Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a '76 4001 in need of a sensitive repair/restoration by way of truss rod replacements (I think), refret and general overhaul. I think that I want to keep what's left of her very battered finish!

She's been with a well known Birmingham luthier for the past 6 months, only to be told that "It's uneconomical to repair it (her!)". Not if you've been through what we've been through together.

Can anyone recommend someone in the UK (or anywhere else for that matter) who would be able to do this?

I hope.

Dave

Welcome, Dave!

I don't know about the UK, but here in the States we have two excellent guys that can do just about anything you need done, Dale Fortune, who probably was a part of making your bass in the first place, and Paul Wilczynski, who is an excellent restorer/luthier. I am sure one or both will chime in at some point here.

Hi Jeff

Thanks very much for the reply. I heard about Dale and managed to get his email address so I've asked for his assistance but haven't received a reply yet. I guess I'm on the right track thogh.

Cheers

Dave

You might want to post this also in Reflections Of A Curmudgeon as that is Paul's forum that he moderates (in a curmudgeonly way!).

As much as it pains me to say it, with the conversion rate, you may be better off shipping it to the States to one of our Ric Wizards instead of having it done in the UK.

I don't know Bird, if she's been with this luither for six months....
has she at least called you to explain this?

What does this dude have that you don't?

Welcome to the forum, Dave. Go with Jeffrey's advice to contact Paul or Dale.

6 months at this luthier and he can't fix it? Go pick up your 4001 soon.

2112 wrote:I don't know Bird, if she's been with this luither for six months....
has she at least called you to explain this?

What does this dude have that you don't?

Obviously, his Rick! I agree, pick it up. I'd wait for Peter Levitt, Graham Griffiths, or Pete Greenwood to chime in - all from your side of the Atlantic. Depending on what they say, then consider sending it over to someone on our side of the Atlantic. With all the Ricks in the UK for decades, someone over there should be able to handle this.

Welcome Dave,

Good to see another UK bloke here. Hopefully the rest of the lads will chime in, and come up with someone. That attitude sums up how it was back in the 80's and early 90's, where people didn't seem to know, or care, about Ric basses.

Good luck!

Hi Dave,
Six months seems an awful long time to leave a guitar for repair.
Is it Bob Barry in Brum?
If it is I hope he doesnt keep me waiting that long!
If its not then ring him for a quote.
Just how bad is the bass?
My old friend Dave Carr would have gladly fixed it for you if he was still with us.
He had a 4003 that a punk band had put a hole right through the body. Fixed it up with car body filler and re-sprayed as a Blue boy re-finish and it sounded great....after a slight error at the paint booth......
His friend up in Stockton-On-Tees had a car painting booth which Dave used for his re-fin jobs and on this particular re-spray Dave left his ex-punk Blue Boy to dry but his mate (through habit) switched on the heat to cure the paint as you would with a car wing!
A frantic phone call and Dave came back later panicking that the Rick would be like a banana but amazingly it was dead straight even after a good baking!
Sanded and re-done the neck never budged a bit. So dont worry about heat affecting your Rick if you leave it outdoors in Arizona.
Dave Carr... sadly missed....
So there is always hope no matter how bad the condition of the bass is.
Other than ship it over to the States Dave, I can only suggest phoning around and hopefully some of the guys over here will chip in with some info on where to take it. (her)
Who are the guys that did the Fish out Of Water bass?
They look like they know what they are doing.

I've got to ask.

Are you the Dave Sparrow from The Photos ?

If so, it's Gareth from The Shapes !

If not, then excuse me, and back to your regular programming......

I know I can't help with this bass but...
I've made about ten basses from scratch so far. I'm by no means a professional luthier, but I find it strange if a luthier says a Ric is not worth refret and truss rod change. For a "normal" bass truss rod change would be quite a big job but if I've understood correct, for a Ric trussrod change is very easy. As for refret, it sure does take a lot more time and effort with lacquered fretboard than non-lacquered, but still it's not doable. Call other luthiers before shipping the bass very far, I believe there must be luthiers in UK that can fix your bass.
Marko

MPU wrote:I know I can't help with this bass but...
I've made about ten basses from scratch so far. I'm by no means a professional luthier, but I find it strange if a luthier says a Ric is not worth refret and truss rod change. For a "normal" bass truss rod change would be quite a big job but if I've understood correct, for a Ric trussrod change is very easy. As for refret, it sure does take a lot more time and effort with lacquered fretboard than non-lacquered, but still it's not doable. Call other luthiers before shipping the bass very far, I believe there must be luthiers in UK that can fix your bass.
Marko

The Rick truss rod change is easy, if you can find the truss rods for 1 4001. I do make them from scratch, as they have been unavailable for some time.

I might add that I answer all of my emails within 24 hours, regardless of how busy I am, and I am quite busy...I believe that customer relations, besides doing the wook flawlessly for a fair price, rests in the communication between myself and the customer, and the trust it builds.

jingle_jangle wrote:I might add that I answer all of my emails within 24 hours, regardless of how busy I am, and I am quite busy...I believe that customer relations, besides doing the wook flawlessly for a fair price, rests in the communication between myself and the customer, and the trust it builds.

Keep up the good wook, Paul!

Paul does the wook, his Wookie does all the luthiery.