Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm saving up for that one. Seriously.

These little gems are what make a forum like this interesting.

I knew you guys would love seeing that picture ...

and I think it doesn't have a zero fret ... that may be a reflection on the nut and finished fretboard ...

Look at page 208 of the Smith book and then look at this. It looks like a zero fret to me too.

I took some measurements of the photo in the Smith book (p.208) and used some known dimensions like the length of the R tailpiece and the width of a toaster to determine the scale of that 8 string. By my thumbnail measurements the scale works out to a little over 32 inches. The bridge is placed a bit forward of the normal position but only about an inch, or so it would seem.

Hope Tom got enough out of it to buy some different looking pants and buttons for his shirt.

I wonder if the zero fret allowed for a shorter scale to be used with a stock fingerboard length. Notice how much wood there is between the nut and the zero fret (Smith book)? There is also more than normal distance between the 20th fret and the end of the board. My guess is they were trying to make the neck stronger to carry the increased string loads of an 8er. Dot inlays an no binding also help.

Or at least a white leather, dual-holed Greg Brady belt to go with the pants.

I'd say that is the bass in the Smith book. I'd agree with Ted too on the neck strength issue. That makes perfectly good sense to me...

I looked at the Smith book last night hoping to see any distinctive markings on the basses, proving that they are the same. I did not see any. However I do believe they are one in the same bass.

The TRC appears to be the 12 string kind. It is more apparent in the Smith book than the above pic.

more comments from Tom ...
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hey JEFF

A cool website - that Ricsource.com is ....

I finally found your post and the other guys' comments

So, rather than take the time to register ...Here are some answers........

It *did* have a zero fret

I would like to see the Smith Book that you're referring to ...because

The bass was played left handed by the former owner but still strung righty

(Trying to watch that guy play was a real hoot...)

so - *mine* will have a hole from the strap nut on the end of the short bottom horn

or some sign of being repaired ...and ....some more history:

I bought it from and resold it to the same left hand bass player in Reading Penna 1970 to 1972

Price was $200 both ways - that was some MegaBucks back then

he repaid me with 8 payments of 25 bucks each week after he got paid at the car wash

it took about 6 months to get my final $25 - and those pants were all I had to wear !!!

and to Jeff Thomas - I couldn't afford any belt let alone

<a > !!!

All in good fun -

I'm glad I gave you all something to "figure out"

Now if I only had a spare twenty grand laying around ...

Remember, Life's too short to drive boring cars !!!

Until then...

I'm wavin'

Tom Y.

Toms a very cool person.

I never made fun of the pants because I had a pair like that back then also ...