Zerofret Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 I picked up a pretty rough Rik copy and it's interesting if nothing else! It's short scale with a screwed on neck and the headstock label missing so no way of identifying it! It was thought to be homemade but all the clues are there to suggest that this was a budget factory made instrument. I think the fact that the plys show at the edges of the body makes people think that it's homemade but several factory guitar makers have made a feature of plywood bodies before now so I think that it's a red herring. Does anyone recognise the brand? I like it in a strange way because it does things that none of my other basses do. Mind you you could say that about a pick-axe I suppose! Sorry about the poor photos. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 (edited) Edit: Sorry, I mean Kay. Maybe it's a Kay. Edited May 26, 2008 by paul, the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 (edited) Hi Steve - your bass is a Kay KB-24. If you go over to the "Marketplace" section, there's a Ebay sub-forum, wherein you'll find a thread dedicated to Rickenbacker copies in all their bizarre & wonderful forms - and the occasional Kay does pop up. Also - unless your username's a coincidence, there are one or two auctions in there you might find familar! Jon. Edited May 26, 2008 by Bassassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Hi Steve, Chris was telling me about this one. We completely forgot to come and have a look at it. Apparently it is quite a toneful little beast? We have a few die-hard Ricken-faker experts here so hopefully we can find out where it came from... Cheers! P.s get building the pick-axe bas NOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerofret Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 [quote name='Bassassin' post='206506' date='May 26 2008, 12:54 PM']Hi Steve - your bass is a Kay KB-24. If you go over to the "Marketplace" section, there's a Ebay sub-forum, wherein you'll find a thread dedicated to Rickenbacker copies in all their bizarre & wonderful forms - and the occasional Kay does pop up. Also - unless your username's a coincidence, there are one or two auctions in there you might find familar! Jon.[/quote] Thanks for the info Jon. My eBay username isn't the same as my Basschat name so there's someone else out there masquerading as yours truly - it's not just the guitars that are fakes! I hear that the Kays are pretty darn bad. Well this one is worse than that but for all of that, it has something. Even with its complete dullness and lack of everything you'd want in a bass guitar with no sustain to speak of and damped to high heaven, I'm still determined to play it live. Got to go, the nurse is here with the medicine. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerofret Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 [quote name='ped' post='206507' date='May 26 2008, 12:54 PM']Hi Steve, Chris was telling me about this one. We completely forgot to come and have a look at it. Apparently it is quite a toneful little beast? We have a few die-hard Ricken-faker experts here so hopefully we can find out where it came from... Cheers! P.s get building the pick-axe bas NOW![/quote] What something like this Chris? Probably the best use for the Kay! Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Pickenbacker? Awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 [quote name='Zerofret' post='206857' date='May 26 2008, 09:31 PM']Thanks for the info Jon. My eBay username isn't the same as my Basschat name so there's someone else out there masquerading as yours truly - it's not just the guitars that are fakes! I hear that the Kays are pretty darn bad. Well this one is worse than that but for all of that, it has something. Even with its complete dullness and lack of everything you'd want in a bass guitar with no sustain to speak of and damped to high heaven, I'm still determined to play it live. Got to go, the nurse is here with the medicine. Steve[/quote] I must admit I'm a sucker for borderline-unplayable weirdos myself occasionally - if one of these came my way, it would be a challenge to try & get it playable & gig it! I do quite like the pickups. Kinda relieved you're not the Ebay Zerofret - although he's pretty straight-up & seems fairly knowledgeable about JapCrap! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerofret Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 [quote name='Bassassin' post='206922' date='May 26 2008, 11:00 PM']I must admit I'm a sucker for borderline-unplayable weirdos myself occasionally - if one of these came my way, it would be a challenge to try & get it playable & gig it! I do quite like the pickups. Kinda relieved you're not the Ebay Zerofret - although he's pretty straight-up & seems fairly knowledgeable about JapCrap! J.[/quote] Jon - Have you any idea where rik style headstock truss rod covers can be obtained or a template so one can be cut out of plastic laminate? I'm getting more determined by the minute to gig this firewood. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I think I can help... I made my own for my Kasuga Rickenbugger: A kindly Rick-owning BCer sent me a clear, top-down photo of the real thing, which I fiddled with & edited until I had this: [attachment=9076:cropx1.jpg] Through trial & error (and a bit of actual measuring!) I worked out the appropriate dimensions for my headstock - then I used my graphics prog (I used Paint Shop Pro but any image app should do) to print it at the size I required. I then used the printout to draw a template on a bit of 3mm Perspex, which I cut to the appropriate shape with a jigsaw. Perspex is pretty brittle, but cuts, sands & polishes really easily so it was quite straightforward to get a good result. I imagine the same thing done with scratchplate plastic would be easier still. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zerofret Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 [quote name='Bassassin' post='207416' date='May 27 2008, 05:59 PM']I think I can help... I made my own for my Kasuga Rickenbugger: A kindly Rick-owning BCer sent me a clear, top-down photo of the real thing, which I fiddled with & edited until I had this: [attachment=9076:cropx1.jpg] Through trial & error (and a bit of actual measuring!) I worked out the appropriate dimensions for my headstock - then I used my graphics prog (I used Paint Shop Pro but any image app should do) to print it at the size I required. I then used the printout to draw a template on a bit of 3mm Perspex, which I cut to the appropriate shape with a jigsaw. Perspex is pretty brittle, but cuts, sands & polishes really easily so it was quite straightforward to get a good result. I imagine the same thing done with scratchplate plastic would be easier still. J.[/quote] Jon, Thanks very much for that - it's turned out really well on your Kasuga. I will get cracking with it and post the result when it's finished. I appreciate you taking the trouble. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgie Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 [quote name='ped' post='206907' date='May 26 2008, 10:35 PM'] Pickenbacker? Awesome.[/quote] Picken-Axer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 [quote name='Higgie' post='207939' date='May 28 2008, 11:46 AM']Picken-Axer [/quote] Pickenhacker, surely! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Speaking of Ricky TRC's, I meant to post about [url="http://www.ioffer.com/i/Rickenbacker-trc-nameplate-Trussrod-Cover-48301116"]these[/url] a while back. Not real, of course, but about the only way to get one for sensible money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Norty norty, very norty... John Hall's gassing up the Hunter/Killers as I type... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Very naughty, but apparently these were flagged up on the Rick forum quite some time ago. Obviously they aren't as concerned about Mr Hall's baying hounds as Ebay are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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