Rick's Fine '52

[quote name='tredders' post='1249461' date='May 29 2011, 05:54 PM']That looks bloody marvellous! Must have taken a while to track all the right parts down? Let me know when you start taking commissions [/quote] Thanks, it did take a while, i had to settle for a 12 string tailpiece, and modify it with a dremel, and a few attachments!!! Everything else was fairly accesible, not cheap though. Bass toaster pickups are not in every music shop either!!

[quote name='Stacker' post='1249098' date='May 29 2011, 01:02 PM']Looks great! That body musta taken some work!![/quote] Not as much as you'd think, flat maple back (22mm-to allow the outside edge to be contoured, middle section routed by 10mm to reduce weight), solid softwood mid section (Wide enough to allow the full bridge recess section to be routed), 22mm front sheet overlaid, and f-hole cut, mid section routed as the back to reduce weight and show 'thin' section when viewed through f-hole. All finished dimensions are exactly as a real one. Finally (In case i changed my mind about the pollock'ing thing...which is highly unlikey...thats why i did the project), soak some thin canvas in diluted PVA, stick it all over the body, trimming around the holes, p'up cavities etc, then, when dry, paint away, lacquer, and re-assemble. To be honest, that does make it sound simpler than it was, but you get the idea. Results are exactly what i'd hoped for. The Tailpiece, controls and pickups werent cheap though!!!

[quote name='henry norton' post='1249085' date='May 29 2011, 12:47 PM']Yeah I remember that Summer Of Love! I was seriously into Stingrays at the time but I still remember being quite taken with Mani's 4005. Really nice job by the way - it is 'the resurrection' [/quote] Thanks Henry, Happy Daze indeed!

I always wanted one of these, Mani is my 'Bass Idol' if you like, and has been for years, i'm an original baggy, and my woodstock was spike island, and the summer of love was 1990 not 1969. Anyway, a 4005 is c£5k, and if i got one, i wouldnt want to paint splash it, so....i assembled/made my own, here's the details; Here's some pics, it took quite a lot of effort. The body is handmade, has all the correct contours, and bridge recess area. The neck is off a Hondo (Or similar) ricky copy. The trussrod cover is handmade. Everything else (Scratchplate; pickups; controls; wiring; knobs; tailpiece; tuners) is original Rickenbacker. Cost a pretty packet to put together, but Mani is my hero, and i always wanted one. A real 4005 is about £5k++, and you wouldnt want to paint it would you!! It cost more than its worth, but i love it, its my fave bass, and if i strip it and part it out, i'd more than get the money back, but thats not waht this lark is about is it, its about having your dream gear!! click to enlarge [attachment=81210:1.JPG] [attachment=81211:3.JPG] [attachment=81212:4.JPG] [attachment=81213:5.JPG] [attachment=81214:6.JPG] What do you think? Not everyones cup of tea granted!!

[quote name='tredders' post='1248951' date='May 29 2011, 09:58 AM']Absolutely nothing to do with this thread, but Rick, I'd love to see some pics of your 4005 if you have any? Pretty much my dream bass....[/quote] Here's some pics, it took quite a lot of effort. The body is handmade, has all the correct contours, and bridge recess area. The neck is off a Hondo (Or similar) ricky copy. The trussrod cover is handmade. Everything else (Scratchplate; pickups; controls; wiring; knobs; tailpiece; tuners) is original Rickenbacker. Cost a pretty packet to put together, but Mani is my hero, and i always wanted one. A real 4005 is about £5k++, and you wouldnt want to paint it would you!! What do you think?? Click on the pics to enlarge. Thanks for looking

[quote name='Stag' post='1248468' date='May 28 2011, 05:45 PM']This thread is pure porn filth. I like it.[/quote] Indeed, everyone has a 'porn' collection don't they, and it's always the rarer, more obscure stuff that gets all the attention.........ahem.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1248211' date='May 28 2011, 01:28 PM']If you've managed to relic the Sting bass like that it reinforces why I'll NEVER buy a vintage instrument! [/quote] It looks good, but when you see it close up next to areal one, there's a world of difference. The real difference of course, is when you play it...absolutely no comparism. But then one would cost upwards of £10k, the other one cost me £320, and a couple of Saturdays work. Having said that, people buy vintage gear as investments too. I bought a '58 Precision 5 years ago, for £3000, totally original, its now worth £10000, cash in the bank invested over that time, on the current and recent interest rate of...errr....zero, would probably be worth about £3500. And, for the past 5 years i've enjoyed it immensely, and made a tidy profit when i decide to sell. Good pension fund if you ask me.....which you didnt of course.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1247883' date='May 28 2011, 07:47 AM']Hi Rick. Did you do the refinish on your bass? Just out of interest do you still have the 'Sting' sig bass that you won on ebay, as I'm looking for one and it'd be significantly cheaper than your original? At the right price I'd buy that off you and it'd go some way towards your next purchase.[/quote] Here's some pics of the Sting bass i bought, that you mentioned, before and after. Quite a difference... Before.. What do you think??

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1247217' date='May 27 2011, 03:34 PM']Anyone got a photo showing a similar bass with the mutes in place?[/quote] This is a close up of a '61 Jazz mute assembly, the guitar is on the left in the bottom pic. Hope this helps. [attachment=81114:mutes.jpg] [attachment=81115:trio_62__s.jpg]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1247883' date='May 28 2011, 07:47 AM']Hi Rick. Did you do the refinish on your bass? Just out of interest do you still have the 'Sting' sig bass that you won on ebay, as I'm looking for one and it'd be significantly cheaper than your original? At the right price I'd buy that off you and it'd go some way towards your next purchase.[/quote] The Sting bass was bought as a Project for me, as i wanted to actually play one regularly, but the 2 originals i have are too expensive to take out, so i bought the sting, and completely stripped it, the body was completely relic'd (Properly, it looks genuine, lacquer checking all over it), the neck was swapped with a '51 reissue neck (No horrible Sting pearl inlay at the 12th fret), stripped, edges rolled, and amber nitro tinted, new decal added, single screw thumbrest was added, and the chrome covers were distressed and fitted to complete the look. It now looks the part, and sounds great. Here's a pic, alongside my originals, the completed Sting bass is on the left. Not sure if i want to sell it though??

[quote name='wesfinn' date='May 28 2011, 09:57 AM' post='1247953'] absolutely gorgeous bass! If i had that sort of money spare I'd of bought this in a flash! Excellent ebay post as well, has every bit of information that you could need. Good luck with the sale Rick! Thankyou Wesfinn, i appreciate that. To be honest, as a buyer too, there's nothing more frustrating than having to ask loads of questions, then only getting half the q's answered, and having to ask again, its a real pain, so i try and be as full as possible with descriptions, and pics.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1247947' date='May 28 2011, 09:53 AM']Welcome to my topic, Rick. Seriously, this is one of the things I love about Basschat - I was very curious about your bass, and now I get a complete explanation from the owner/vendor. I entirely agree about your price (as implied in the title of this topic), and you have made me even more glad that it's a '55 rather than either a late '56 or an early '57. I'm in no position to be spending that sort of dosh right now, and if yours had been a true YoB bass for me (29 Dec 1956) I'd have been in temptation's way ... Good luck with the sale.[/quote] I do have a 2-tone sunburst version that has neck and body dates of 1/57!! Try and get some pics up soon.