Soloshchenko

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='802299' date='Apr 11 2010, 02:20 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MODIFIED-BASS-GUITAR-ELECTRIC-UNUSUAL-WORK-IN-PROGRESS_W0QQitemZ130382076579QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item1e5b609aa3"]Possibly the worst one yet.[/url][/quote] God that is awful. The pickup selector makes me feel a bit ill.

To be honest, my precision played so well out of the box I can't bring myself to do any modding whatsoever. I've not even looked under the scratchplate.

The real Ricks I've played have been a mixed bag, I got lucky with my CMI copy as it has an incredible sound and is my number 1 bass now following a good set up. I just think they are simply not for everyone. While my copy has become my number one I must confess it is probabaly the hardest bass to play of all of mine. I don't mind that though, in the same way I never minded strats with heavy strings and high actions in my guitar days. I always feel like you have to work with an instrument rather than pick the thing that feels the most "snug".

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='799500' date='Apr 8 2010, 09:21 AM']Shuker six string Rickenfaker. You don't see those every day. [url="http://www.limeshark.com/shukers.html"]http://www.limeshark.com/shukers.html[/url] (apologies for lack of ebay link)[/quote] That's cool.

Nice option but still prefer the blue.

Classic vibes are awesome. My precision is my first and last precision purchase, it's just as good as a number of Mex and American ones I've played.

Yeah, that is horrible.

You're right to avoid building a neck! Check out Warmoth. I built a guitar with their parts and it's a beautiful thing to play. In fact a mate of mine recently played it, went home and ordered himself a neck and body off there as well so they get the thumbs up from me (and him hopefully when his is finished). The quality of their woods is fantastic and if you're finishing it yourself they don't cost the earth. Good luck with the project mate.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='790440' date='Mar 30 2010, 11:48 AM']Wonder if this one will go for a bargain price? It's presently at £350 and has passed its reserve - this suggests to me that the seller isn't particularly sure it's genuine. Might go for a Faker price... J.[/quote] To be honest without your endorsement, I'd of said it's definately a fake. Weird pickup job, no serial number, weird colour, it just looks a bit odd to be genuine. However I probably know I fraction of what you do so it clearly is 100% real. Purely out of interest, what first indicated to you this one is the real deal?

[quote name='Bassassin' post='789848' date='Mar 29 2010, 08:11 PM']The only parts I can see on that that are Rick bits are the bridge pickup (which is old enough that all the paint's worn off - original to the bass, probably) the pup surround & knobs. The bridge is a copy, the tuners aren't the Schallers fitted on modern 4003s & the scratchplate is a 2 or 3-ply - never fitted to Ricks. Fortunately it would be very simple to at least aesthetically return this to original spec - you'd bin the p pup, its controls & the scratchplate, then just bung a 4000 scratchplate on it to cover whatever tunnelling & excavations have gone on under the plate. J.[/quote] It would be quite nice to stick a toaster in there where the PBass route is. I prefer neck PUs on these. I'm getting tempted.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='789645' date='Mar 29 2010, 05:22 PM'][b]Yep - and the RickResource boys will be crying blood tears over that[/b]. It's a 4000 - set neck (not through neck) dot board, unbound, would originally just have had a single pickup. It's got a mix & match of real parts & not - the bridge is a copy part but the pickup's genuine, tuners don't look original. It's had a refin too, by the looks. J.[/quote] And with good reason I'd say. That looks bloody awful. What the hell would possess a genuine Rick owner who could afford a ton of precisions to do such a thing is beyond me. A terrible shame but with some TLC it might be possible to get the bass back to a fairly original condition. Actually, I've just been paid....

[quote name='spongebob' post='788558' date='Mar 28 2010, 03:18 PM']I'd save a few £££ and buy a 2nd hand real one. When it comes to a Ric, and re-sale value, it's your best bet. Believe me, when you've played a real one, anything else is just, I'm sorry, not worth bothering with.[/quote] Never an option for me, I'm simply not spending a grand and a half on an instrument when plenty of the copies do a brilliant job. I wouldn't want the responsibility of gigging an instreument that costs me a months wages. In fact I reckon any real Rick owner would struggle to tell the difference if they were to listen to 2 sound samples, one of a good 70s Jap copy and one of a genuine Rick. Also, the argument about re sale value applies equally to the 70s copies which are highly sought after.

Is it the turquoise one thats been on here? Nice looking bass. Check out my CMI Rickenbacker thread for some discussion (and well informed info from Jon) on the brand. They are lovely built basses and unlike a lot of copies actually sound like a real Rick.

Could be an Aria mate. Not certain though. Looks quite nice.

[quote name='firstkingofleon' post='788405' date='Mar 28 2010, 11:50 AM']its a CMI rickenbacker copy, but its had the bridge replaced with a real rick bridge, as well as real rick pickups and wiring. at the moment i play a squier jazz, but i'm looking for variation, and i felt a rickenbacker copy would be really good, love the look, love the rick sound. would i be able to get along with the rick neck and body shape after playing a squier jazz?[/quote] I've just bought one of these and if it's in decent nick I couldn't recommend one enough, they are very faithful copies. You probably won't have too many problems adjusting (and even if you don't like it the demand for these is high and you can sell on easily). I found the only difficulty was finding somewhere to anchor my thumb for fingerstyle playing but I use the bridge PU or the edge of the scrathplate nearer the neck.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='787813' date='Mar 27 2010, 01:09 PM']Very nice example and £400 is a fair price for a neckthrough in this condition. Unless they've been swapped, pickups won't be real Rick ones, just good copies. The hi-gain style neck pup suggests your bass is a probably 75 - onwards, earlier ones had toasters. If the pups have a big ink-stamped serial/model number underneath, they'll probably be from Nisshin Onpa, who made the Maxon & Super 70s pups that JapCrap nerds wet themselves over. The loose wire might be for the bridge pup capacitor - just like real Ricks, the 70s MIJ copies had an extra .047 cap in the bridge pup circuit, which cuts a lot of the low-end output from the pup. Lots of people simply disconnect it to liberate the full output of the bridge unit, possibly if your bass all works properly, this is what's been done. Current Ricks have a push-pull tone pot switch to turn the circuit on & off. Anyway check out [url="http://www.joeysbassnotes.com/default.htm"]Joey's Bass Notes[/url] for everything you want to know about Rick wiring. Be warned though - Joey don't like Rickenfakers! Don't know if you know but CMI was Cleartone Musical Instruments - a brand used by Marshall Amplification in the 70s to broaden their product range - and to sidestep a dodgy distribution deal that Marshall was tied up in at the time... So no swapping your TRC for a fakey Rick one - CMI's much more interesting! Jon.[/quote] Cheers for the info Jon. You should write a book about Rikenfakers, seems they have a fascinating underground history of their own. I had heard bits about the connection between Marshall and CMI. There seems remarkably little history about the company on the web, especially given how well put together this bass feels.

Bought this beauty of Davidian on here (who's a great bloke to deal with by the way). Paid £400 for it which is probably all I would go to for a Rick copy but I've never seen a 70s one in such great condition. Apart from some very minor dings it doesn't look like it's left the house. Playability is quite good if a little bit on the high side but I don't mind that. I've noticed there is zero neck relief at the minute and the neck is pretty much straight so I'm considering loosening the truss rod a fraction. In terms of sound the pickups are lovely (can anyone tell me if they are real by the way?) Very snarling sort of sound from the bridge and a full open lush sound from the neck one. I've looked under the scratchplate and theres a loose wire which I'll check on diagrams and re solder. Doesn't seem to have affected the sound in any way. I don't think I have the energy or time for a full Rick bass re wire and there seems no real need for the moment. All in all, really happy with it.

My band, Pencil In. www.pencilin.co.uk I'm the rather miserable looking soul on the right.

Not tried any of the above but you've kind of hit the nail on the head there. The Warwick and Sandbergs you speak of are awesome instruments, adding 2000 quid onto the price tag might not get you something better. Bass perfection for me is currently in the shape of a £190 second hand Squier CV precision bass. Absolutely lovely thing.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='781525' date='Mar 21 2010, 11:31 AM']I refinished my Sunburst P bass in that colour, came out well. [/quote] Mate that looks awesome. How difficult was it getting the original finish off and what method did you use?

I've got a 60s Squier CV precision and I'm so in love with it I'm starting to pine after the 50s one now! I'd have a go at refinishing it if I got one though as I hate the idea of having 2 basses the same colour.

[quote name='Rasta' post='780264' date='Mar 19 2010, 09:51 PM']I tried a Lake Placid Blue Jazz Squire (Buffy Guiro Sig model...or some endorsed geeza i've never heard of anyhoo) in Exeters mansons last weekend and i was blown away. Not bothered about the endorsment but the play, feel and even the sound was superb.......i'm currently trying to negotiate with the wife !!![/quote] Not seen many of those about but love the matching headstock and the LPB colour.

I've got a Mexican Jazz and recently bought the 60's CV precision. To be honest, there is no dip in quality whatsoever in terms of the build of the CV. It's on a par if not better put together than my Jazz. I love it. I only really bought it as a practice bass to leave in my practice room, now I can't see me ever buying another Precision and I have a difficult choice to make every time I have a gig. And the CV cost me far, far less. Like many who own them I'm a bit doubtful Fender aren't gonna have a look at the current situation regarding Mexican Fenders and Squier CVs and do some pricing/quality adjustments. It seems very common knowledge now that CVs on the whole are equal or better quality than Mexicans. People aren't just gonna pay more to have Fender on the headstock. I couldn't recommend these basses enough. I've never met or heard anyone who owns one have a bad word to say about them. I got lucky on ebay finding someone in my town selling one for £190 (with a warwick hardcase!).

[quote name='bass5' post='779296' date='Mar 18 2010, 11:31 PM']I am very very happy with the way the bass plays, let alone how I have made it to look, that was just to create a tease on a non expensive bass, but I can honestly tell you guys, I am in heaven with these Squier Classic Vibe's they really are good and can stand up to the more expensive basses in my collection (listed below)[/quote] I just can't get over the quality of them either. It's ridiculous. My 60s precision is probably going to be my only precision for the forseeable future. I love the cow bass mate, really is totally original.