I've just bought the Rickenfaker from hell

[Soloshchenko]

Just won this on Ebay for £106. It's horrible isn't it? It is a Hondo Rick Copy with some really odd mods where someone has replaced the original pickups with a precision humbucker of unknown origin split in half. The body, neck bridge and machines are fine so I'll be stripping all the electronic/clear plastic nonsense and sourcing some pickups off here (please PM me if you have any knocking about).

Hopefully should get it back into a more useable condition, it looks a bit unhappy at the minute!

[Soloshchenko]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1006593' date='Oct 30 2010, 07:13 PM']Oh go on string it up and let us hear how the pickup mods sound [/quote]

Could you imagine if the weirdo who'd done this had actually stumbled across the perfect bass tone?

Unfortunately (or perhaps thankfully) the bass doesn't work at the minute.

Looking at the pickup he's not even gone to the trouble of using a decent precision replacement!

[Chris2112]

I'll be honest, that does look awful.

[Ou7shined]

Lol the audacity of putting a clear pickguard on it

[Soloshchenko]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1006639' date='Oct 30 2010, 08:00 PM']Lol the audacity of putting a clear pickguard on it [/quote]

I know. I can kind of see why someone, in a moment of madness might do the pickup thing, as sh*t as it is but the clear pickguard is clinically insane.

[munkonthehill]

i would think that 165 notes would be better off on the purchase of a good supply of cider!

[Happy Jack]

OK, the split pickup thing is officially the most mental mod I've ever seen to a Rickenfaker, and right up there with my Top Five of all time.

You have GOT to get it working in current configuration and post some soundclips.

[xilddx]

Some people have absolutely no common sense have they

[Bassassin]

Ah - it was that one! Is it definitely a Hondo? If so the tuners are replacements & considerably better than the originals.

Anyway that will be a reasonably cheap & easy fixer-upper, if you're not too precious about the authenticity of the parts you use - and assuming the neck/frets are all in good order.

However - I concur with the prevailing opinion - string 'er up and find out what that sounds like, the opportunity will probably never present itself again. Do it for science!

Jon.

[Soloshchenko]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1006715' date='Oct 30 2010, 09:25 PM']Ah - it was that one! Is it definitely a Hondo? If so the tuners are replacements & considerably better than the originals.

Anyway that will be a reasonably cheap & easy fixer-upper, if you're not too precious about the authenticity of the parts you use - and assuming the neck/frets are all in good order.

However - I concur with the prevailing opinion - string 'er up and find out what that sounds like, the opportunity will probably never present itself again. Do it for science!

Jon.[/quote]

Yeah the tuners feel very sturdy. Certainly a Hondo I'd say. I tried to show the TRC with the shadow of a "Hondo II" logo that has been scraped off but didn't showon the pic. It also has some original stickers on the back which give the H******** serial number. Also the body is certainly pure ply which is in keeping with the Horrible Hondo reputation.

[DarkHorse]

Oh the poor beast!

(Go on though, get it working 'as is' and do some sound clips, enquiring minds gotta know!)

[Bass_Guardian]

I hope this doesnt put people off buying my rickenfaker

[Bass_Guardian]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1006756' date='Oct 30 2010, 10:06 PM']If we get a sound clip and yours doesn't have a split P then you might have no hope [/quote]
Na it only has REAL RIC PICKUPS, BRIDGE/TAILPIECE AND WIRING

That was my sales pitch

[dan670844]

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='1006572' date='Oct 30 2010, 07:01 PM']Just won this on Ebay for £106. It's horrible isn't it? It is a Hondo Rick Copy with some really odd mods where someone has replaced the original pickups with a precision humbucker of unknown origin split in half. The body, neck bridge and machines are fine so I'll be stripping all the electronic/clear plastic nonsense and sourcing some pickups off here (please PM me if you have any knocking about).

Hopefully should get it back into a more useable condition, it looks a bit unhappy at the minute![/quote]


just think someone modded that and thought they where doing a good job..... and they may have been seen in public with it!

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='1006729' date='Oct 30 2010, 09:43 PM']Also the body is certainly pure ply which is in keeping with the Horrible Hondo reputation.[/quote]

Hey, wait a minute! That's 1970's MIJ ply, not like the rubbish MIM ply you get these days. The only thing better than 70's MIJ ply is 60's MIA chipboard, though I hear that the new Korean MDF is pretty good.

Going WAY off-topic for a second, what with that being a Rickenfaker an 'all, d'you think you could use the stereo output to get the two halves of the split-P and bi-amp them?









I probably shouldn't have had that second double Jack Daniels ...

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1006812' date='Oct 30 2010, 11:24 PM']Hey, wait a minute! That's 1970's MIJ ply, not like the rubbish MIM ply you get these days. The only thing better than 70's MIJ ply is 60's MIA chipboard, though I hear that the new Korean MDF is pretty good.

Going WAY off-topic for a second, what with that being a Rickenfaker an 'all, d'you think you could use the stereo output to get the two halves of the split-P and bi-amp them?









I probably shouldn't have had that second double Jack Daniels ...[/quote]
You're right there, Jack - this is made from the finest quality Korean ply, formed from driftwood pieces hand-picked from the banks of the Nakdong River. As any fule kno.

J.

[ElCapitan]

a hundred and six notes? f*** mine.

[charic]

That split p thing could sound alright you know!

[waldemar]

Wow. Those p/ups. Now I've seen it all.

Whoever did that is a genius. Or mental.

Go on - get it working, let's hear it man!

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='1006572' date='Oct 30 2010, 06:01 PM']Just won this on Ebay for £106. It's horrible isn't it? It is a Hondo Rick Copy with some really odd mods where someone has replaced the original pickups with a precision humbucker of unknown origin split in half. The body, neck bridge and machines are fine so I'll be stripping all the electronic/clear plastic nonsense and sourcing some pickups off here (please PM me if you have any knocking about).

Hopefully should get it back into a more useable condition, it looks a bit unhappy at the minute![/quote]

[Daquifsta]

For me, the only way that pickup arrangement would make any sort of sense is if you strung the bass up lefty style, so that the bridge pickup was under the low strings.

I'm with everyone else though - please let us hear it as is

[Jigster]

i like it

[Soloshchenko]

[quote name='gareth' post='1007359' date='Oct 31 2010, 02:13 PM']Why?[/quote]

Can't you see the potential?

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't asked myself the same question while looking at the this horror alongside what is fast becoming the battersea dog home of knackered guitars in my spare room but it should be fairly easy and very cheap to sort. The new cream scratchplate and metal bridge PU surround will cost me pennies courtesy of the rather wonderful technology department in the school I work at. The remaining parts I either have lying around or will buy. I've priced up my purchases at around £50 and will be a big improvement on what would originally have been on there (and, obviously what sits rather embarrassingly there now).

Then I'll either sell it for more than the £156 it's cost me or keep it. I'm actually growing quite attached to it already I'm totally ashamed to admit.

As for people wanting to hear it as is, I can't say I'm not tempted. Watch this space.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Soloshchenko

[Stag]

Personally I think it's great when people take on these little "projects"... sense of achievemtn gained when you get something back up and running nicely must be great. Keep us posted fella!

[MoonBassAlpha]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1006823' date='Oct 30 2010, 10:40 PM']You're right there, Jack - this is made from the finest quality Korean ply, formed from driftwood pieces hand-picked from the banks of the Nakdong River. As any fule kno.

J.[/quote]

Question - at what point does "multi-laminate" become ply?

[Bassassin]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='1007537' date='Oct 31 2010, 04:38 PM']Question - at what point does "multi-laminate" become ply?[/quote]
When it's not part of an Ebay sales pitch.

FWIW despite being amid a self -imposed ban on projects and/or new basses, if the guy had been willing to post, I would have been all over this for 100-odd quid. But then again, he'd have got a lot more than £106 for it.

J