My 1999 Ric is older than Squire and Macca's

[prowla]

On reading Mr Boyer's rather nice book, I realised that my 1999 has an earlier serial number (DA07) than the two most famous vintage ones, which is kind of interesting.


http://i67.tinypic.com/vkkz7.jpg

I'm wondering if there is any history to it? I bought it in '77 from someone in my home town, but I've no other info about it.

[bassduke49]

Very nice! Looks like Fireglo (properly for an RM 1999) peeking through on the worn edge. I was wondering what that design was on your bass, but now that your name is posted, I have figured it out!

[s4001]

very nice fretboard to boot!

[prowla]

Very nice! Looks like Fireglo (properly for an RM 1999) peeking through on the worn edge. I was wondering what that design was on your bass, but now that your name is posted, I have figured it out!

Yes - I had it sprayed white when I got it; it's just oversprayed and I quite like it like that.

And yes, my initials are indeed "PR" - I think I was in my teens when I designed that logo!

[teeder]

Sweet bass, Paul!

[wints]

Always nice to see another old dot inlay from '64...or possibly late '63 as this one might have been, with the earlier, lighter FG shade. This bass is only 2 away from the the DA 09 bass that Larry Davis restored a couple of years ago and that JH said was never a Rose Morris instrument. I do find it hard to believe that two basses so close together, turn up in the UK along with DA 24 and DA 22, that supposedly were never export instruments...

The surround on this bass appears to be longer than the short early one. Is that original Paul?

[prowla]

Thanks, folks!

The pickguard is original afaik - they were longer on the 1999s.

Check out Chris Squire's https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... 09Arbuk5y8

[sloop_john_b]

Wow, that is absolutely stunning.

[prowla]

I was chatting with Phil at Bass Gear today and we figured that it must've been brought across personally by someone rather than imported by the distributor.

The DA09 thing is interesting too!

[prowla]

Wow, that is absolutely stunning.

Thanks - it's more stunning than the fence it's leaning against; that blew over in the storms yesterday and is no more...!

[wints]

Thanks, folks!

The pickguard is original afaik - they were longer on the 1999s.

Check out Chris Squire's https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... 09Arbuk5y8

The early '64's (roughly up to May) have a shorter taper on the horseshoe. Yours looks slightly longer than normal, but they were all hand crafted to a degree. The latter half of '64 they are much longer. Check out the registry to see example's from the DH to DK serial numbers.

[jps]

...The pickguard is original afaik - they were longer on the 1999s.....

Andrew was referring to the metal horseshoe pickup surround, not the plastic pickguard.

[prowla]

...The pickguard is original afaik - they were longer on the 1999s.....

Andrew was referring to the metal horseshoe pickup surround, not the plastic pickguard.

Ah, I misunderstood...

Looking at Chris Squire's it seems pretty similar.

https://youtu.be/bsGjl6kP0SI

[jps]

...The pickguard is original afaik - they were longer on the 1999s.....

Andrew was referring to the metal horseshoe pickup surround, not the plastic pickguard.

Ah, I misunderstood...

Looking at Chris Squire's it seems pretty similar.

https://youtu.be/bsGjl6kP0SI

That's why Andy commented on it, as typically, the shape as on Chris' RM1999 showed up in later basses compared to yours. Normally, we would have expected the surround to look like this one:

http://www.rickenbacker.me.uk/home/Bass_Models.html#28

Same as the one originally on McCartney's bass. So, it is interesting/enlightening that yours has the "next version" surround, so to speak on it, given yours is earlier in the S/N sequence.

This is one of the things I love about older Ricks, all the variations that we find.

[prowla]

That's why Andy commented on it, as typically, the shape as on Chris' RM1999 showed up in later basses compared to yours. Normally, we would have expected the surround to look like this one:

http://www.rickenbacker.me.uk/home/Bass_Models.html#28

Same as the one originally on McCartney's bass. So, it is interesting/enlightening that yours has the "next version" surround, so to speak on it, given yours is earlier in the S/N sequence.

This is one of the things I love about older Ricks, all the variations that we find.

Yes, I guess they gave their folks some free rein.

I reckon that CS's and mine were made by the same hand, even to the appearance (optical illusion?) that the lower trailing curve on the pickup surround is more pronounced than the top one.