Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey Al, i just picked up a C64 not an s but the neck and sound are awesome Im very happy as well congrats to your new love.

Ken, congrats on your new Jetglo. I have a MG - greatest neck feel. You wrote yours has a hi gain?

Yeah Ken... I've heard about that JetGlo of yours! Must be a 'kick in the head' in both the sound and looks department!

It really was a very pleasant surprise to feel how slim the "S" neck felt compared to a 4003 I had "fondled" at an area GC a while back. I wonder... do the C64's have the same "carve" to the neck as the C64S's? Or does the "S" feel slimmer because they tried to duplicate the "sanding down" that Macca gave his bass?

Alvaro,

I posted an opinion on this back when I first received my C64S.

The largest difference is the carve at the heel of the neck where the S model is carved closer to the body. IIRC I even posted some pictures comparing my V63 heel to the S heel.

The S neck satin finish feels faster than my 4003 Monty and is very much like the '60's necks I so fondly remember. It probably is just a tad thinner without the FG or MG finish of the C64's and from the sanding down spec.

There is no special sanding done to the C64S. The C64S and C64 should be identical in that regard.

In searching for the 75th Anniversary 4003, I found a dealer that had a C64. I need to call and see if it's a C64S or C64. I was interested in Ben Hall's old response above. What is the difference between these if it's not sanding? Is it just the body design? I am looking for a very smoothly contoured body vs. the binding on my 4003.

Would this come with flats, since Macca used flats? I am using flats on my 4003 right now, but I think I'd rather use rounds on the C64, going for the Squier sound on that one and the jazzier flat sound on my 4003.

Comments?

Greg, the C64S has a satin sealer finish on the neck and fretboard, very very comfortable. It's the best neck I've ever played. It comes from the factory with stock Rick rounds.

Thanks Scott. When I joined this group and talked about wanting a 4001CS, some people mentioned getting either this one or the V63 for a similar "Squire" sound, and cheaper. Do you think that's the case?

BTW, so the 'S' stands for 'satin'? The body is the same as a C64? Just want to make sure.

Greg, I guess the S could stand for sanded or satin....as you probably know Paul stripped the FG finish and sanded some areas. Most noticeably the upper horn and had it finished satin. This particular bass is meant to show how his bass exists today, after his modifications years ago.

Go to the RIC website and it explains it all.

I've never played a C64 but the 64S has an amazing feel. FAST neck.

Oh yeah, the 64S has a zero fret that he had added.

My understanding is that Macca didn't "finish" his bass after the extreme sanding. I think I read somewhere that when the bass came back in to RIC for its refurb during the '76 tour(?), it was described as being kinda "nasty" with sweat and gunk? I came away with the impression that it was at this time that it was given a "sealer coat" just to keep it from getting all grungy again, and that the sealer coat was deliberately left un-glossed to approoximate the feel of the raw wood.

Of course, I could be wrong!

I called the dealer that had one of these today. He didn't know if it was an S model or not, but said it had the satin finish. I think the zero fret is the most obvious way to tell, huh? I'll ask him about that.

The "S" does indeed mean satin,which is satin conversion varnish topcoat sprayed on just like the other finishes..Sort of a Mapleglo without the "glo"..As Ben pointed out,the sanding and preparation (including sealing) is the same as if it were to be painted any color,although with the finish being transparent,wood selection is very important..

Thanks for the clarification Eric.

In the interest of my right wrist & forearm, which is taking a beating on the binding of my 4003 (I know, maybe I should just change my playing style?), I wondered how the body compares to a 4003S or 4001S? Would those models be much more rounded than the C64/C64S?