Old-Timer's Take on 4003 vs C64S

[bassduke49]

That I'm not sure of. Others here know more. I think there was a thread long ago that described the Macca bass coming in to the factory for repairs. Needless to say, Paulie wasn't as fastidious as many of us here when it comes to keeping the instrument clean and set up properly. If anyone can link to that "official" story, please do.

[Starless]

Intrigued by the 'butchery' of the pointy bits on the horns, I thought about the practicalities of taking a belt sander to a Rickenbacker and as I now have a spare 4003 with pointy bits intact, I looked out my trusty sander.

(pause for dramatic effect)

Macca would only have wanted to remove the garish design from the front of the bass and so would have contentedly fired up the tool and started sanding (presumably removing the chrome and electrics first as I have done). Quite straightforward to do, but as I found, it looks a bit naff with bare wood on top and the edges still fireglo/nail varnish/shiny. So, the logical next step is to sand round the edge of the gutar. This is where the difficulty arises. With a non-removable neck, it is virtually impossible to get into the inside edge of the horns with anything other than the smallest of files or sanding blocks - and it takes an impossible amount of time to get the finish off by hand. The only way to get in there with a power tool, (at least the one that I have, and possibly the one that Macca had - is there a thread anywhere about the history of the sander he used? Was it ever returned to the manufacturer for modifications? when did he replace the original guard on it? - how often did he change the sanding belt? - was he a coarse/fine grit user? - How did it affect the sound of the sander?) is to come in vertically and snip off the pointy bits. It's the only way - and I have just proved it. This is like re-creating one of those historical moments - Kon Tiki expedition, Pilgrim fathers voyage etc.

So, I now have a lot of dust and a bass needing finishing off and sealing. I never liked the finish on it anyway, it looked like someone had poured toffee sauce all over it. These people at Warwick sure know how to spoil the look of their cheap Rockbass line.

Oh, did I not mention? I conducted the experiment using my cheap fretless Rockbass, and I cheated by taking the neck off. I'll need to go now and try smooth out some of those gouges. Think I'll go for an oil finish....

[kiramdear]

who can argue with such sterling logic?
after you finish with the sander can you toss the remains in my direction?

[ben_brown]

Two nice basses for sure but what is all the hoopla with the ZERO fret? That makes it hard to file the nut and make your action low. I always used to see those on cheap guitars of the 60s and 70s...
Teisco for one....

[Starless]

Two nice basses for sure but what is all the hoopla with the ZERO fret? That makes it hard to file the nut and make your action low. I always used to see those on cheap guitars of the 60s and 70s...
Teisco for one....

All the nut does is stop the strings moving from side to side. The bottom face of the nut grooves becomes redundant as the zero fret becomes the 'saddle' at the top of the neck.

You want low action? Get yourself a C64S!!

[tennis_nick]

Two nice basses for sure but what is all the hoopla with the ZERO fret? That makes it hard to file the nut and make your action low. I always used to see those on cheap guitars of the 60s and 70s...
Teisco for one....

All the nut does is stop the strings moving from side to side. The bottom face of the nut grooves becomes redundant as the zero fret becomes the 'saddle' at the top of the neck.

You want low action? Get yourself a C64S!!

Took the words out of my mouth!

Same thing on Gretsches

[Starless]

All four strings are continuously 'fretted', even when playing them open, and it makes a hell of a difference to the sound and feel of playing open. There is consistency of tone because an 'open' string isn't subject to variations in nut thickness, or how much (or how little) of the nut groove is actually in contact with the string. Of course it's not like there is actually a finger behind the zero fret (and the tonal qualities that imparts), but it is pretty close.

[teeder]

What a great thread! It's been fun to read!

Love those S's!

[teeder]

If the "S" series are based on his own (sanded) model(?) wouldn't they have copied that rounding over too? Or are you saying the rounding was original to the series before he worked on it ?
Wait, here's the 4001 C64: I see the front is rounded but I dont know about the bacK. Squared, right? And is this the model as it was first presented to Paul? Did he round off only the back edge, later?

The "S" basses were rounded on the back too.

[teeder]

This is Paul's bass as it was for most of the 70's:

I would be pretty close if I shave the horns down on this one!

[wints]

Shaved horn...
Been there!Done that!

[wints]

And here's the next candidate...

[Starless]

This is Paul's bass as it was for most of the 70's:

I would be pretty close if I shave the horns down on this one!

Don't forget to saw off the headstock and superglue it back on the wrong way round.

[kiramdear]

Shaved horn...
Been there!Done that!

What do they call that finish color?! I WANT IT

[kiramdear]

Hi Graeme,

say, what is this thing on the PG that I never noticed before?