Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Happy New Year all, a question on the CS if I may. I'm a big Squire fan. On occasion I've read postings referring to the CS as a "dressed up" version of the v63. Is it primarily a paint and finish difference or are there other factors involved?

Thanks, Gary

As best as I can tell, yes. Besides the vermillion wings and fingerboard, and the paint job the CS basses seem identical to their counterpart in V63s given similar vintages, as the the neck profiles and HS surrounds vary with age. Of course you do (usually) get a certificate with the CS basses. I was seriously considering buying a CS until I realized my V63 is one, just in the way Squire's was originally before he had the mods done to his.

I figured you'd chime in Jeff. I agree and, just for the record, like your V63 much more than the CS.

Thanks Jeffrey, that answered an unasked question I had about how the CS became the color it is. I was wondering if it started life that way or had it been modified. So Squire's bass was born in 63? Do you know it's original color?

I think the real CS was a fireglow, than it had wall paper applied to it, and then Creamglo..

Yeah, virtually all RM instruments started life in FG, as Squire's did.

Imagine this in Squireglo with the appropriate fingerboard wood, HS surround and PG shape:

Wall paper!!!??? Egad! Wouldn't you love to have been there the day he walked in and said, "what the heck, I think I'll wall paper my bass today". What the #*%* was going on that day. God I miss the 60's. I think I do, I can't remember.

Is this the same poor thing he plays today? As I write this I'm listening to "Yessongs" live CD. I think my head is going to explode.

"Is this the same poor thing he plays today?"

Yep

Jeffrey, that baby is gorgeous. I wish I was young and rich enough to own a bass like that and think it's fine to slap some wall paper on her. Nope, don't believe I would even if I could.

Very nice classic.

The thing is, at the time he put the wallpaper on it, I don't believe he had much money at all. He just wanted the bass to look very 60's-ish. I read somewhere that it was like psychedelic flowery wallpaper, and then later, he couldn't get it off the bass, so the guy he took it just shaved the entire bass down. This is why his bass's body is much smaller (he said about 2/3 the weight) than it originally was.

According to the serial number, Squire's bass is pretty early (DCxxx). Many British Invasion bassists had their Rickenbacker basses in service for some time before McCartney took delivery of his, which has a DA serial number. I don't know if data exists on Pete Quaife's and Entwistle's basses, they were using them pretty early too.

I was thinking of using contact paper on it as wall paper is too much trouble, any suggestions? Maybe one of these, what do you think?

Dave, that is amazing. Man, I am numb. I sit around fretting over things like guitar cord metallurgy and other minutia, and he is using an old home science project. I gotta lie down for a while.

Jeffrey, use the checkerboard paper. Then have your family send the bass to me after they put you in a nice quite place. I'll come visit to say thanks, and bring you medicine.

It wasn't uncommon to wallpaper basses and guitars (and drum kits) in the sixties for a "trendy" finish, look at Fenders Paisley Strats and Teles for example. And later "photo flame" finishes, again just wallpaper in effect!