4-2-5 Cii Monty

[jwr2]

Bruce ... that bridge could possible be problematic ... it may be 1/8" too wide for the pickups ...

[johnallg]

Thats a lot of holes to drill for the bridges....

[qwezirider]

Bruce ... that bridge could possible be problematic ... it may be 1/8" too wide for the pickups ...

2 3/8" inches on the nose. All touching, to answer your question, Dane.

It's an annoying call, really. On the one hand, I agree with Dane's approach from a look and value standpoint. No doubt at all. On the other hand, I need to be gigging this bass. It has sat too long in the corner doing nothing. I gigged it a couple weeks ago as a 4 stringer and hated being so lost. So in the regard that it will be a working bass for many dates a year, I have no issue drilling 8 holes, that will never be seen, for the bridge (after all, when you poke a hole in the head, going back to the 4 string bridge is little option). Nor do I have an issue doing the Rath placement of the tuner, as that would be reversible when funding became available to do this with Dane's luthier.

Then I think of Dane reading this thread shaking his head and pull back the drill.

Maybe it's good I can't do a thing until at least Sunday night.

[aceonbass]

Dane<------Shaking his head. LOL
Actually Bruce, if the spacing is right, the 5 piece bridge might look pretty cool.

[cheyenne]

Opinion...

Im not one for extreme modification.

I like my Rickenbackers, but I realize RIC doesnt make a 5 string. (they should, they but dont). So If I needed a 5'r, I'm sure I could go out and find a quality non-RIC instrument to do the job to my liking. But thats just me.

But if people want to take their Rick 4 strings and make them 5 strings, I really dont see anything wrong with that either. I comes down to the fact that YOU paid good money for the bass, so YOU can do whatever YOU want to with it in my opinion.

Now if you get into modding your rare vintage pieces,,,

[markbass99]

I totally agree on the modding of vintage ricks Scott, I'm spending a lot of money to get several of my 73's back to original condition after someone elses idea of improvements to them. It really is an excercise in perspective though, take my 4004's that I have "improved". There isn't a five string anywhere that can duplicate what these conversions do for me. When they reach the vintage age that my 73 4001's are at, I will be about 80 years old(if I live that long). My 73's will be 70 years old, it will be interesting to see what they are worth then compared to the modded 4004's.

The pics below are the results of someone elses improvements to a bass that I just sent Dale for restoration.

[cheyenne]

"It really is an excercise in perspective though, take my 4004's that I have "improved". There isn't a five string anywhere that can duplicate what these conversions do for me".

Thats exactly what Im trying to say. If you can take one of your basses and make it so you want to play it even more, then I say do it.

After all, the things are meant to be played.

[jwr2]

The problem with Danes approach is you have to paint the headstock a solid color to hide the filled holes. My approach there is nothing to hide.

So that bridge is 2 3/8"? where can I get one? Does it come in Gold, Chrome, and black?

[aceonbass]

Actually, the headstock can be painted ANY color you like, including clear. The trick is to cut the headstock wings off, leaving just the center section of the neck(1 11/16" wide). This will completely remove the section with the holes in it for the upper wing, giving you a clean slate to work with. The only reason the lower wing is removed is so that the color and grain of both wings match when replaced. I spend a LOT of time thinking these things out before I move on them so that they appear seamless and asthetically correct.

[qwezirider]

Actually, the headstock can be painted ANY color you like, including clear. The trick is to cut the headstock wings off, leaving just the center section of the neck(1 11/16" wide). This will completely remove the section with the holes in it for the upper wing, giving you a clean slate to work with. The only reason the lower wing is removed is so that the color and grain of both wings match when replaced.

Not only all that, but the darkness of the Monty seems that it would also better hide any modifications than something lighter. Especially from a distance while playing. It's still a modification I would do down the road when funding is more appropriate.

[qwezirider]

Dane<------Shaking his head. LOL
Actually Bruce, if the spacing is right, the 5 piece bridge might look pretty cool.

Here are the pieces held on top of the existing bridge. About identical on the front-to-back dimension and just a tad narrower than the existing bridge on the width. Not the best angle, but it gives an idea.

[qwezirider]

Now if you get into modding your rare vintage pieces,,,

Never. That's somewhere I would not go.

[qwezirider]

So that bridge is 2 3/8"? where can I get one? Does it come in Gold, Chrome, and black?

AzGuitarParts.com, or azjman on Ebay. He claims to have them in all three colors. Either top string loading or through-body if one wants to do that.

[VRICKY63]

Anybody tried a Schaller 496 ? Looks like it would work for a 4-2-5.

[jwr2]

I have used the seperate bridges on a few basses ... I found the spacing came out more like 2 1/2" ... putting that over 2 1/4" steel rails in the hb1 pickup gives you 1/8" overhang on the B and G