Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Paul Boyer is the proud owner of a '72 4001 that has a few issues. The project at hand is to repair the binding and inlays (eaten by paint stripper back in the 70's) and to remove the current finish. Also, Paul wants to replace the maple head wings with walnut ones. Here is a wide shot of the current state of affairs. The bass is stripped of all hardware in preparation for what will probably be the most difficult task - slightly widening the neck binding routes to make up for some over zealous sanding done during the Nixon administration.

That looks to be a nice canvass to work on.

Here is a closeup of the neck showing the narrowed binding route. The original marker dots are still in place. I have devised a method for stabilizing the router on the radiused fingerboard (pretty tricky) and have gone through a few dry runs to test the theory. I will show pics of that later on.

Here is a closeup of one of the inlays. They were slightly eroded and dulled by paint stripper. I am still tryin to work out a way to reverse some of th damage.

Here is the figuring on the body. There is some nice wood under there.

I'm looking forward to seeing this evolve!

Very nice body there!

I actually need that carcass in it's current condition.

Why mess with the headstock? Otherwise beautiful. Can't wait to see the project progress. Lots of pictures, I suppose?

Paul has consented to this being a public project so yes, lots of pics! The walnut wings thing came as a shock to me too. I am going to do it in a way where they can be restored at a later date if need be. Paul has no interest in that but I feel compelled to do it anyway.

My feeling is that the refin and other mods that have and will happen would not bring it back to 100% 1972, so I want to change things to make it look unique. Dale Fortune had recently done walnut wings on a skunk stripe headstock, and I like the looks of 4005 headstocks, too, so this is my homage to that style. After Ted performs his magic, I'll make a decision on the refinish. I've contacted Paul W. after seeing his beautiful refin of Melissa's 330, I think I'd like for him to do my old 4001. It's possible the completed project will be ready for the Midwest Confluence.

Forgive me for stepping in..

Paul, here's the million dollars question that I am pondering, do I reuse the Grover tuners?

They are original to the bass. Will they clash with the walnut wings?

What will you do?

How would they clash? Yes, I plan to use the old Grovers (they still work fine). They have the flat keyes, not wavy. So, Dave, is yours the one I saw, or did Dale Fortune do one too, or I'm I getting the two of you mixed up?

That's the 4080's head stock. One in the same.

I don't know about the Grovers on the big head stock like that. It just seems not right, somehow.

Paul's Grovers are like new. The only issue is the grease has bled out of the gearboxes a bit. There may be some staining of the wood on the back of the headstock.