Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'll take whatever Rics I happen to own at the time and, as of now, the V63 will be one of them.

Another reason for me to go!

wow that is a really great looking bass! of course you've heard it before but I had to say something. I've never seen that style of Rick in midnight blue before.

Thanks.....I've always loved the finish. I doubt if it's the only MID V63 but I can't imagine that there are many.

I remember about five or six years ago seeing this picture from a Japanese website:

Then around Christmas 2002, POTR was selling this one. I almost bought it then, but I was in the midst of purchasing a 4001CS. Oh well!

Those two and Brian's could very well be the same bass. Any serial numbers?

...don't think so. Uncommon for Rics to travel back form Japan to US as they are highly seeked for and collected items specially in Japan (I work for a Japanese company). I guess they never come back. Also the toggle switch of the upper one is in a different position !

I sent an email to the previous owner asking for any history he has on the V63. That may answer a few questions.

I tend to agree with Peter about the one in Japan.

My '92 V63 came from Japan to the guy I bought it from. It now resides at Captain Fireglo's house.

...sometimes even the stock in Japan go down!

OK.....the seller replied. He bought it from POTR's at a guitar show in Florida in '00 or '02. He says Chris (well, he said the owner) said he bought it from an individual because he knew it was a rare color for the model.

So judging from Ron's post this is the POTR's V63 sold to my seller in '02. On to the next step.....

Any thoughts on the sound of that beauty yet?

Since you've got plenty of experience with a variety of vastly different Ricks, I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in a comparison between the varied models.

Chris at POTR got it from Dave's Guitars in Wisconsin and believes it was new when he got it. So that leaves at least one other confirmed and hopefully that one stays in Japan.

It still needs some tweaking. The D and G strings sound weak so I'm going to swap on a set of extra Pyramids that I have and see if that helps since the Chromes on it have seen some better days, (I tried adjusting the p/u's but that didn't help)

Overall I think the tone is great. It cuts through the mix nicely. I'd say it actually sounds much like my blackened Laredo except the Laredo has a little more of the low fundamental coming through. I know it doesn't seem likely but I find them very similar. I can probably attribute most of that to the old saying...."the tone is in your hands". I tend to sound like me no matter what I play. The neck feels comfortable (like a Ric) I'm really not very sensitive to minor neck dimension issues.

I'm probably not the best person to ask for tone/feel comparisons. I'm a hack that plays with dirty tone. Jeff Scott played it so maybe he'll chime in with his thoughts. He has that wonderful FG V63 to compare it to.

I find a huge difference between my 4001 & 4000, & it's not just the lack of a neck pup, so I figured that a side by side comparison would reveal some distinctive tones from one to the next.
I have no experience with the 4004 series as yet & very limited experience with a 4003 (played one once for about 5 minutes at a store).

I'm certainly glad that you got that MID V63, Brian, since it at least gives us all a chance to gawk at such a beauty.