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Truly rare Ric Bass

Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2002 6:17 am
by jwr2
4002 on e-bay ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=932459219

I played one of these at guitar center back in '78 .... cool bass ... as rare as hen's teeth

Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2002 8:24 am
by rickcrazy
Hm... Yes, I checked it out early this morning. A rare, great-looking Rick bass. I wonder how it sounds, though. Most of all, I wonder about the performance of the treble pickup, since it's clearly quite far from the strings and apparently can't be raised any further. There are things you can't help wondering about. Also, I'm curious as to how those pickups are built. I'm certain they are different from the high-gain p.u.. Anyone?

Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2002 10:37 am
by jwr2
You could put Ric High Gain pickups on it ... or use the new 4004 pickups ... It's been about 25 years since I played one, so I don't remember exactly how it sounds ... I do remember it was cool in many ways ... heck even if it sounded bad it would be cool to have as just a collectors item ...

At Guitar center I tried to trade my '68 ric for the 1978 4002 ... they didn't bite ... at the time my '68 was only 10 years old ... I'm kinda glad I kept my '68 ... it's more my style ...

Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2002 2:36 pm
by paul_yan
That's a real nice one, Jeff.
Dead mint too except the belt buckle rash on the back(stated by the seller but can't be easily seen in the picture due to its natural clear finish).
I'm also really curious as to how this bass sounds with its ebony fingerboard and P-bass positioned humbucking pickups.
I also have the same pickup height question as Sergio. They seem to be pretty low.
I wouldn't dare play it regularly even if I own it. Its rarity makes it so holy and untouchable.

Let's see how the price will end up.

Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2002 8:17 pm
by jwr2
Man ... that bass even has a bound headstock ... cool

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2002 1:46 am
by paul_yan
"Man ... that bass even has a bound headstock ... cool"-Jeff.

Amen.

This should be the only RIC bass model with a bound headstock. I also found out both this 4002 and the "Shadow" that we're talking about in the "Modified RIC" thread sport the same kind of black fingerboard binding.

Looking at the XLR output jack reminds me of the direct recorded, "sans amp" bass sound that started prospering around the late '70s/early '80s in pop/rock/fusion.

If I had that 4002, I'd put two 7.4k toasters into it to make it even more interesting(mostly cosmetic wise, might sound cool too). I could change back to the original pickups anyway.

By the way, a 4002 autumnglo is more to my liking.

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 5:35 am
by rickcrazy
Hey, check this Rick out. Talk about a guitar as scarce as hen's teeth!
http://guitar-villa.com/electric/doubleneck.jpg
When was it made? Mid sixties? Late sixties? Definitely made to order. Cool!

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 6:49 am
by leftybass
The doubleneck was made in 1962-63 for Tommy Page; So far, it is a one-of-a-kind instrument, but it looks vastly different than the doubleneck made for Kenny Blackwell about a year or two earlier...The 'Tommy Page' doubleneck may be the first factory-finished Rick double-neck ever made...Very neat indeed.

Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2003 7:43 pm
by jwr2

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2003 4:03 am
by headbanger
Speaking of rare. Wouldn't this be rarer?
1980 set neck 4001SLH

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2003 5:02 am
by rickcrazy
Hm... It certainly is unusual. A set neck on a 1981 (not 1980) lefty 4001S is not something you see every day. I wish the seller would not call the high-gain treble pickup a horseshoe pickup, though.

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2003 6:05 am
by leftybass
Most(if not all) of the 'S' 4001 model basses made during this period were set-neck model basses....uncommon, but not all too rare except that it's a lefty...

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2003 7:16 am
by paul_yan
Auction for the 'Shadow" ended without its reserve being met. It's relisted, with Buy it Now at $950(originally $1500).

Relisted Here.

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2003 1:06 pm
by mortivan
Hmm.

Any obvious sound difference with a set neck vs. neck-through 4001?

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2003 8:40 pm
by paul_yan
John, that's a very good question.
I want to know the answer too.
Would any one in-the -know shed some light on this?

Happy 2003 to all.