prowla

Status Graphite (wooden neck ones), as is the Groove on the right.

I took a couple of Warwicks to the last Bass Bash, but the folks with Spectors glared at me!

You could do nut to bridge, but the bridge or intonation could be out, so the 12th fret is half-way (hence the harmonic there) and so is more precise.

My problem with the Ric 5-string is that I took a different turn to go that route...

Greco are probably the top of the tree. Or there’s a queue of lefties waiting for one to come up.

The cost of trying out a Ric is zero - but it and if you don’t gel with it then sell it.

Nice.

You can look at the back where the neck joins the body and see if there are any signs of cracking/separation there. But the easiest way is if the action is ok then it’s alright.

Nut to 12th fret and double it.

It's probably a 33.25" scale length too, like a real Ric; the bolt-on ones tended to be 34".

For me, Rics are really playable, so each to their own.

What @Bassassin said. My first thought was an Ibby with the mudbucker neck pickup, but on closer inspection that wouldn't have had the bodged cutout in the pickguard. As to why someone did that to the pickups, I don't know; it looks barmy to me! The neck joint must be weak there, so it might need filling and re-cutting. The changes are reversible and stock Ric parts will fit, in addition to vintage Japanese and current Retrovibe replacements. This is my (Japanese) CMI, which I would say likely came off the same production line. The slightly translucent pickguard shows more on mine, against the jetglo body.

My Red Baron...

You can visit it at your convenience.

Spooktacular!

Well, it went for £113 - not sure I'd pay over £100 for a Squier.

This is how I picked up another Mat I had earlier; it was a Diamond brand (which was related to Aria). (The clear TRC had had the original logo removed and a laser-printed alternative stuck on the back; that didn't last.)

BTW - this is my Mat; it is provisionally going to someone in Scotland, if/when I get a box to post it in... (See the dot position markers on the Vol/Tone controls?)

It looks OK to me. And yes, I spotted the D-string!

The edges of the pickup hole seem equidistant from the screw holes.

Typically in shops I find that if I want to ask someone something they are all busy, but if I'm just browsing I keep getting approached to see if I need any help!

Yep - the thing I need to know when I go into a shop is "how much". Maybe they think that in asking you are then engaged in the sale process...

I guess you have to be a bit arrogant to have a bass like that in the first place...