rout for the badass can be filled with a nice piece
of Maple. It wouldn't be 100% invisable, but with a nice
dark FG or AG, it would be neglegable(D'I spell that right?).

[cheyenne]

That has some nicely defined birdseye maple.

Great ambering of the finish. Interesting how the binding area has some discoloration similar to another forum members vintage 4001 that was all the talk recently?

Forgive me, but the owners name escapes me at the moment.......

[rickenbrother]

Welcome James. That bass is a beauty, definitely worth restoring!

[jps]

Forgive me, but the owners name escapes me at the moment.......

MARF Seligman

[doctorwho]

Welcome, doc!

If you look in some of the threads, you will see that, in the hands of one of our expert restorers, that bass could be made to look and play like new ... it's been done a number of times before with even worse-condition instruments.

Even in its current state, it would fetch quite a price on GreedBay.

[aceonbass]

This bass is very saveable. I'd cut a block of maple to fill the entire routed area under the front of the guard. I'd then route it just big enough for the pickup to sit in. I feel that the routed area is too big in this area anyway and routing a pickup hole only as big as you need it into a tight fitting maple block glued in it's place, will make the neck stronger and the bass more resonant. It looks like a new 4003 tailpiece assembly will just cover up the evil done under the BadAss once the mute area is re-routed.

[antipodean]

Welcome James!

Fabulous bass, irrespective of the mods!

There are some great luthiers who participate on this forum who could retore that back to near-pristine. On the other hand, I'm sure there are quite a few forumites (and others) who would gladly take the bass off your hands for a fair price and take on the burden of restoration themselves. The choice is yours!

[wints]

Welcome James,

Great bass. That wood is wonderful and rarely seen, with that birdseye. Ken. S, an old member here had a similar one a couple of years ago, also from 72. I wouldn't be surprised if it's this baby's twin.

You'll have no problem selling if you choose to do that, but if you really want to keep this bass, I suggest you find ways to do so! It should be a keeper....

[jwr2]

It looks like that bass has already been refinished. The neck looks nice the way it is. Actually if you like the way it looks and plays then leave it. Or you could simple put back in Ric single coil passive pickups and electronics. Or you could take it back to completely stock.

So you can leave it the way it is. Or you can take it back to close to what is was when it was made. Or you can take it part way back. For instance the job of turning that bass into a fretless looks to be well done.

So what do you want that bass to be?