Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I though this bass had accidently fallen into the hands of the F*nder Custom Shop, Relic Dept.

Nothing that a bit of Bondo and sandpaper couldn't fix!!

You're terrible, Aitch.

ozover50 wrote:Nothing that a bit of Bondo and sandpaper couldn't fix!!

Let's see if a certain seedy Chicago based Rickenbacker dealer buys it. I hear they're good with Bondo and a spray can!

rick_ovic wrote:I though this bass had accidently fallen into the hands of the F*nder Custom Shop, Relic Dept.

Nah, if so, the starting price would have been much, much higher.

jps wrote:Here you go Kevin:

That's the one! It makes me shudder when I see it!

I just barfed all over my keyboard. This HAS to be the worst butchery I've EVER seen. At least when you route for pickups it's for something, buckle rash is because you played it, but this is just un called for.

Ya know what's REALLY wierd? Take a close look at the headstock, front right top. Looks like the deed do-er actually drew some magic marker lines where he/she wanted to cut before the fact! Imagine (whistle, whistle, whistle), "I think a little off here (swoop of the marker) and a little here (another swoop) and a bit or two here (swoop, swoop)". The the cutting begins..........

<<SHUDDER>>


Chuck L.

I'm guessing that his time and effort would have been better spent on lessons or practicing.

let's hope the perpetrator doesn't become a plastic surgeon.......

As much as it pains me to see stuff like this, I've been around long enough to have witnessed all kinds of "butchery" on otherwise beatiful guitars and basses, even potential "vintage collectibles". I've seen a lot worse than this...believe me.

Like many of us here, I admire the aesthetic beauty of guitars (especially Ricks), but we need to remember that guitars are really nothing more than a tool of expression. Many folks are content to express themselves through their music alone...others want to make a visual impression as well. Hey, think of how many Ricks Pete Townshend smashed onstage for "visual effect", and I don't hear much complaining about him here. To me, what Townsend did was far worse...at least this "sharkbite bass" can still be played. And why else would we see intruments with "Warlock" and "Beast" body shapes on the market? Visual effect. I'd never play anything shaped like that, but someone out there must be buying them. It's all about the looks.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: This guy, as the owner of this "desecrated" Rick bass, is entitled to do anything he wants with it. Chop pieces out of it, paint it bright purple, whatever. It's his bass, not mine. And who knows, maybe the reaction that he evoked here is exactly what he wanted to achieve and was his primary motivation for hacking it up in the first place...the "shock value": But in doing so, he greatly diminished the resale value of the bass. Given its current state, I would think ebay is probably the only place he can unload it and still get some decent money for it. As others have suggested, it'll probably be bought and parted out.

BTW, I'm new here (after years of lurking) and decided to join up and post some thoughts...hope my post wasn't *too* boring

Boring? No. Welcome to the Forum, Daniel.

I see your point. Now I'll go back to feeling nauseous!

Yeah, but...We like Pete Townsend!

Not at all, Daniel, and welcome. Yup, anybody can do anything they want (well, anything legal, anyway) for shock value or through neglect. But this series "What is WRONG with people?! - Part . . . " shines the light on folks who don't seem to appreciate what we here do. It's funny, when you look at Ricks as collectibles, most feel that the better the condition, the better the value, while with some other instruments, the condition is not so relevant (like Fender Jazz basses from the '60s, for example). I think we all realize that using an instrument to make music (beautiful music or not so) is going to result in wear and tear, scratches and nicks, dents and crack, and once in a while, destruction. Sure, Townsend smashed his share of beautiful instruments, but he could afford it, and Rickenbacker just said "we'll make more!" But some of the examples in this series leave us all scratching our heads and wondering, "why?"

So, welcome to the best instrument forum on the web, where we are all strong, good looking, and above average!

Welcome, Daniel!

Some of the most musically creative people I know are only slightly aware of what kind of guitar they play let alone care what it looks like.

I on the other hand, play bass just to justify having cool ones!

Welcome to the forum, Daniel. Your post was not boring. Looking forward to more more participation from you.