Something John B knew a few years ago and did something about.rickaddict wrote:There's just something about a '68 4001 deluxe in FG. They must be made from...teeder wrote:I've got to say, I don't know what everone else thinks, but it doesn't get any more classic than that '68! That's smoking hot to me! It's got everything! Anyone need a spare arm, leg, kidney and left *ut?![]()
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"...the stuff that dreams are made out of."
4001V68, Please!
1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
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Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
I don't know how much John put into it, but I suspect it may be south of what a real V68 would cost. 
- sloop_john_b
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Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
**** or get off the pot, folks!
Oh, no doubt! Plus it's got real crushed pearlies which any factory reissue wouldn't have.s4001 wrote:I don't know how much John put into it, but I suspect it may be south of what a real V68 would cost.
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
John, did you ever get the truss rods sorted out?
- sloop_john_b
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Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Eh, not really. Sadly it had become a case queen. I don't know what to do with it at this point. Maybe a heat treatment to the neck? Chris seemed to think that would work. The treble side is always dead flat but the bass side just will not hold no matter what.johnallg wrote:John, did you ever get the truss rods sorted out?
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Sure does look purdy!
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rickaddict
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Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
I knew it too. But mine got caught in the pipeline...for about four years now: One year at my house; three and counting in the shop...johnallg wrote: Something John B knew a few years ago and did something about.
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
John, I'm thinking the bass side of the neck won't flatten out due to more material being removed on that side for the inlays. What strings are you using? Thomastok-Infeld makes a set of flats with less than 140 lbs of tension. Original Maxima strings might be good also. Didn't you buy a set recently?
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rickaddict
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Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Well...Although the work wasn't done by the same person and the inlays might not be the same material...I had this bass converted from small inlays to full width, and I notice no change in neck stability. It was also routed for 1/2" pickup spacing.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg
It's neck was rock solid in the 27 years before the conversion, and remains rock solid in the 3 years since the conversion.

http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg
It's neck was rock solid in the 27 years before the conversion, and remains rock solid in the 3 years since the conversion.
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
IIRC, the neck on John's V68 is on the large side. I would have been very surprised that removing material for the inlays would have made it unstable.
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Almost 1/8" of fingerboard is removed to pour the inlays. Since the inlays impart no strength to the neck, it's like shaving 1/8" off of it. That there were issues doesn't surprise me at all. The new inlays on 4003's are much thinner.
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Isn't the inlay material a resin? I use some resins here at the office to hold fragile parts together while measuring them and the castings harden up like a rock. Could be a different type used though.
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Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
WOWrickaddict wrote:Well...Although the work wasn't done by the same person and the inlays might not be the same material...I had this bass converted from small inlays to full width, and I notice no change in neck stability. It was also routed for 1/2" pickup spacing.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/us ... llsize.jpg
It's neck was rock solid in the 27 years before the conversion, and remains rock solid in the 3 years since the conversion.
Lucky you.
If Mozart were with us today, he'd play a Fireglo 4001C64! ~~~*~~~ Beethoven, on the other hand, would play a Matte Jetglo 4001C64S!
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
I think it is a resin mixed with abalone or pearl material, but still think RIC stopped doing FWI because they made the neck weaker. Especially with the round wound steel strings everyone was using in the 70's. Moving the neck pickup to the 1" position was also a move to address the issues caused by the higher tension strings being used.
Re: 1968 4001 - My Ship Has Arrived - And More!
Well, my case queen '68 is in much better shape than Gary's...No horseshoe either. What am I bid for fair wood?
I just strung up mine with some TI's (thanks again John!) and the neck is happier than ever...

I just strung up mine with some TI's (thanks again John!) and the neck is happier than ever...

