Shaggy

No - I've been looking out for Ric p/ups to put back in (hence the toaster), but I guess you probably know just how much new ones cost and how rare used ones are! The SD units are excellent though and not cheap themselves; must be a market for them as upgrades to stock units as they seem popular.

[quote name='richardrickenbacker' post='831525' date='May 8 2010, 03:42 PM']What the deal on the bridge pick up? That surround and cover doesn't look standard. Only just noticed when I looked in detail.[/quote]

It's a Seymour Duncan unit with "pickguardian" type surround, and Ric cover - see link in first post

Wasn't really sure whether to put this in the build or the porn section, but as far as I'm concerned it's an iconic version of [b]the[/b] iconic bass guitar , so in here it goes!

I recently acquired a very lovely 1978 Fender Precision maple fretless neck in a trade with our own Chris Beedster - he'd previously had my '71 P/J fretless P in another trade, and I was starting to miss it. Also, I've always had a soft spot for a maple fretless Precision - my very first fretless in the early '80's was a "bitza" copy one that I gradually modded to death.

The neck is an absolute stunner; the original finish virtually like new except for the board that was re-dressed and finished by Martin Simms, the finish seamlessly blending into the original. I also had the tuners and string tree off him, that are original to the neck.
Anyway, intention was to gradually rebuild a vintage P-bass with authentic late-70's Fender parts; but in the meantime WarPig on BC was selling a bitza fretless P that caught my eye: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82997&hl=bitza"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82997&hl=bitza[/url] . In particular; the potential of the very lovely natural ash body, and the fact that it was fitted with a piezo bridge. Seemed to me a cheap way of putting together a nice fretless P quickly, and also of trying out a piezo which I've wanted to do for a long time. One of my "must have" features for fretless is 2 p/ups - the blend between the 2 is where the tone is at. In this respect a dual P/J setup is ideal, but aesthetically I reckon it marrs the classic simple lines of a Precision.

So it was a very straightforward project to amalgamate the two, plus a tort pickguard from Cetera - result in the pics. Verdict? Very, very nice - heavier and clubbier than my old '71, but very playable indeed. Tone on the P pickup is what you'd expect from a "vintage" Fender P, the piezo has something of the nasal J p/up bite but with an extra acoustric woodiness. With the tone rolled off it, a very convincing "upright" sound, and it's got me trying jazzy stuff I've never explored before.

The original bitza donor body was put together by our own steve, link here; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13159"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=13159[/url] -it did seem a damn shame semi-dismantling it but I know from experience that it's generally cheaper buying other people's projects than assembling your own from scratch! Steve made a hell of a good job on the electrics - he made the piezo buffer circuit himself, also of finishing the beautiful body.

I've since bought a nice '79 natural Fender P body in good nick on the 'bay, which I'll start loading with vintage parts. From an investment / selling on point of view the neck logically should be on the "vintage" body - and will be - but the current set-up is so nice I'll probably eventually get some Warmoth / Allparts ebony-board neck to go in the piezo body (the original zebrano neck from the bitza is lovely, but needs to be on a darker exotic-wood body I think)

So - it's been a fun and relatively cheap way of acquiring a bass I've always coveted, and it's an "all-BC special" - thanks to Chris Beedster, steve, Warpig, and Cetera for the entertaining deals and input!

DiMarzio P pickup in black. These have always been one of my very favourite passive P p/ups - lovely plummy, clear and articulate tone - but as it's in a vintage-type bass the adjustable poles look wrong. As you can see from the pic, it's still in the bass at the moment, and working fine! Cheapest I can see these on-line are £62.99 plus P&P - how about £35 posted?

[size=3]*SOLD PENDING*[/size]

GAC solid Zebrano fretless Fender-fit neck (J or P); santos rosewood fingerboard virtually unmarked, and walnut skunk-stripe. GAC are an Italian custom-parts manufacturer. Really beautiful neck, a Fender "B" profile I'd say. Note that the heel has been drilled to take a plate (which I'll include, with screws), that is smaller than a standard Fender 4-bolt one but fitting a standard one would be no problem as the holes would be well away from the current ones. Decent generic chrome tuners and string tree included.
No idea how to price this, but I'm already tempted to base another build project on it. A standard boring unloaded Mitey Mite one would be £70 on ebay, so how about the same?

Aftermarket Rick 4001 pickguard in pearlescent white; excellent nick with no scratches on front, tiny cutout made in the bridge tone pot hole to take the VT circuit pot. I'm 90% sure that this is for the post-1975 4001 models (slighter wider neck - p/up gap than earlier models), if somewone buys it on that basis and it doesn't fit I'll take it back.
£20 posted

[size=3]*SOLD PENDING*[/size]

Just finished a couple of projects, and rather than do my usual of hanging onto the spare bits for years and years I'll see if anyone wants.

First off; Hipshot Rickenbacker 4000-series fit upgrade bridge. Came with the 4003 fretless I had off Beedster in a trade, which is now wearing the original Ric unit. Like new, chrome is flawless. It's the solid brass unit, not the alu, and is probably the beefiest bridge I've ever seen! Each course fully adjustable, unlike the original.
Cheapest I can see these are £105 plus shipping from Bassdirect, Allparts list them at £162 plus shipping. £70 posted?

[size=3]*SOLD PENDING*[/size]

A couple of pics I took on this grey Welsh morning here -

Please note the neck "toaster" p/up is [b]not [/b]included in the sale - it's an original '60's one I've acquired that I'd sooner hang onto. If the bass sells I'll put the previous SD unit back on as per link in first post to Chris's pics, (with mounting screws / springs etc - I haven't sourced any for the toaster yet!)

Post-election bump

Blimey, you can get buried 3 pages in less than a day here these days!
Bump

Amazing amount of bass for the money, and what a gorgeous maple top!
bump!

I had this off Beedster a few months back, so all the info here; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=66119&hl=Beedster"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...amp;hl=Beedster[/url] It's a fabulous bass and Chris's pics don't do justice to just how stunning it looks, but I'm GAS-ing for something vintage-ey and have got two other fretlesses - so need to move the "last one in" on.

Exactly as received from Chris, other than I've put the original Ric bridge back on; strung with Pyramid Gold flats.

I'll take some pics of my own at the weekend. (edit - see below)

Price is £950 firm - less than I've got invested in it and a good bit less than ebay prices - shipping on top, and if the bass I'm after goes first this will be withdrawn.
cheers, Greg

Right, I was quite happy about keeping this beaut, but there's something else on this forum I want! As my least-used bass (purely because I'm using vintage stuff for the projects I'm in), thought I'd try and bump this again!

Bought a P pickup from Nigel; smooth deal -totally unfazed by my shameless haggling :blush:

Great communication and instant despatch - top fella

Chris - sorry to see you moving this on, but can't blame you for GAS-ing for an Alembic - on my "hit list" for many years too!

Very fair of Chris to be asking same as his purchase price, as he's shelled out fpr a pro setup which it certainly needed then. Worth [b]way[/b] over asking price just in parts - last year "that" German site on ebay listed a pre-EB Sabre neck at £650 - just the neck.
Appreciate the kind words re luthiery - this was my first stab at making a bass (after making a violin and most of a lute!) and given that it had to be MM-themed - based around a spare pre-EB neck I had with my old Sabre - I tried to make as close as poss to my "dream" fretless, money no object. It i[b]s[/b] heavy, due to the sheer density of the tonewoods (African Blackwood is harder than ebony), but not unreasonably so. And I can guarantee it's unique!

Should add that Chris is a real gent to do business with too - definitely one of the good guys on BC.

Stunning looking bass Bassbod – about time crème p/up covers made a comeback too!
Strangely enough I’m also currently making a bitza out of the other neck Mr Beedster was selling (the fretless maple P one) – a nostalgic revival of the “Sting” bass that was my first ever fretless in the early ‘80’s and also I’m missing not having a Precision more than I thought I would.


[quote name='Beedster' post='818846' date='Apr 26 2010, 08:17 AM']Looking at this thread again, and realised that it's strange seeing that neck on another bass, it's like seeing your bird with another guy [/quote]

In the words of Jacko, if you were a “lover not a fighter" your birds wouldn’t leave you! (wait a minute, remembers - you’ve got one of mine……… )

[quote name='cetera' post='816227' date='Apr 23 2010, 02:03 PM']Hello mate,

If that's the 62RI Precision guard then I'll do you a direct swap with mine..... it's the more red one.

Deal?

Gary[/quote]


PM'd!

Just got this off ebay for a project, and decided it’s the lighter “red” tort type I want!

Brand new, still with plastic film on (hence milky / bubbled appearance on pics – nice and dark and shiny underneath), 3-ply, with foil backing over control cavity area.

Unfortunately, what I don’t know is what specific model it’s for – I’m happy to measure any dimensions.

Cost me £20 posted so I’d rather like that for it, but would listen to offers & trades!

This is a good starting point to see what's around; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=73230"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=73230[/url]
The vintage semi's (Starfire / EB-2 / Rivoli etc) are very different beasts from the modern ones (Warwick Infiniti etc); and from the sound of it it's the latter you're after. IMHO piezo and fretless really bring out the most of the acoustic nature of a hollow-body, and there are some superb ones at the moment.

Beautiful bass, great price. '73 was obviously a very transitional year - I had a Nov '73 Jetglo with only the wavy Grovers as a last vestige of Rick vintage-ness (and even those had been replaced with little Schallers!)

I don't think you were looking for trades last time - still the case?

[quote name='Beedster' post='800578' date='Apr 9 2010, 09:42 AM']Otherwise you could follow my bass journey

Precision to Jazz (several) to Stingray (several) to Modulus (Fleas and Sonic Hammer) to Rickenbacker to Precision!


Chris[/quote]


.......you forgot the Wal .........

Just bought Shaun's bitsa fretless P; smooth deal, great communication, thanks mate!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='797174' date='Apr 6 2010, 07:12 AM']Things to check other than the obvious sound, playability and looks...

1. Can you live with the weight?

2. Does it still have all the original Moog Electronics and do they work properly?[/quote]

+1
Personally I prefer mine above any Fender, but these are real marmite basses - try before you decide.
Got any pics of the dink? Obviously knocks value off (there's a natural one on the 'bay for £1995 at the moment .........yeah, right) , but these will survive anything short of nuclear assault. Sunburst and black are the more desirable ones too. They're extra long scale (34.5" I think), but can be strung either body-thru or top-loading. Sustain for ever, but have a rather "piano" like tone - best through a valve amp if you want growl. Clubby neck - not the fastest, but suit my huge hands.

I say go for it, way cooler than a Jag

Just sold John a Mitey Mite neck - smooth deal, great communication
Ta!

The cryo valves really are excellent - I've got a couple in my Eden VT-40 (thanks to Molan) and it runs totally quiet with a noticably more hi-fi response compared to my other valve gear.
If I didn't already have 3 pre's I'd snap this up, but bump for a nice bir of kit