Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've got a C64 currently. I've been wondering if it would be worthwhile to pickup a V63 to go along with it? Will the V63 sound much or any different than the C64? Just how do they differ other that the reversed head stock?

I think they differ more individually than they do as two separate models.

If you get a V63 from '87-'95, then it'll be just the headstock and pickups (the pickups in the V63 are hotter than the C64) that differ. But if you were to get a V63 from '95-'01, quite a bit will differ in addition to the pickups and headstock, such as neck profile, neck width, etc.

JakeK wrote:If you get a V63 from '87-'95, then it'll be just the headstock and pickups (the pickups in the V63 are hotter than the C64) that differ. But if you were to get a V63 from '95-'01, quite a bit will differ in addition to the pickups and headstock, such as neck profile, neck width, etc.

You have that backwards.

harrek wrote:I've got a C64 currently. I've been wondering if it would be worthwhile to pickup a V63 to go along with it? Will the V63 sound much or any different than the C64? Just how do they differ other that the reversed head stock?

Yeah, it's a kinda tough question to answer as the 4001V63 changed quite a bit from the earliest examples (1985?) until the end of production (2002?) Rick bass necks (including the V63) generally got larger between 1985 and 2002. The pickups on a V63 were supposed to be hotter, but my 1998 V63 sounded a lot like my 2003C63S. While the necks of both of those two basses were similar in girth, my C64S neck is flatter/thinner.

My earlier V63 (1992) has a neck that is substantially smaller in girth than either of the above two (yet round, not flat) and a hotter horseshoe.

My earlier V63 (1992) has a neck that is substantially smaller in girth than either of the above two (yet round, not flat) and a hotter horseshoe.

My former '92 V63 had a very slim neck compared to a friend's later '90s V63. It was more like his '72 4001.

I really like the small neck on my '92 V63. My ex '93 V63 felt much larger to me.

My '98 V63 has a neck virtually the same as that on my '73 4001.

jps wrote:My '98 V63 has a neck virtually the same as that on my '73 4001.

Well if that's true then I think yours is a rare deviation from the norm, Jeffrey. I've had at least 25 Rick basses from 1971 to 2007 models and I've probably played 300 Rick basses from 1963 to 2008 models. I've measured the neck girth on many of them and collected the info in the Measure Your Girth thread which John A put into his XLS file. And I've noticed a definite uptrend in neck girth over the years, especially after the early 90's. Not saying smaller is better, just saying that smaller feels right to me. All 7 or so of my late 70's necks have basically felt and measured more or less the same, which is WAY different from the later production V63's, 4003's, and C64's that I have played, including my own. My '98 V63JG was/is a beautiful bass with a nice strong neck; set up perfectly when I sold it, straight neck, low action, great tone, great bass. But the neck was/is VERY different from my late 70's Ricks.

My July '73 4001 is a little bigger than my late 70's 4001's, so maybe that's what your experiencing.

Have you measured the girth on your '98 V63 or are you going on front to back thickness?

rickaddict wrote: Have you measured the girth on your '98 V63 or are you going on front to back thickness?

It's in the Excel file.

Greetings,

Sometime ago, I recall viewing pictures of the 4001v63 guts. Can remember where that thread is.

Does anyone have some side by side control electronics of the 4001v63 vs 4001c64 ?

Thanks. RG

Other than than pot ratings, there is no substantial difference between them. Neither bass has electronics like any 60's 4001 bass.

Really? In what way? Besides the caps manufacturer. The wiring layout should be the same beside vintage insulation.

Pot values in the 60's to 70's were 500K for tone and 250K for volume. C64's and likely most V63's from the 90's on were anything from 175K to 330K based on my measurements. This has a dramatic effect on tone unless you have your controls wide open all of the time.

Agreed. That's exactly what is called out on the schematic for the v63, 500 and 250. Isn't that vintage 60s?