Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

BQmusic wrote:...Or I'll just keep it like this and turn it in a nice road worn player.

IMO, that's the best answer.

Yeah man nice honest wear, don't refinish it!

Get the bridge playable and enjoy it.

And certainly seems curious in black, so why not go with it.
That just makes it more rare and curious either way.

Dirk

p.s. I will admit those black Hipshots of Phillip's look pretty cool, especially on that finish.

The tailpiece looks like it could have been sprayed with car paint and it might have been heat treated (a friend of mine used to do finishes like that on guitar hardware in a car paint booth). Whatever course you take restoring the bass DONT get rid of the tailpiece!! Its an original sand cast aluminium one!! You have the hardest part to source already in place. Try chipping the paint off underneath the casting to see what the black coating is and maybe try some paint remover on a cotton bud to test.
If you replace the bridge for now,you might eventually be able to get the original re-plated.
I think (did Dane Wilder say it?) its possible to use a modern bridge and saddles on an old aluminium tailpiece by the way so you could get the bass up to vintage spec.
Best wishes on the project!

use a modern bridge and saddles on an old aluminium tailpiece

I have an original sandcast TP on my customized V63. I milled out the bridge pocket enough to accept a new bridge. Works great and adds more intonation room.

pag wrote:The tailpiece looks like it could have been sprayed with car paint and it might have been heat treated (a friend of mine used to do finishes like that on guitar hardware in a car paint booth). Whatever course you take restoring the bass DONT get rid of the tailpiece!! Its an original sand cast aluminium one!! You have the hardest part to source already in place. Try chipping the paint off underneath the casting to see what the black coating is and maybe try some paint remover on a cotton bud to test.
If you replace the bridge for now,you might eventually be able to get the original re-plated.
I think (did Dane Wilder say it?) its possible to use a modern bridge and saddles on an old aluminium tailpiece by the way so you could get the bass up to vintage spec.
Best wishes on the project!

The paint certainly is heat treated. It is very tough and wont dissolve in thinner.
I'll just leave the tailpiece as it is and certainly won't replace it.
I have found someone who can mill me a bridge from a solid piece of aluminiumand then I'll put regular saddles on it.

A tiny bit less room for intonation but more mass and sustain.

Milling the rout in the tailpiece bigger is a cheaper and simpler method but since my tailpiece is black it won't look good

Seems like this bass is from a very good period: 3-piece neck, aluminium bridge, high gain pickups

How does it sound? You've mentioned that the neck is straight and the action is low, but do you like the feel of the neck and how it plays? Is it comfortable and well-balanced when you play standing up?

I think you should make sure you love this bass as a player before investing a lot of time and money on the cosmetics.

pag wrote:If you replace the bridge for now,you might eventually be able to get the original re-plated.
I think (did Dane Wilder say it?) its possible to use a modern bridge and saddles on an old aluminium tailpiece by the way so you could get the bass up to vintage spec.
Best wishes on the project!

If you machine the bridge pocket a bit wider front to back, you can use a modern bridge insert. I'd have the black parts replated though. As for tuners, RIC still has the C64 tuners in stock, which are correct reproductions of the original Kluson tuners. If it had Grovers on it, they may not fit properly.

scott_s wrote:How does it sound? You've mentioned that the neck is straight and the action is low, but do you like the feel of the neck and how it plays? Is it comfortable and well-balanced when you play standing up?

I think you should make sure you love this bass as a player before investing a lot of time and money on the cosmetics.

The neck toaster sounds nice. Round and warm. The bridge pickup through the cap is bright and not too useful imo but I would need to play with it in band rehearsal to really know if it isn't useful. Cap bypassed the pickup sounds fantastic. Loud, full and with attack. Strangely enough both pickups are out of phase and cancel eachother out when both are engaged.
I am very, very good with electronics so I'll probabely rewire one of the pickups so to make them in phase but still properly shielded.

The neck is slim and fast but the action is still high.With a properly fitting bridge it should get much better.

The weight and balance are fine.

This bass is a keeper.

I am busy with home renovation this holliday but will post pictures and measurements when the renovation is done and the bass is fixed.
I think investing in it is worth it because I bought it quitea bit under its market value.
If in the end I don't like it a restored and playable '72 Rickenbacker would sell quickly and I would make a profit and be able to buy a 4003.

jps wrote:

BQmusic wrote:...Or I'll just keep it like this and turn it in a nice road worn player.

IMO, that's the best answer.

+1

Bridge is not an eyesore at all. Roll with it.

Maybe a bezel though?

BQmusic wrote:

scott_s wrote:How does it sound? You've mentioned that the neck is straight and the action is low, but do you like the feel of the neck and how it plays? Is it comfortable and well-balanced when you play standing up?

I think you should make sure you love this bass as a player before investing a lot of time and money on the cosmetics.

The neck toaster sounds nice. Round and warm. The bridge pickup through the cap is bright and not too useful imo but I would need to play with it in band rehearsal to really know if it isn't useful. Cap bypassed the pickup sounds fantastic. Loud, full and with attack. Strangely enough both pickups are out of phase and cancel eachother out when both are engaged.
I am very, very good with electronics so I'll probabely rewire one of the pickups so to make them in phase but still properly shielded.

The neck is slim and fast but the action is still high.With a properly fitting bridge it should get much better.

The weight and balance are fine.

This bass is a keeper.

I am busy with home renovation this holliday but will post pictures and measurements when the renovation is done and the bass is fixed.
I think investing in it is worth it because I bought it quitea bit under its market value.
If in the end I don't like it a restored and playable '72 Rickenbacker would sell quickly and I would make a profit and be able to buy a 4003.

I like the sound of all that!

Some folks use a push-pull pot to switch the bright cap in and out of the circuit. I highly recommend it for your case.

The Hipshot tuners are really good; I have a set on one of my 4003 project basses (plus a Kahler trem bridge).

I also have Hipshot eXtenders (D-tuners) on a couple more.

jps wrote:Oh, yeah. What's with those three extra holes in the tailpiece route?

I wonder if the bridge height screws went through into the body?

Dunno if the other one was for a Gnd connection if it was used with no mute, or if the black paint insulated the Gnd; it looks likere's nog wire soldered to the mute plate.

prowla wrote:

jps wrote:Oh, yeah. What's with those three extra holes in the tailpiece route?

I wonder if the bridge height screws went through into the body?.

That could be. so, someone drilled through the tailpiece and ran screws into the body. Their location match those of the recesses in the old aluminum tailpiece; the later ones were in a slightly different location relative to the three tailpiece mounting screws.

Now, what about the third one? There are better places to attach a ground wire, I would think.

Well, I got me a bridge and tuners. Not a lot of intonation room on the bridge but that was to be expected.
I played the bass in band rehearsal and man, what a sound! Superb fat and tight. Nice for rock and really chrunchy with a slight bit of fuzz. Keeps the whole band upright when the guitar is soloing! Some fine tuning anf filing the saddles is needed fot ultra low action but so far this bass is a winner already!

the Hipshot tuners have shorter posts than the schallers and that would increase the angle over the nut which is very minimal now but the A-tuner sticks out above the headstock so I keep the Schallers on.

Is there a tuner upgrade for Ricks who have the A-peg higher than the D-peg?

Pictures will follow later when the light is better and I have time on my hands.