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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:51 am
by bob_atherton
Warren, you were, quite understandably drooling over Andy's bass, & not mine.
Guys, all I can say is that I have checked under the TR cover & scratchplate & there are NO extra holes that would make one think that any of the vintage bits were a retrofit.
Maybe if Mr Hall is keeping an eye on this thread he might comment.
I'm guessing that this is a sort of transitional bass, given that the body appears to have been made in March '84.
Anyway whatever it is I love it! It plays well & sounds good too. It will be a tool of my (part time) trade, and for that it fits the bill perfectly.
I would still like to know what it is though.....!
Bob
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 11:22 am
by leftyguitars
I've just realised....mine is the wrong way round...hehehe. And I'm in the UK too (not that that has anything to to with anything...or something like that).
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 12:41 pm
by bottom4
Hey Bob, I think you have the real thing! That is probably one of the first to roll out and as you said it’s probably at the transition period. Take a good look at the horseshoe - does it have a screw top? You could very much have one of those widely sort after horseshoe as oppose to the reissue. And the headstock, are the wings just light walnut that’s not showing up in the photo?
Let us know! I’ve been looking for an earlier V than mine!
You have a great bass there!
cheers!
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 1:07 pm
by baltimucho
Question about the v63: Does it have the "old-style" truss rods?
My '84 4003S looks EXACTLY like your v63 (minus the vintage appointments of course), except I have a 3-peice neck and my pickup is 1" away from the neck to accommodate truss rod adjustment nuts at the body.
Maybe I can reverse my "modern" truss rods and move my pickup to the 1/2" mark?
http://homepage.mac.com/baltimucho/PhotoAlbum1.html
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 1:11 pm
by ken_swearingen
v63 has the newer system.
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 3:24 pm
by jps
Interesting that the pickguard does not go all the way across the horseshoe surround like I have always seen it on V63 and otherwise vintage 4001s.
Here is a shot of Ken's '67 4001S
Any comments on this?
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 3:44 pm
by bottom4
Good catch Jeffery
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 3:51 pm
by bottom4
check out this one!
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 3:53 pm
by bottom4
That is a replacement pickguard. The original was cracked by the knobs!
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:22 pm
by jps
Didn't Mark Arnquist mention that he made that replacement pickguard?
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 5:51 pm
by jps
Here is a shot out of the Smith book of an early V63:
So maybe that pickguard is how they made them back then in the beginning of the V63 series. This bass has the dot at the 19th fret, too.
Also note the '60s style three screw bridge on this bass. Sorry for the lousy pic but at least you can see there are no screws near the tail:
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 6:04 pm
by jps
The headstock shape is that of an contemporary 4003, not the vintage shape. Then again, the later V63 headstock shape is shorter than the midrange models. Your V63 is definitely an interesting specimen.
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 7:16 pm
by atomic_punk
There's an '84 v63 lefty on Rickbid.com right now. Don't know if it is before the one in question, but it does have a slightly different pickguard.
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:20 pm
by ken_swearingen
someone here has a prototype i cant remember who he would be the person to talk to. wonder if his has a square heal that would clear thing's up.
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:54 pm
by bob_atherton
Jeffrey, Thanks for posting that shot from the Smith book. Does the book say what the s/n of the V63 shown is?
For me this shot of the scrathplate/horseshoe area puts my mind at rest that my bass is indeed one of the first V63's.
I'm begining to wonder if I should put this one under a bed & use my 4001. That would upset me though as I strongly feel that all playable instruments should be played.
All the best, Bob