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Price check

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 5:47 am
by shakey_slim
Found a Mapleglo 4003s 5 string with a gorgeous figured maple body, black hardware/pickguard/truss cover, in great shape. What are these going for nowadays?

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 6:01 am
by rickengeezer
Last few on the 'bay have gone for around $1800...yes, I got beat out on that FG one!

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 8:47 am
by shakey_slim
Nevermind.

Fakenbacker.

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 9:51 am
by jwr2
a 5 string faker ... now that is rare ...

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:11 am
by shakey_slim
Maybee...

I'm having second thoughts now. Anyone have pics of one? Specifically, the truss rod nuts, the neck heel, the route from the neck pup to the control cavity.

The bass looked good, but there were too many warning flags for me to feel comfortable with it. It had Rickenbacker hardware, down to the serial number on the jack.

Problems:
Truss rods were bent outward. The nuts looked like the small nuts on my faker at home.

Route from the neck pup to control cavity was smooth. Shouldn't this be cut on a drill press?

Fretboard was light brown.

Neck heel was rounded, not square.

Or am I being paranoid?

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:16 am
by shakey_slim
Other things that had me wondering:

The metal bar behind the truss rod nuts seemed thin. Much smaller than the one on my 75 4001.

Shouldn't the finish glow under black light? It apparently is the original finish.

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:28 am
by ilan
"Route from the neck pup to control cavity was smooth. Shouldn't this be cut on a drill press?"

Not in modern Rics.

"Fretboard was light brown"

So?

"Neck heel was rounded, not square."

It should be.

Post a pic if you can, it might help.

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:33 am
by atomic_punk
It's probably legit. Jeff has PLENTY of 5-string Ric pictures to help you.

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:33 am
by shakey_slim
Hmmm... Thanks Ilan.

Looks like I'm comparing what I know of my 4001 to a modern Ric, which apparently isn't the thing to do.

I'm going to have to take another look at it.

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:36 am
by jwr2
the truss rod system is different on a 4003 ...

Image Image

here's the heel

Image

and here's the front

Image

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:51 am
by shakey_slim
Thanks!

Maybe I am too paranoid. I got burned on my faker, and I'm not going to let that happen again!

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 11:00 am
by jwr2
If you get the 4003s5 then I have a good modification for that bass ... I have replacement saddles ... you can cut the string grooves to a wider spacing ... I make mine at 2 1/4" instead of the 2 1/16" that is standard from the factory ... this makes it more finger friendly ...

here's some more pics ...

Image

and my mapleglo bt 4003s5 ...

Image

Image

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 11:02 am
by jwr2
here's my web site ...

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 11:08 am
by shakey_slim
Thanks for all the help.

I'm going to pick it up tomorrow, and I'll have some pics to share.

BTW, it looks identical the MG 4003s5, but with much more figure in the body.

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 11:17 am
by rickengeezer
Ah, does that mean it looks like mine?

Image