The new member of the family!

[cjj]

Well, after a thoroughly dismal day, I opened up my new 4003FL AFG...

WOW, this baby's gorgeous! I mean, just, WOW! The neck is fantastic, feels just like my '76 4001. Well, I didn't do a side by side comparison, but it sure felt familiar!

Now for the bad... I guess I don't have to worry about putting the first ding in the finish 'cause it's already got one. Fortunately, it's on the lower edge of the body, an inch or so from the jack plate. I have no idea how it got there, it wasn't me. I'll have to have a conversation with the dealer about it I suppose. I'm not thinking I want to send it back, but when you pay more than list for a brand new COY instrument, it's kind of maddening to find it's not perfect...

I'll get some pics up a bit later...

[rickenbrother]

Congrats and enjoy your new 4003FL, buddy!
Looking forward to the pictures.

[cassius987]

This is a semi-unique opportunity for you to play it with those nickel rounds if you want. If you play softly they shouldn't pose a threat.

Sorry about the ding. I wonder if they can happen during shipment, because I have heard of near-jackplate dings many times on new Rics. If I recall you got this bass from Mike Parks and he seems like a nice guy, I'm sure he'll help you get an RA set up if you think you need it.

Regardless I hope you enjoy your bass a lot. Remember that if you play it enough, it's going to get some mojo anyways...

Also, just so you know: any strings you play with are going to put some marks into the finish on the fingerboard. They won't eat through it, just leave "trails" from where they have struck and probably compressed the finish... I have had that happen from the very beginning using TIs. But what I'm talking about is only visible under direct lighting; it is clear, so normally you can't see it even with the strings off. It's not a functional issue in the slightest. If you get actual dark grey gunk (I did once), use Scratch-X with a Turtle Wax applicator.

[kiramdear]

Congratulations, CJ!

[cjj]

Thanks!

Playing this thing is gonna take a bit of getting used to. My initial impression is that I can mostly hit the notes, at least in the below the 7th fret range. Sometimes, well, maybe more than sometimes, I'm off a bit and out of tune, weird to hear that after 30 + years of fretted, and have to adjust. It's kind of strange, but I find I put my finger where I think it should go, but aim just a bit further up (from just behind the fret to the actual fret) and I'm pretty darned close. Of course, this is just slow scales and such, nothing too extreme yet.

But it's way cool and fun. Oh, and harmonic slides - what can I say other than WHOA! COOL!

[jps]

Congrats, CJ! Have you tried sliding harmonics, yet?

[cjj]

Congrats, CJ! Have you tried sliding harmonics, yet?

Hmm, let's see.... I kinda thought that's what this was talking about:

Oh, and harmonic slides - what can I say other than WHOA! COOL!

[jps]

That's what I get for skimming the posts!

[cjj]

Well, I've been a bit busy with other things and haven't had any time to mess with music or the new bass. I did get a couple of pictures of the damage. Yeah, it's not a huge deal, but it does dampen the enthusiasm a touch. Mike offered me some compensation for the damage. I'd rather it had never happened, but hey, there are a lot of things I wish had never happened...

The case:

And a couple of pics of the dents:

[cassius987]

I've seen much worse, FWIW. There's a forum I used to visit where a guy sent back a pretty nice JG because of a dime-sized ding around the same area. That was a year or two ago. Of course everyone gently laughed at him for sending it back, because sure enough he wasn't able to get a replacement. His dealer in that instance was MF. He also paid full MSRP, so I can understand him being upset--that's a lot of money. Same goes for you of course CJ, if I understood you correctly. Do you know what you're going to do about this yet? If you get compensated, make sure it means you've ended up paying as much for the bass as it probably could have sold for new as "B stock"... I'm just worried that if you go to sell it later you'll have automatically lost some of your investment because of this. On the other hand, if it's a keeper, that really doesn't matter.

Regarding the case damage, 2/3 of my RIC SKB cases have cracked in shipment. I'm thinking about replacing them eventually with something sturdier, if it can be done. They seem well built, I don't like taking my bass out places with a big crack exposing some of the styrofoam in the case, or the "feet" being pushed in because the plastic surrounding them has given way.

[cjj]

Well, no worries about selling it and getting my money back. I have no intention of selling this or any of the other Ricks I have. If I ever do, they are not really an investment anyway.

As for the case, this is the only Rick I have that's not in a vintage case -- yet. I really don't like the plastic cases. Yes, they do, in some ways protect the instrument better, but I've never, in 30+ years of carrying Ricks around in the vintage style cases, had any problems. I just like 'em better, the way they look, feel, everything. So, this new bass will be going into a vintage style case as soon as I get one for it...

[cassius987]

Let me know how that works out, I may have to go that route if things don't work out with the two of my plastic cases that aren't so happy right now. Does anyone know if the newer vintage cases would have the same problem as newer plastic cases (post 2009) with the removal of the fungal treatment that caused green rash for some folks? I'd hate to buy one and have to buff my MG again.

[cjj]

I put my 4004Cii in a brand new silver vintage style case 6 or so months ago, no problems so far...

[cassius987]

I was looking over my cases after this quick discussion and I think I'll hang onto them. They get the job done well enough.

How's the bass CJ?