RickenFakers

[Happy Jack]

Wouldn't want the new site to be deprived of one the busier threads, so I'll kick off with

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKENBACKER-STYLE-PROJECT-BASS-NICE-NECK-AND-INLAYS_W0QQitemZ160117979000QQihZ006QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKENBACKER-STYLE-P...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]



though we shouldn't forget

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200109500394&rd=1&rd=1"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...p;rd=1&rd=1[/url]

[Musky]

The top one is quite interesting - I didn't know any jap copies were made with twin truss rods. In fact I always thought the lack of the double TR was a foolproof way of identifying a copy.

[Happy Jack]

Hmmm ... not sure about this one:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/sehr-schoene-RICKENBACKER-KOPIE-super-original-sound_W0QQitemZ140120590717QQihZ004QQcategoryZ87492QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/sehr-schoene-RICKENB...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

[Bassassin]

That's one of the Bach copies, from a Czech importer:

[url="http://www.bachmusik.com/en/c100082/retro-bassguitar/"]http://www.bachmusik.com/en/c100082/retro-bassguitar/[/url]

Spotted these yesterday:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270122334297&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=017[/url]

A rather ordinary Shaftesbury, and...

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180120258098&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=008"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=008[/url]

A rather not-very-ordinary handmade fretless 4005 copy. Not something you see every day. Or any day, for that matter.

Musky - there were some twin truss copies - according to a poster on RickResource, some of the high-end El Maya copies had them. I have no idea if any others did. I think a bolt-neck with twin rods seems a bit odd, though.

Jon.

[Musky]

That looks like it's one of those Bach copies that Bassasin posted about on BT. Almost certain to pulled in no time.

Incidentally, that Ibanez that went up on ebay having 'sold' a week earlier has just sold again for £311.
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300110680309&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RCRX_Pr3_PcY_BID_IT&refitem=300104436587&itemcount=3&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...s_promot_widget[/url]

[Musky]

So do you reckon the bass in that auction might be an El Maya, or maybe another brand? It's kind of a shame that there's no identifying marks on the bass, as it might have added another piece to the jigsaw that is IDing Rickenfakers.

[Ant]

I really really want a rickenfaker

which are the ones to look out for? and which are the ones to steer clear of?

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Musky' post='4076' date='May 22 2007, 12:31 AM']So do you reckon the bass in that auction might be an El Maya, or maybe another brand? It's kind of a shame that there's no identifying marks on the bass, as it might have added another piece to the jigsaw that is IDing Rickenfakers.[/quote]
There's really no sure way of telling, considering how little of it there is. Realistically, this might not even be Japanese - we've now seen Rick copies from Italy, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Korea as well as the land of the rising sun. And it's anyone's guess how many different Japanese factories there were,and how many different models & variations there were over the course of the production of these things. And that's another question, too - copies largely stopped being made for export by the end of the 70s - but they still build them for the domestic market.

That said, I'd put money on it being Japanese, and from the mid 70s - it has wavy Grover copy tuners, which usually appear on Matsumoku - built ones (Aria etc) & the body is a sandwich construction, very typical of the era. The neckplate's plain, which I wouldn't associate with Matsumoku.

Ant - the only thing I'd say don't bother with, would be those medium-scale Kay things that turn up from time to time. The low-end of the 70s stuff that pops up on the Bay would be Hondo - Korean-made, very obvious ply body, and they generally look cheap & tacky. However, if you got one for a bargain price (say less than £100) it'd be ok. The other common varieties are all broadly similar quality-wise, there's no real advantage to the through-neck ones - in fact they seem more prone to have a suicidally high action you can't adjust.

J.

[dave_bass5]

I see the Bass Centre are selling Rick copies now. But at £599 i think i would rather get the real deal.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='5355' date='May 23 2007, 08:38 PM']I see the Bass Centre are selling Rick copies now. But at £599 i think i would rather get the real deal.[/quote]
£599? For a copy? Joke. Real ones come up at £600ish if you watch Loot & Gumtree & the like.

J.

[Darcy]

Anyone know anything about theses at the Bass Centre?

[url="http://www.basscentre.com/cat/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=109&products_id=1390"]http://www.basscentre.com/cat/product_info...roducts_id=1390[/url]

£599.00 mind and I would like to know whats under the P type pickup thingy

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Darcy' post='6686' date='May 25 2007, 05:42 PM']Anyone know anything about theses at the Bass Centre?

[url="http://www.basscentre.com/cat/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=109&products_id=1390"]http://www.basscentre.com/cat/product_info...roducts_id=1390[/url]

£599.00 mind and I would like to know whats under the P type pickup thingy[/quote]

They are the ones i posted about above. Way over priced IMO.
Im sure i saw the guitar version in Demark st for around £200 last year.

[Bassassin]

£250 and it'd be competitive. As it is, at that price you could have the pick of vintage Japcrap, or a real one if you drop lucky. At least it's a more realistic looking copy than the similarly priced Indie - which is a piece of junk, to boot.

J.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='4057' date='May 21 2007, 11:12 PM']Spotted these yesterday:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270122334297&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=017"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=017[/url]

A rather ordinary Shaftesbury ...[/quote]

... which just went for a slightly astonishing £300!

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='7883' date='May 27 2007, 11:13 PM']... which just went for a slightly astonishing £300![/quote]
Nowt so queer as folk...

A different Shaftesbury - one of those little 360-style basses:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-Bass-Guitar-Rare_W0QQitemZ150126758526QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-Bass-Gui...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

That name has a strange attraction to those Ebayers of little understanding.

And for just a little more dosh (comparitively) to a genuine Made In Taiwan "Rockinbetter", you can now have this:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1980-Rickenbacker-4001-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ110132022852QQihZ001QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1980-Rickenbacker-40...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

A rather tidy 1980 Rickenbacker 4001, in AzureGlo. 795 BIN to you, sir or madam. Am I missing something?

J.

[Happy Jack]

Rather tidy? Either he's the world's worst guitar photographer, or that bass is the one for which the phrase "cosmetically challenged" was invented. Quite apart from all the missing paint, it looks as if the back is actually two different shades of blue ... erm ... I mean AzureGlo.

The seller has excellent feedback so it looks as if WYSIWYG. I'd reckon that price was about right once you factor in the cost of a re-fin.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='7960' date='May 28 2007, 09:38 AM']Rather tidy? Either he's the world's worst guitar photographer, or that bass is the one for which the phrase "cosmetically challenged" was invented. Quite apart from all the missing paint, it looks as if the back is actually two different shades of blue ... erm ... I mean AzureGlo.

The seller has excellent feedback so it looks as if WYSIWYG. I'd reckon that price was about right once you factor in the cost of a re-fin.[/quote]

It looks to me that the shot of the back has the reflection of the case making it look different
But thats just what i think

[Bassassin]

I thought it was clearly the reflection of the case lid - and I don't know if a bit of paint off the bottom edge of the back merits a refin on a 27 year old bass.

The point was that it's only £200 dearer than a tacky Oriental copy.

J.

[Musky]

£800 isn't really much of a bargain, considering it's age and condition. Another Rick auction for a '73 just ended with a final price of £795 - better condition as well.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rickenbacker-4001-Bass-Guitar-1973_W0QQitemZ190115339668QQihZ009QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rickenbacker-4001-Ba...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='7978' date='May 28 2007, 10:30 AM']I thought it was clearly the reflection of the case lid - and I don't know if a bit of paint off the bottom edge of the back merits a refin on a 27 year old bass.

The point was that it's only £200 dearer than a tacky Oriental copy.

J.[/quote]


Jon,

Next time I sell a bass, would you mind endorsing it for me here on BassChat?

Within a day of you pointing it out as a bit of a bargain, the price has already reached £785! Just another 5 days to go, then ...

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='8600' date='May 29 2007, 02:06 PM']Jon,

Next time I sell a bass, would you mind endorsing it for me here on BassChat?

Within a day of you pointing it out as a bit of a bargain, the price has already reached £785! Just another 5 days to go, then ...[/quote]

No probs Jack.

25% standard rate commission OK with you?

And - look what's back:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250121336637&rd=1&rd=1"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...p;rd=1&rd=1[/url]

Doing the rounds of BW/BT/BCers, then. But now with a fake trc. Way to get the auction pulled, with any luck.

J.

[Mrs Tinman]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='8600' date='May 29 2007, 02:06 PM']Jon,

Next time I sell a bass, would you mind endorsing it for me here on BassChat?

Within a day of you pointing it out as a bit of a bargain, the price has already reached £785! Just another 5 days to go, then ...[/quote]

Knows his stuff, does our Captain JapCrap

[neepheid]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='8635' date='May 29 2007, 03:43 PM']But now with a fake trc. Way to get the auction pulled, with any luck.[/quote]

Yup, that was a tactically inept move.

[beerdragon]

I came across an article in a bass blog. its a Shaftesbury based on rick 330 guitar. the rick police had ebay pull it even though rickenbacker never made a bass version, go figure.

[url="http://www.hollowbodybass.com/bass-sightings/shaftesbury-rickenbacker-copy.htm"]http://www.hollowbodybass.com/bass-sightin...backer-copy.htm[/url]

[Happy Jack]

But you can't keep a good bass down ...

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-Bass-Guitar-Rare_W0QQitemZ150126758526QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-Bass-Gui...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]