Model of the Week three: 4001S and RM1999

[jps]

Oh well, it wasn't the GBP thread! Anybody know?

It was regarding this photo:

[8mileshigh]

Nice birdseye on this stripped 4001S. Currently for sale in Japan for around $8000.

[teeder]

Wow! That must be a '68 or '69.
I wonder if it's a converted 4000 like mine.

[iamthebassman]

Capo at 8th fret, gotta be "Tomorrow Never Knows".

Yep.

[wints]

Nice birdseye on this stripped 4001S. Currently for sale in Japan for around $8000.

I somehow missed that post Graham. That birdseye is seriously impressive. Did you know what year it was? If the surround is original (and it looks quite possible) it could well be a convert like Kevin mentioned from around 68/9...

[8mileshigh]

Nice birdseye on this stripped 4001S. Currently for sale in Japan for around $8000.

I somehow missed that post Graham. That birdseye is seriously impressive. Did you know what year it was? If the surround is original (and it looks quite possible) it could well be a convert like Kevin mentioned from around 68/9...

It's a 67 Andy. They're asking about $7600US I think? Here are some more pics.........

[leftybass]

Hmm...if the TRC is original, then it's one of the very first with 'Made in USA' between the two botttom screws......

[1965]

Hey vintage smarties, what's the fretboard radius on the '63-'64 RM1999s?

[headbanger]

Hmm...if the TRC is original, then it's one of the very first with 'Made in USA' between the two botttom screws......

John, I think that's right. Sometime around then it changed.

[weemac]

Hey vintage smarties, what's the fretboard radius on the '63-'64 RM1999s?

Variable!
Eden.

[wints]

Hey vintage smarties, what's the fretboard radius on the '63-'64 RM1999s?

Variable!
Eden.

Oh, too true!

[1965]

Variable!

Well, I knew that much. I'm guessing earlier basses = tighter radius? No matter what, I'm sure they're more shapely than the reissues. When my V63 gets the vintage treatment, its board will get re-radiused and I'm looking for some numbers.

[cassius987]

By tighter do you mean bigger radius number or smaller radius number? A smaller radius number means more curvature.

I wouldn't be so sure that older=better.

[1965]

By tighter do you mean bigger radius number or smaller radius number? A smaller radius number means more curvature.

I wouldn't be so sure that older=better.

Tighter means smaller. I wasn't saying older is better, but on RIC guitars it seems like the some of the earlier '60s models have smaller radiuses than the later ones. I was wondering if it was the same deal on the basses.

[headbanger]

I'd have to say my '64 is 'flat' to me. Not a small radius and I recall my 4003 being similar.
The real difference is the depth of the neck front to back to the point where the fretboard is a lot of the strength to it.