Bastille Day

[loendmaestro]

I'm just drooling over here. Nice score sir. And at first I wasn't so sure about that bridge, but it's starting to look OK now!

[shakey_slim]

Glad someone on the board was able to get it. I'll take you up on those beers the next time I'm out there!

And with a RUSH connection? Holy smokes!!!

[8mileshigher]

Congratulations, Jake, on your Bastille Day score !

[jakeox]

Thanks, everyone! So it looks like a peek under the Stars Guitars bridge indicates that this may have had a normal tailpiece on it (the normal tp screwholes are present), and was routed a bit for the new tp:

As I think I mentioned, it has a brass nut:

And finally, I discovered one more small surprise: the D tuner post has added screw-heads on either side of the post, perhaps to force the string windings down toward the fretboard in lieu of a string tree:

... there will be full photo documentation as soon as I have a free afternoon with nice sunlight. A stock tailpiece covers the new routing and screw holes (well, on the front, anyway) and the other mods are really pretty minor. I haven't really developed a feel for the bass yet, and I probably won't until I get back into a band setting, but my initial impressions are that the neck is really stable and not exactly thick, but solid-feeling, and the pickups sound clear, distinct, and Rick-like, while being clearly just a bit different from a 4001/4003/4004. I'm not sure what strings are on it now, but they're rounds and have plenty of life left (the frets barely look touched) so I'll stick with them for a bit.

So far it's interesting -- it's clearly a different beast, but also clearly still a Rick bass. It's like comparing a woolly mammoth with an elephant.

[johnallg]

That extra routing does not look factory to me. It looks like it was chiseled out around the edge. IMO

Very nice bass, Jake.

[paul_yan]

Whoa, nice score, Jake. Congratulations!

[wints]

I can't imagine it ever came out of RIC without a stock bridge. That rout pushes the QC even by 60's standards!
There's no way a bass of this quality would have left the factory looking like that. However, the Stars bridge looks very impressive on this particular model, and, dare I say it, probably sounds better too...

That mod on the D tuner is much better than the tree alternative, and, as there is the most tension on that string, sounds quite plausible.

Even with the mods, a cool bass, which, practically speaking, could well be superior to the stock 4002.

[jakeox]

Yeah, I think the routing puts paid to the theory that it came from RIC with this bridge on it. This bridge does come pretty close to the outline of a stock bridge, and I don't think it looks out of place. The "string-through" holes on the back of the body are well-finished with ferrules, and look reasonable, too. It's clear to me that these mods were done with reason and forethought, and not just because someone wanted to mess with the bass. The action gets really low really easily, and string height is pretty easily adjustable. I don't know if I'll even bother keeping around a stock tailpiece since they're pretty easy to track down when needed.

[rickaddict]

Even with the mods, a cool bass, which, practically speaking, could well be superior to the stock 4002.

Them is fightin' words, Wints!

[rickaddict]

And finally, I discovered one more small surprise: the D tuner post has added screw-heads on either side of the post, perhaps to force the string windings down toward the fretboard in lieu of a string tree:

Hmmmm...That's funny...My '79 4002 had the same screws tapped into the D string tuner post:

http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg

I took them out because I figured they were a post-factory mod and I deemed them unnecessary. All that really needs to be done is to cut the string long enough that all of the windings force the string down as close to the headstock as it'll go. Then you have enough of a break angle over the nut to keep the string from rattling. My other 4 string Rick with Schaller M4's (2030GF) has the same problem...If you want to call it a problem:

http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg

(Note the large number of windings)

[rickaddict]

Are those frets original, Jake? They look kinda chunky, but maybe it's just the close-up photo.

I'd probably vote for leaving the Stars Guitars bridge on it. The mod was done well enough, and reversing it would still leave the holes in the back (unless you were to plug the holes and refin the bass in Ruby!!)

Plus you have the whole Rush connection and possibility of the bass being an exact duplicate of Geddy's 4002.

[jakeox]

Are those frets original, Jake? They look kinda chunky, but maybe it's just the close-up photo.

I can't say for sure, but given the overall cleanness of the bass, I can't imagine it's been refretted due to worn frets. It's possible it was refretted for personal preferences, though. I'll get some more pics of the fretboard when I do the whole photo essay.

I'll be leaving this bridge on for now, while I get the hang of it at least, although a solid-color 4002 refin does sound tempting! It'd be a real shame to cover up all the birdseye, though.

Interesting that your 4002 had the same tuner post screws, Jeff. I assumed it served the same function as a string tree, but the bass came strung with plenty of extra windings on every post; enough that it's a bit tight on the D as-is, so it might not have been the previous owner's preference.

[loendmaestro]

Oh, don't you dare refinish that bass!

[jakeox]

Oh, don't you dare refinish that bass!

But I have this spray paint can of flat black right over here!

[teeder]

There ya go! Cover up that nasty old maple!

Nice score, Jake! Congrats!