thedarxide

I used a pair of pliers (the pincer kind) and then used wood filler and several hours of sanding. Isn't perfect but it does the job. Then I went a bought a real fretless instead There's some pics here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18151"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=18151[/url] As you can see, I damaged the fretboard around the frets a little, which shows with uneven lines. The neck is still smooth however, it just looks a bit naff.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='198290' date='May 13 2008, 09:40 PM']I do feel very strongly about copies being passed off as the real thing[/quote] As do I, especially with things like Squier's and Epiphone's. What gets me about the Ric crowd is the evangelism you see on their forums and that website, the genuine hatred that someone would dare make a copy of their beloved instruments....

[quote name='Doc B' post='197959' date='May 13 2008, 01:46 PM']I'd be interested to hear from the other Swift owners on here.[/quote] Got a fretted one for £30 a little while back. I agree completely with you. Still smells of PVA glue, binding quite thick in place, *very* rough bridge, side markers falling off. However, after a truss rod tweak and a reseating of the bridge (inconsistent piezo output) it sounds really, really good. The preamp is very powerful, and boosting the bass makes the floor shake like non of my electrics do. Acoustically for playing along with CDs it's got enough volume to be heard. You get what you pay for, but for someone who just wants a noodle at home rather than a gigging instrument these are ideal if you don't mind giving them the once over. I got a extra set of strings with mine as well which was nice.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='198212' date='May 13 2008, 07:55 PM'][url="http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19507.pdf"]http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19507.pdf[/url][/quote] Oooh interesting. That's a bit different to the one I got from Seymour Duncan. I'll probably replace the pots and do it properly, it can be a bit crackly and occasionally cuts out which I think is the selector - tapping it rectifies the problem Some elephant ear tuners might be nice as well. These ones are a bit slippy. I found this site [url="http://www.joeysbassnotes.com/Joeys%20frameset.htm"]http://www.joeysbassnotes.com/Joeys%20frameset.htm[/url] which has a lengthy article on copy spotting which is quite interesting.

Squint and it could be [url="http://www.rocknrollvintage.com/prodimages/1973-rickenbacker-4001-bass-fireglow%20b.jpg"]http://www.rocknrollvintage.com/prodimages...ireglow%20b.jpg[/url]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='198161' date='May 13 2008, 06:27 PM']Right - the only plywood Rick copies I've seen are Hondo - and this brand's predominantly Korean, so I'm guessing that's what this is. However the hardware here looks identical to that found on many Japanese copies - and the bridge pickup is a far more accurate copy than the one on the top-end Matsumoku/Aria copies. Anyway thedarxide - looking forward to seeing more pics. Loads more pics! Jon.[/quote] I wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't had all the bits - I went for purely because the look was so accurate. The rest is a bonus!! I also think Japanese - although I bow to your superior knowledge The neck plate and bolts are another thing that are soooo similar to my colombus basses, but then the plate doesn't say "Made in Japan", it just has a partially peeled serial number sticker. Thanks for the 4001/4003 info, you nerd More pics... you can see the hump in the binding on the fretboard pic. That fretboard is gorgeous. It's got a finish like glass. Notice that the jack socket cover has been nailed on I can't tell how the hell this thing was wired. There's no way in hell it ever worked properly (well, not after it was rewired anyway). The neck pocket is interesting, that's hiding the damage with a scratchplate!

ooooooooooooooooooh this is good! Have just done a cowboy wiring job as I can't let my 18 month old out of my sight, so I've taken out the tone controls and wired the pickups to one jack. These are *really* powerful pickups. The bridge as I've said has growl and dirt and really drives my amp. The neck has bags of low end but doesn't sound muddy. Really quite shocked, I honestly wasn't expecting to get an authentic sound out of it. Not just saying that to convince myself I haven't bought a clanger either!! Half considering not bothering wiring up the tone controls. Will almost certainly not bother with the stereo wiring either, might have one socket per pickup instead, but it depends how often I'll use it. Will take some more pics when the wife gets home and she's supervising the small clanger.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='198045' date='May 13 2008, 03:26 PM']You say its cheap and Japanese. yet it was £335!. from what pics you have put up the colour looks ok. what model is it a copy of?[/quote] The price was what myself and another bidder fought for, it was a lot cheaper before we got silly I know I paid over the odds for it, but I wanted it. The colour is really nice, and it's all there, which I why I was prepared to dump some serious cash on it. It's a 4003 copy. Binding is cream rather than cheqeuered I'll get some body shots up later once I've re-wired it.

[quote name='Jobiebass' post='197995' date='May 13 2008, 02:33 PM']Plywood seams a little daunting (to me) didnt realise you could make the bodies out of it. does it sound ok??? Im sure with some TLC you can get pretty close to that Rick sound your after.[/quote] Sounds fine thus far I've had loads of instruments with stripy-wood insides, whether it's plywood or something else.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='197875' date='May 13 2008, 12:18 PM']That's good. Post some pics & we'll see if we can give a positive ID. The hardware sounds like it's the generic stuff you find on many Jap copies, it's generally functional enough. Too bad about the trc - but it's a good opportunity for personalisation! J.[/quote] A thread: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=19370"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=19370[/url] I'll add more stuff through the day.

After a long wait due to the seller giving birth, I've finally recieved my unbranded rickenfaker. Paid £335 for it, which I know most of you think is silly, but it's the closest I can see my getting to a real rick for a long time.... Have just unboxed it at work so the thread will develop in a bizarre way It's definently cheap and Japanese. The paint is peeling around the headstock, and the pickup selector is the type that I hate because they invariably stop sticking in position. Body appears to be plywood, similar to my Columbus Les Pauls. The neck pickup is currently dead, which is hardly suprising when you look at the wiring!! i think the stereo option may have been added later because the jack is of the beefy plastic kind, and it looks like it's currently got three tone controls. Initially got excited because it had a rickenbacker truss rod cover on it that I was planning to sell, but if you look closely you can see where the paper has been cut to fit the clear TRC. Nice idea, will replace it with a logo of my own. The bridge pickup sounds very nice. Nice and growly on the little practice amp I have at work, but I'll report back later once I've stuck it through my Hartke, hopefully with working neck pickup!! The mutes on the bridge work well, if a little unevenly. Neck is really nice. Binding feels bumpy if you run your hand down it, but you don't notice it playing. Am going to measure it when I get home because it feels like it's a slightly shorter scale length, but it might just be me.

[quote name='thedarxide' post='189542' date='May 1 2008, 10:47 AM']No Cheque cleared Monday, was told she'd have it ready to go. If it doesn't arrive today I'll email her, although it's clear from her feedback that she's having a baby and I don't know how far along she is with that! So I'm not pushing too hard, excuse the pun...[/quote] It's here!!!! It's teasing me at work as I can't play it.... but a two minute glance confirms it's definently cheap. Very similar to one of my columbus basses in the tuners/selector switch/strap button/jack socket choices, and the paint is peeling on the back of the headstock that wasn't visible in the pics. Will deconstruct and post proper pics later. The Rickenbacker TRC appears to just be a piece of paper with Rickenbacker printed on it behind a clear TRC, which is a slight shame, as I was going to flog it But at least I can print my own brand name off and slide it underneath.....

[quote name='FJ1200' post='197482' date='May 12 2008, 08:30 PM']Used them on and off for many years. They last about 10 minutes and break. Got a bent one sitting in front of me - 90p in the market here, same as the Maplins one. OBBM. I didn't theink the Rick-o-sound was the stereo thing though - isn't is an electronics pre-amp sort of jobby? Stereo is just stereo wiring - unless someone with an actual Ricky wot knows these things can put me right....[/quote] Rickosound is just an expensive box that does the same job, as i understand it. And I've just found one of these in the loft, which should do: [url="http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--HOSYPP117"]http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--HOSYPP117[/url] Once I know I'm going to use it I'll probably get a good one made, thanks for the suggestions.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='197469' date='May 12 2008, 08:20 PM']OBBM![/quote] This dude: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2963"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2963[/url] ?

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='197459' date='May 12 2008, 08:16 PM']So how is this different to using a stereo split lead like all other ric-o-sound users?[/quote] It's not, I just couldn't find one I just want to check that it is literally a stereo TRS jack to two mono TS jacks.... Any pointers to a cheap one gratefully recieved....

Could I use this in a Rickenbacker bass, and then take each output to a seperate amp as a Ricko-sound substitute? [url="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=44080&&source=14&doy=12m5"]http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Module...14&doy=12m5[/url]

Tonnes of them. In order of quality of stuff I've owned, Aria, Nevada, Vintage, but I've always bought 2nd hand so prices may vary.

bidding starts at 99p?

I think that's just been relisted, I swear it ended this afternoon. Probable problem is the lack of postage option

I am sooooo close to bidding on it! The auction ends just after something else ive got my eye on, so we'll see....

Wooden effect!

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ300222432354QQihZ020QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bass-Guitar_W0QQitem...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

I like it A lot.... It's a bit garish, but I could do some cool things with it.... edit - you missed the V [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EPIPHONE-FLYING-V-BASS-CUSTOM-APPROX-2006-07_W0QQitemZ200221230110QQihZ010QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EPIPHONE-FLYING-V-BA...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]