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I am a Bad, Bad Man.......


bluespresence

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My wife has a high quality copy of one of those rick basses. It's the "sunburst" finish one. I think it's made in Germany. The wood seems high quality, and also the harware. One problem though, it's a neck-through body and the strings are too high off the fret-board, with the bridge adjusted as low as possible. That's what I don't like about the neck-through design. If it was bolt-on, I'd have it fixed up fine already.

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One problem though, it's a neck-through body and the strings are too high off the fret-board, with the bridge adjusted as low as possible. That's what I don't like about the neck-through design. If it was bolt-on, I'd have it fixed up fine already.

I've seen that before and a simple, well, not so simple, but effective, fix is to mark the bridge position, remove it and rout a recess that just fits the bridge. This allows you to set the bridge into the body and get the action down where you can adjust it. Dean and several other manufacturers do this standard on their carve tops so they don't have to use a neck angle. Pretty slick trick!

skibum5545 Posted on Sep 6 2004, 08:24 PM

  Duh-HANG!! That there be one sooo-weet bass! Let us know how it sounds; sound clips even! Good acquisition there! 

If I can remember how to use my digital 8 track I'll pop off my version of the Beatles "Twist and Shout". What a killer bass line!

www Posted on Sep 6 2004, 03:05 PM

  When you get bored with it send it out my way and I'll keep it warmed up for you.

Yeah, that'll happen.... :D

Should be here Friday........ B)

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good friend of mine has a '78 jetglo 4001 that he found in his church attic and bought from them for $150. i thought that was a little weird, considering how much he stole from the church on that deal...

anywho, plays wonderfully. i've never been a fan of clear-coat on fingerboards, but the low radius somehow makes up for it, or at least something does, 'cause it actually does feel rather nice. sound is a little too bright for my taste (i like the very low, warm, crunch of a musicman over the pop of the vintage stuff), but still a great instrument. i would buy an older one if i found it and could afford it.

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sound is a little too bright for my taste (i like the very low, warm, crunch of a musicman over the pop of the vintage stuff

I totally agree Dan. I found a MusicMan locally on Saturday and bought it after playing it. I found the Ric on the 'bay Sunday and bought that - and I'm still sleeping in the house :D I played the MM after I got home and set it down and played my Les Paul Vinnie Hornsby. I liked the sound of the LP better than the MM!! I was shocked B)

I put the MM on the 'bay and now I can use the Ric for the brighter stuff I play and keep playing my LP for blues and rock. I have been on this jazz/rock/country mix sound for a few months and have churned out a few decent songs. It needs a brighter sound than the LP can deliver so I have been using my Schecter which does it all.....but the Ric is my dream baby!!

PS: I can't believe that guy got his for $150!!! Tell him to remember to drop a few extra in the collection plate to make up for his sins.... :D

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I don't think the Ric bass is bright if you use the neck pickup. I like the neck pickup sound in that Ric so much, I'm tempted to put a Ric neck pickup in a P-bass body if I ever get one. I might just have that as the only pickup. I don't need that poppy bridge pickup bass sound. I like a bass sound that makes people wish they would have bolted their house to the foundation better.

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It's HERE!!! Well, it's been here a few hours but I've been busy doing a set up and then playing the crap out of it!!! I have like 25 sets of guitar strings in the house but do you think I have a set of bass strings??? NO!! I played it so hard and the strings are so old and crusty they don't stay in tune for more than 2 minutes. So, I am off for some new strings..........

:D

PS: Where is the bass player rockin' dude??

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Bill-Murray Posted on Sep 11 2004, 09:06 PM

  whenever you get it spread lemon oil all over that fingerboard. it did wonders for my old harmony banjo's fingerboard 

Thanks Bill but it won't do much good on the Ric - the board is lacquered over. My Les Paul bass is the same way. I cleared over my avatar bass fretboard when I made it last year because I wanted to keep the maple from getting that "grunge" look after a few years. It has held up well but I have to admit it doesn't get as much playing time as my LP.

I just took a look around my studio and of the 11 guitars and basses I have every maple board is cleared over! Including a '71 Bartell, a newer Peavey (2002-ish), the LP (2003) and my ho-made bass. All the others are rosewood and have no clear. Hmmmmm, never noticed that before..........

I do have an old Teisco that needs a good oiling though. It works but I don't play it. It a wall hanger as is the '64 Teisco I'm refinishing now.

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Anybody know what kind of wood the Rick basses were made of ? This copy we have here looks like it's ash, also the neck. Also on this one, it seems the body "wings" (cuz it's neck-through) are two laminated pieces. It's pretty neck-heavy, but I really like the tone, even unplugged. Maybe it also has something to do with the scale length (which I can't remember exactly, but it's a little shorter than a Fender bass scale).

I also forgot the fret-board is seperating at the nut end (from a former boyfriend of my wife throwing this bass out the window)

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Ric basses (4001, 4002, 4003) have a Maple body with a Maple/Walnut thru neck. Other models use different woods depending on the model. 4004C is Walnut body with maple neck, 4004CII is maple/walnut body, 4004L is "Hardwood" body, etc, etc......

For the most part its maple which probably contributes to the "treble punch" Rics are known for.

Scale length is 33.25".

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Now I am REALLY in trouble............ :D

Ric 4001 Fretless

It's a good thing I get home from work before my wife so I can hide it among the other basses in my studio. Maybe she won't notice for a few weeks.... B)

I will try to get a sound clip up of the other one this weekend. I didn't forget, I just stay too busy.

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OMG!!! The fretless arrived today and OMG!!! (I know I said that already) It looks like brand spanking new except for two tiny scratches on the back of the neck. I am so used to buying older guitars that look, well, old. This was an extremely pleasant surprise! It also sounds great!!

Time to go play.............. :D

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PS: Where is the bass player rockin' dude??

I didn't think bass players rocked...I thought they just "sat in the pocket". :D

Every bass player I've played with has (1) had his feet nailed to the floor, and (2) wished for a better drummer.

Ummm! I resemble that remark, except I "stand" in the pocket, I try to move every minute or so. B)

I have only found two or three drummers that I like to play with out of maybe 30. :D

So let's see that fretless BP.

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i jump around while playing bass. a lot. i've broken both my own and my guitarist's nose in a single swing of my instrument...

and of the 15-20 drummers i've played with, i like, 3...

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