Rick's Fine '52

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1341902956' post='1725741'] Coming from a guy that can only afford a few really old ones! [/quote] I know...I really must get with the times!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1341869703' post='1725533'] I have had them where the saddles move across the back plate and where the screws unwind themselves until the saddle is sitting on the skunt, whether other people have or have not even after 50 years or are in some way offended by that makes no difference to me, my basses are mine theirs are theirs as long as we are happy with our own basses it's all cool. Plus like Wayne says my Badass looks cool [/quote] Like I said, it's all about personal taste.....although you're wrong, they are anything but cool!

Amazing job, top marks, must be hard to let it go!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1341856360' post='1725233'] can't stand them. Big old chunky ones are fine as aftermarket items. But why they would make them standard on all fenders I don't know. Also, bug bear of mine- BBOT bridges- described as flimsy. FLIMSY have you ever heard of one being bent out of shape in normal playing? criky, lets ask someone with an old one, Hey Rick's Fine... on all your vintage basses, anything bent out of shape? anything? flimsy my arse! [/quote] All my basses have the BBOT, 3 are over 55 years old, 2 are 44 years old, 2 are 30 years old, the others, well, less so. All hold tune perfectly, not a twist or bend in sight. They look right, and still work as well today as when first manufactured. Intonation on all is perfect, and I've never had to re-set any of them. Personally wouldn't touch a badass with a barge-pole, ghastly looking things. You only need two-way adjustment to set the intonation on a string, height and length, which i think, both styles of bridge offer. Never had an issue with a BBOT. I've read some people have had issues though, although personally can't imagine why? Its all about personal experience, and taste though innit?!

[quote name='The Legoheads' timestamp='1341582293' post='1721316'] [indent=1]Don't mistake shear persitance and luck to be a sign of skill I am an engineer by trade so some element of OCD and technical knowledge have ceratinly helped. Plus, when someone tells me I can't do something, that I don't have the skills or knowledge, it only makes me wanna give a two-fingered salute and prove them wrong... even when that someone is me.[/indent] [indent=1]I have seen your guitar before and taken inspiration from it... hardly lame. Like you, influenced by the Stone Roses, it was almost certainly Mani that introduced me to the 4005 and I've fought with the idea of a Jackson Pollack style JS finish. I knew I'd never get away with a bare wood finish as there are many small flaws, both natural and man-made.[/indent] [indent=1]I just hope now that The Roses are resurrected that they make it to the US. A big bunch of my old mates and bandies were at Heaton Park the other weekend... jammy w*****s...!!![/indent] [/quote] The reason for me making it was clearly being a huge Mani fan, and also the pollock'ing hid the multitude of finishing 'issues' that existed on it, which is why i didnt take as much care as i probbaly should have. I was at Heaton Park last weekend, and they were just fantastic. They've done a few gigs in europe too, with more gigs planned, and a new album deal, so hopefully, as in '95, they'll make it to your shores in the near future.....unless they fall out again of course, but hopefully as they are much older, the ego's will have subsided a little to prevent that happening!

Its certainly better made than my own version, although I love it to death, it doesnt have the attention to detail that yours has, for the simple reason I don't have the skills to match my ideal methods of creating it, wheras you clearly have. Hats off to you, on a very fine effort indeed, looking forward to seeing the rest of the progress. Top class work, I'm extremely impressed.........and jealous!!. Here's my relatively lame attempt, no guesses as to the inspiration! I also managed to get an original tailpiece that i modded. Also has original pickups, bridge, wiring harness, pots, knobs, jackplate etc; [url="javascript:void(0);"][/url]

[quote name='Voodoosnake' timestamp='1341434807' post='1719120'] I'll do you a nice deal for you Rick ;-) Thanks for the advice [/quote] If I had a 70's P, I'd take it off you in a second. Stick it on The Bay, with a reserve, or BIN with best offers and see what happens?

[quote name='Voodoosnake' timestamp='1341433977' post='1719091'] How much should I ask then? [/quote] The original dark burgundy ones are slightly transluscent when held to the light, they are quite rare, made for about 14 months, and not exclusively during that period, black ones were pressed too. I've seen them sell for £70, and also £20. You have to be kinda lucky that at least 2 people want it at the time you sell it, as with anything scarce.

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1341338528' post='1717368'] When I see something like this on ebay I always wonder WHY they dont put it in a specialist Auction if it's genuine. [/quote] Coverage, simple as that. This seller sells most of his gear by other means, but uses eBay to generate the interest. New Kings Road, and Music Ground do the same thing here in the UK. eBay fee's are low on these high end stuff anyway. Specialist auction houses charge 25% +VAT. eBay charges a maximum £40. This instrument looks right to me, stunning in fact. Having said that, this seller does have a rather chequered history, or was it CAR?

[quote name='Voodoosnake' timestamp='1341431849' post='1719035'] Ive got one of these in my bits box. Way things are it seems it's valuable. The only provenance I have is pics of me playing the bass. It's not the usual black colour but a very dark burgundy. Worth selling?? What would you folks do?? Cheers Col [/quote] If you're never gonna use it, then sell it, and use the money for something you will, also, you'll be doing a fellow bassist a favour who maybe needs one. Everyones a winner.