ebay vintage 4001 import horror

[inhuien]

What a great piece of work Ray, what made you go with 1 rather than 2 truss rods?

[teeder]

Nice job. How's the intonation with the different scale, or did you move the bridge / TP?

No need to move the bridge at all. Since it was an entirely new neck and fingerboard, it would have been just a simple calculation to figure out where the neck should go between the body wings.

Good point!

[ilan]

i found a small philips head screwdriver with a right angle bend about 3/8" from the tip an ideal tool to easily adjust saddle throw

RIC should include one in the case candy!

[ben_brown]

i found a small philips head screwdriver with a right angle bend about 3/8" from the tip an ideal tool to easily adjust saddle throw

RIC should include one in the case candy!

You'd think wouldn't you!

[Gilmourisgod]

Ray
On your website you mention that you found the neck angle "superfluous". I would have thought it was critical, along with the height of the fingerboard, to setting a reasonably low action. Even bottomed out, the original Rick design bridge is a lot taller than Fender style basses that have no neck angle.How did you manage to get it work? Is the new fingerboard higher off the body? Some say the front pickup is already too far below the strings to easily balance pickup output. On another note, was it the customers decision not to use the original fingerboard, or was it too damaged to re-use?

[s4001]

I'm in the other camp. I like the odd combination of dots with binding. Sharp bass. Congrats.

[antipodean]

I'm in the other camp. I like the odd combination of dots with binding. Sharp bass. Congrats.

Me too. What a great rescue job....

[12stringbassist]

I have seen the step by step photos of this elsewhere.
Congrats on a fantastic job.

[AndyM]

Ray: tough crowd indeed. Still, more positive comments than negative. Of all the workshop skills, for me woodworking is the least of my strengths...goodness knows, I've tried. I have huge respect for your craftsmanship and the approach of making this the best it can be under the circumstances (bridge design for example).
I never would have imagined that this restoration could be done successfully. Your client must be thrilled. Whatever it cost him can't match the time and devotion you actually put into the restoration.
There are no superlatives to accurately match the kudos you deserve. You must be extremely proud.