W1_Pro

What a lovely bass.  A real bargain at this price.

Anyone know what that thing that looks like a tailpiece is on the Greco? I've noticed that all Greco's seem to have them, but they all seem to have three point bridges which make them superfluous. Unless of course, I've got the wrong end of the stick...which is possible....

The 415v active circuit was a joke. Please don't try this at home.

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

It always make me laugh the amount of things that suit peoples requirements...maybe it's just my shovel sized hands, but all these questions kind of kill me, 'What's the nut width/neck radius/neck profile/fingerboard material, body material?'  It's a nonsense.  We've already proved at two recent bashes that in blind tests players can't tell the difference between any basses or even pick their own out in a shootout (sorry, @prowla).  I've played hundreds of basses over the last three decades and all that's really important is the constituant elements that contribute the to overall plays like buttah experience; strings, plectrums, low action, adjustability and whether I actually like what the forking thing looks like.

Back on track, I didn't have an issue with the 4003 at all, it was just a bit odd the very first time I picked it up after it was delivered, but thereafter I wasn't going, 'Oh boo hoo, why doesn't this feel like anything else I've got.'

I suppose it's what you as the player/buyer, feel comfortable/happy with, eh? If I macassar ebony fingerboard, 27 LED's in the neck and a 415v active circuit make you feel good, well hey, you're paying for the thing, so have at it.

26 minutes ago, 4000 said:

Yes, crushed pearl. And checkered/chequered binding. Like these:

 

I say. Ding dong...

5 hours ago, 4000 said:

A friend had a John Birch copy which I was desperate to get my hands on (had always fancied one) but when I played it I didn’t  like it at all. The neck was a little bigger than my ’72s, but it was the weight and the sound; it was far heavier than my Rics and had nothing of the sound that I love. Of all the thousands of basses I’ve played, it was one of the ones I liked least. It was an incredible disappointment, although others may be more to my taste, I don’t know.
I’d try playing everything, not just C Series, but I suspect the nearest to what you’re after might be from pre-‘73 (or an early V or CS). As I stated earlier, the pre-73 necks have a wider, flatter feel. 
It’s a long time since I played a C and I think I’ve only played 2; unlike you I’m not keen on the reverse headstock so never had too much thought for buying one, although I do remember the second one I played sounded very good. 
Of course either way it won’t be cheap, but I would advise playing first.

Righto then. Pre 73. I'll keep my eyes peeled. I quite like the idea of that as it goes, they were the ones with the crushed oyster shell position markers I think? Very tasty.

3 hours ago, EMG456 said:

Ahh... the lovely Rickenbirchers. They are one shiny object of bass desire that I’ve never had the opportunity to experience. I suspect they were made to look like Rics but not necessarily play or sound like them. I recall Tony Wilson of Hot Chocolate had a beautiful example  

 

Heres a pic of mine. Found it  in a music shop in Swansea in about 1984. Needed a refret. The star markings on the fingerboard are well glam rock I've always thought.  The pickups are John Birch's own model. What later became known as the hyperflux I think. The electronics are idiosyncratic to say the least, but it plays well, and I've just restrung it with some tapes, and it sounds very pleasing. Much better with light gauge or low tension strings, as theres very little mass behind the heel of the neck, so it does tend to sit forward a bit. 

25 minutes ago, songofthewind said:

Friend of mine in Scotland had a John Birch Rickenbacker. It was thin and light, and the neck was very skinny, as I recall. It was astoundingly playable, and cost a fortune.

Mine is very playable too! I have absolutely no idea what it's worth. It's beautifully built and the pickups are truly wonderful.

17 hours ago, 4000 said:

Well relatively speaking, yes, but it depends on your definition of shallow. There are certainly shallower necks out there.
 

See, I think the recent Ric necks are pretty nice, if scaled up a bit from my old ones. The proportions are similar, although mine are definitely shallower. Unless there was something weird about the one you’ve played, or unless they’ve changed them yet again, which is possible, I wouldn’t consider any of the more recent ones I’ve played anything like “baseball bat”. I’ve played some that are, but that was at least 15 years ago, maybe more. The newer ones are typically a fair bit slimmer than a typical P Bass, for instance. But you won’t get a nut measurement like a Jazz on any of them (although speaking personally, a slim nut does not a slim neck make. I don’t think Jazzes have slim necks, unless you spend all your time on the first few frets).
 

What in your terms is a very shallow neck? I’ve always thought of most Ric necks as narrow rather than incredibly shallow, although there are exceptions (BTW, for reference I’ve played literally hundreds of them). The shallowest I’ve played was maybe my ‘91 CS, although it was still pretty similar to my ‘72s. The slimmest all round was my old ‘71 21 fretter, but good luck finding one of those. C series should be pretty slim, but it depends what your definition of slim is.  You need to play as many as you can and make your own mind up. 

Well, with regard to neck shape...I have an  John Birch Rick copy from 1973 and thats really lovely. It's more or less the same width as a P but there's much less weight in the 'shoulders' of the neck- if thats the correct term. So the profile is like a shallow U as opposed to a C.  I think I shall take your advice and try and play as many as possible. It's finding C64's and C63's that seems to be the killer. Not very common. 

1 hour ago, 4000 said:

There are lots of reasons why the sounds differ too, and it’s not just the cap. 4003s typically have hotter pickups and lower pot values, which make them darker sounding. But the spec has changed constantly both for necks and electronics. 
 

Was the 4003 you tried new? 

Yes, brand new. 

It sounded fine to me- admitedly I was in a shop at low volume, but it was cool.

So, with regard to the 'c' ones...I really fancy a c64- I love the reverse headstock - so would that have a shallow neck do you know?

So I'm looking for a Rickenbacker. I tried a 4003 in Guitar Guitar (Camden) before the lockdown started and was thoroughly underwhelmed. I'd always been led to believe that Ric's have a thin, shallow neck, this one was like a baseball bat. 

So is there a  Ric with a thin shallow neck? A particular vintage of 4001?  I've also looked at the C63/C64 basses. Anyone got either of these? Would welcome some advice.

Mine both have pole pieces, so maybe an upgrade at some stage? The original pickups are fine, but thats not to say they couldnt be improved. 

Are there pole pieces visible on the pickups? I can't make them out, but that might just be the light in the pics. These are awesome machines. I have a couple from the same year. GLWTS.

words fail me. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80s-IBANEZ-MC-800-BASS-made-in-JAPAN-/174236392541?hash=item28914c5c5d

Cool looking bass. GLWTS

So theres a lot of love for chunky necks! Im in the minority....again.

 Funnily enough the Gibson NR reissue I have also has a chunky neck, but, as far as I know, this was again not so in the originals.  I do wonder why they changed it.  Was it to make the headstocks harder to..erm ... displace?  Or was it simply a move to appeal to the (obviously substantial) numbers of potential T bird owners who like chunky necks?

I got one. Its a nice enough bass. The neck is the issue for me. I have an eighties US T Bird, and that has a lovely thin, shallow neck which is really fast. The Epiphones neck is much more chunky. Don't know why this is. As far as I can remember, the one 60's Tbird I played (in a shop), had a similar neck profile to my eighties one.

Maybe they are trying to stop the headstock falling off?

Anyhow, IMHO it turned a potentially fantastic bass into one that, for me at any rate, is a bit 'meh'.

2 minutes ago, Deedee said:

The pointer knobs can still be bought new.

Didnt know that! Where from if you don't mind me asking?

where did you get the aria knobs? They are like hens teeth....

5 minutes ago, Marky Screen said:

Where abouts in London would you be at? 

Cheers

Camden on the 30th and the 10th Feb....

1 hour ago, Sharkfinger said:

For those of us not running iOS, could attach the images as JPEG instead of HEIC please?

Good point. Now corrected. Apologies for being such a luddite...

3 minutes ago, oldslapper said:

Nice. Like a tort plate on a white body. 

It's a nice thing. The body is quite pearl coloured really, an off white if you will. ...:0)

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

Images not showing/working 🙁

I think it works if you download Andy? It does for me. I'm not sure how to paste an image into the post.

I'll try and work it out and edit it.

This is a Sunn Mustang which I bought a few weeks ago off ebay.  

At some point in it's history a previous owner removed the 'Sunn' decal from the headstock.

It's a nice P bass copy with a chunky neck. It's got a few dinks and doinks but that adds to the general mojo I think.

Since geting it I have changed the bridge for a Wilkinson one.

The tuners that were on it were junk, so they have been changed for Wilkinsons also.

Fitted a new scratchplate.

Fitted a brass nut.

Fitted a Fender neck plate.

Fiited a new string tree, not particularly fond of the square ones that Sunn used, but I can send it with the bass so you can make your own choice.

Now wearing some cobalt flats, which are not old, but the silks are stripping for some reason.

Action is now about 2.5mm at the 12th, it plays nicely. I was going to change the pickup as well, but I quite like the one thats on there so I left it.

I can supply it with a gig bag. I'll take the neck off to ship it. 

This would make a great first bass for a beginner, or a spare. I have far too many basses, and I have to stop buying them.....

EDIT: PRICE REDUCED TO£120 +P&P. BARGAIN!!!

Well, there you go. Assumption is indeed the mother of all f**k ups. Would you happen to know what they use?