Rick's Fine '52

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334877916' post='1622997'] Me too - yet I palm mute at the bridge with a pick. [/quote] Palm muting at the bridge, and playing with a pick?, surely that gives you the least 'warm and sustained' tone possible???

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1334877737' post='1622988'] theres something about a good funk bass player playing hard over the bridge though. Otherwise I can't stand the classic 'jazz bass, bridge pup for jazz players" sound [/quote] Maybe I play too slowly, and too few notes!!!!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334877106' post='1622969'] I respectfully disagree with you there, sir! [/quote] I'm sure many will. Tone is very much a matter of taste, and my opinion depends largely on the song. Generally speaking though, I've always preferred a more warm, rich tone, with sustain, and not so much the plonky sound, depends on the recording/song i guess. I love John Paul Jones' tone, and he played up near the end of the neck with his Jazz. I tend to play fingerstyle between the pups on a Jazz.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1334876889' post='1622958'] now this is something I've struggled with.... I had a jazz which came with the bridge cover on. And I set it up for my playing and tried... and not only did the flipping cover get in the way of my picking, the strings tended to hit the cover too as at the time I had quite a high action. Now Jamerson's legendary high action... must have had an upper limit if he was using the pickup covers.... [/quote] You must play with the screws almost falling out the saddles if the strings were hitting it, there should be ample room?? Saying that, the P bridge cover (ala JJ), is much closer to the bridge, the J covers extend to beyond the first pickup, although I've never had a string hit it?

[quote name='convair' timestamp='1334811724' post='1621598'] Not the best photos I'm sorry to say but these are my brusts I don't know if the two Tbirds count as Sunbursts however I'm sure my FG Ric doesn't [/quote] Lovely!!

They definitely [i]look[/i] better with them on, but I always remove the pickup cover when playing, the bridge cover doesn't stop me doing anything. I don't like the tone much of a bass played at the bridge anyway, sounds dead! Jameson played with both covers on, and he did ok. If it stops you playing how you're comfortable though, then they have to go. If its vintage, keep 'em in the case though!

[quote name='GazWills' timestamp='1334223761' post='1612667'] wow - just stumbled across this thread and there are some fantastic JV's here, Rick your two basses are particularly stunning!! Here are my two JV's: [/quote] Thanks Gaz, ahem....lovely pair you have there too!

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1334187603' post='1612456'] Indeed, in that photo i'm strumming the lovely Emily. Liam [/quote] Oh.......I see what you mean, initially i went back up to have a look at a photo i'd missed!!

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1334183970' post='1612415'] I'm the podgy long haired guy who doesn't fit in at all with his band or his bands genre. Liam [/quote] And the one with the bass........presumably?

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Toilet-master-made-USA-oak-body-seat-maple-neck-tele-pickups-/270953000665?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f160eaed9#ht_500wt_1202"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Toilet-master-made-USA-oak-body-seat-maple-neck-tele-pickups-/270953000665?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f160eaed9#ht_500wt_1202[/url]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1333986399' post='1609208'] Too right. I'd be straight on the blower to Rick! [/quote] Happy to help, except in the case of you finding a bargain, in which case I'll tell you its a fake, and steal it myself!!!

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1333925303' post='1608434'] The inference is that no returns would be accepted whether it was delivered personally or shipped. If I decided to hand over £9K after I had personally inspected it, I wouldn't expect the seller to take it back. However, had I asked for it to be shipped and it arrived not as described I would expect differently. Whether it would be foolhardy to pay for it without personal inspection is another matter entirely. In any case, it's a lovely example and I hope it makes it's new owner very happy indeed. [/quote] Agreed, on all counts, and yes, it would be foolhardy to pay for it without personal inspection.......in my opinion.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1333920770' post='1608354'] hoooooeeeeyy, that's a good looking bass. truly first of the class and no mistake, for sure. I fall in love with it shortly. [/quote]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1333918721' post='1608327'] [center][font=Arial]all sales are final.[/font][/center] [center][font=Arial]no returns.[/font][/center] [font=Arial][size=3]I seem to remember reading that somewhere before....[/size][/font] [/quote] Fair comment, but I think if I was offering to travel to another country to hand deliver it personally, I wouldn't welcome returns either! Lets be honest, if you have ever paid £9k+ for a bass, and I have, then you wouldn't be buying it based on a few pics alone, so a meet and full inspection, as the seller has offered, would give all the confidence a buyer would need.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1333908373' post='1608108'] *Cue exciting car chase music* [/quote]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1333907796' post='1608093'] I look like I'm in pain or something [/quote] The pain is probably from playing a Gibson!!! ...........................(Taxi!!!!)

Here's a real rare bird. I've had dialogue with this guy a few times, lovely fella, loves his basses. I love his use of the English language, and how he expresses himself. Despite his English not being perfect, he manages to describe the bass perfectly, and what a bass it is. Worth a read, and look at the pics, not many of these out there. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orig-Fender-Precision-Bass-Made-1965-Shoreline-Gold-mint-condition-Orig-Case-/270952363958?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f1604f7b6#ht_2178wt_1185"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orig-Fender-Precision-Bass-Made-1965-Shoreline-Gold-mint-condition-Orig-Case-/270952363958?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f1604f7b6#ht_2178wt_1185[/url]

Great thread, and info. The pics have gone though, which would help me, is there a way of getting them back? Also, when initially unscrewing the truss rod nut, is there not a danger (If the nut is afixed tightly to the rod), that the whole thing can become detached from the holding section at the headstock end (Where it's screwed into, and, presumably screwed in the same direction!, so when you turn the nut anti-clockwise, the whole thing becomes detached), in which case you're buggered??? Any comment would be greatly appreciated. Rick

This all looks right to me, and the fact that the serial number sticker is still on the back of the guard, matching the one on the headstock would add to that. Pots wise, i think he's quoted the wrong numbers, having said that, the pickups sound right, so even if you had to buy some 78/9 pots, for about £70, then it would be a great bass for someone at that price. My guess is, as has been suggested above, that it will go north of £800. Last of the 70's basses, before they changed the specs on a grand scale. If it go's for less than £600, then someone will be very happy i think...............and it won't be the seller. By the way, I have no affiliation with this instrument, i don't do modern!

My blue flower and pink paisley basses were bought by the original owner on the same day in December 1968, as an early Christmas present for himself. He was a fairly well-off, working musician in Los Angeles. He originally went into the store to buy the Pink Paisley Telecaster Bass, but whilst in the store, he said the Blue Flower one was also there, and was catching his attention, after much playing, he couldn't decide which to buy. The store owner, who he casually knew, said he'd had it in the store a while, and wanted rid of it, so he made him a deal, which he said, was almost as good as '2 for 1'. He said he played them alternately for a couple of months, but he then changed bands, and they stood out far too much from the other band members gear, and despite them seeming like a good idea at the time, as with all 'fashionable' things, they soon became unfashionable. He still had a soft spot for them, and didn't need to sell them, so they went back under the bed, where they stayed, except for the odd, rare outing, for almost 40 years. I saw the pink paisley one advertised in the USA (I was actively looking to buy a paisley at the time), on consignment, it was almost mint, and i decided to take it, it was only during the negotiations, that i became aware of this story, and the guy said he was also selling the owners' blue flower. Despite the fact that i couldn't really afford it, i simply didn't have the heart to seperate these twins, after they'd been together forever. I'd always wanted a blue flower anyway, they're far rarer than the paisley versions, but didn't think i'd tick two boxes at the same time. Anyway, i made a couple of quick sales here in the UK to generate the extra cash, and after having them checked out in detail, secured them, and they were promptly shipped, and received. Its not necessarily a great story, but its nice to know the full history of something that you own, especially as it applies to two, very rare birds. Anyway, thought I'd share. The dilemma will occur when i need to sell, and whether i have the heart to seperate them, its unlikely i'll find someone who can buy both. For those that know about these, they'll know that the wallpaper reacted to the lacquer, causing the finish to crack beyond repair, especially on the flowers, and most ended up with large sections of finish gone, or because of the damage, ended up being stripped to natural (Especially as the finish was not popular), so finding two examples in such condition, is pretty rare. They also come with original cases, tags, leads and straps, and one has the original cloth,all bought with the basses. Here's a few pics.