RickenFakers

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='230953' date='Jul 1 2008, 10:15 PM']What HAS he done to this?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LEMMY-MOTORHEAD-CUSTOM-70S-IBANEZ-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ220252495516QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220252495516&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LEMMY-MOTORHEAD-CUST...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url][/quote]

laid out a bit like the bass Linus of Hollywood (I think, google said) plays in this. Can you tell he's not a bassist?
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPGA3vjMLgE"]Take it away Marco![/url]

[Happy Jack]

A slightly more convincing 'Faker:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beatles-Paul-McCartney-Bass-For-Vox-1960s-style_W0QQitemZ290243805763QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290243805763&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beatles-Paul-McCartn...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

[Happy Jack]

And a Fresher needing a bit of work:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fresher-Stereo-Bass-Guitar-Copy-Clone-1970s-Project_W0QQitemZ150267714180QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150267714180&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fresher-Stereo-Bass-...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='233776' date='Jul 6 2008, 09:29 PM']A slightly more convincing 'Faker:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beatles-Paul-McCartney-Bass-For-Vox-1960s-style_W0QQitemZ290243805763QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290243805763&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beatles-Paul-McCartn...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url][/quote]
I[i] thought[/i] that bizarre item title seemed familiar:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-60s-Paul-McCartney-Beatles-Bass-Guitar-For-Vox_W0QQitemZ300216908861"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-60s-Paul-McC...emZ300216908861[/url]

Different seller & not an attempt to spoof the first ad - this bass looks like it was probably a Shaftesbury, once upon a time.

The Fresher's interesting, never seen a bolt-on before. Although despite being "in fantastic shape" it does look a bit like it's been flung out a window.

J.

[noirpunk]

Got back from Hungary today.
Headlined a festival out there, the lead singer sorted out the gear we borrowed for the weekend and I ended up playing a Jolana D bass.



Neck was like a tree and the action was so high I could slide my passport underneath. I was offered it for £40 but declined..

[Bassassin]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='234219' date='Jul 7 2008, 03:29 PM']I was offered it for £40 but declined..[/quote]
That was silly! I would've given you a ton for it!

J.

[nick]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='234219' date='Jul 7 2008, 03:29 PM']Got back from Hungary today.
Headlined a festival out there, the lead singer sorted out the gear we borrowed for the weekend and I ended up playing a Jolana D bass.



Neck was like a tree and the action was so high I could slide my passport underneath. I was offered it for £40 but declined..[/quote]

What?! .....You could have easily quadrupled that if you sold it on!

[noirpunk]

Seriously???
It was the version with the set neck aswell. I've been after a Rickenfaker as you know but that thing played like sh*t. My hand was killing after the show

[nick]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='234238' date='Jul 7 2008, 03:55 PM']Seriously???
It was the version with the set neck aswell. I've been after a Rickenfaker as you know but that thing played like sh*t. My hand was killing after the show[/quote]

May have just needed a decent setup. If that hadn't cured it, you could have always sold it on as a 'project' bass - you would have still recouped your cost & then some....

[beerdragon]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='234219' date='Jul 7 2008, 03:29 PM']Got back from Hungary today.
Headlined a festival out there, the lead singer sorted out the gear we borrowed for the weekend and I ended up playing a Jolana D bass.



Neck was like a tree and the action was so high I could slide my passport underneath. I was offered it for £40 but declined..[/quote]

£40 does'nt seem like much. would it have cost anything to get it back into the UK?.

[noirpunk]

I was on easyjet. As such no instruments allowed as hand luggage and the guy only had a gig bag for it.
I was looking at the setup. The neck was bowed like hell. When I get my photos back I'll show you a pic of me playing the actual bass.
I have to be fair though, aside from the god awful action the weight balance was great and the sound suprisingly good.
Have I made a massive mistake here?

[nick]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='234264' date='Jul 7 2008, 04:27 PM']Have I made a massive mistake here?[/quote]

I think you missed a good bargain, but like you say; would have needed a bit of TLC.

However, if you still wanted it, guess you could contact person & arrange courier....

Paid a similar amount for my Maya 4001S actually.
Was £150 with a Laney amp that I resold for £90.

[noirpunk]

yeah I could but I don't think I will. Can't really be bothered risking it on that bass in the shape it was in. Plus it wasn't very accurate at all. the only thing that was correct was the body and headstock shape.

[noirpunk]

Here's some pics of me playing the Jolana

[fillerbunny]

Hey guys,

Please forgive me for going OT but I'm in dire need of advice. Any info about the Fernandes copies seems very scarce on the 'net, pretty much all I have to work on are a couple of Japanese catalogs from early to mid-80's showing the model RB-80 or RRB-80 depending on the year, and [url="http://www.music-trade.co.jp/etc.html"]a Japanese site[/url] with timelines of the Jap brands suggesting the Japan built Fernandes guitars were built by Kawai and Tokai.

The reason I'm interested is that I've got my sights on this Fernandes (not on ebay - sorry ) that certainly looks the part - a strange AutumnGlowish finish, mono and stereo outputs and very much looks neck-thru. No skunk stripe, though. The only thing I'm worried about is the woods - I'm no expert on wood textures, does anyone have an idea what this thing could be made of? Also, I wouldn't imagine even an 80's Japanese made bass was worthless, but I'm unsure if Fernandes later had these made elsewhere.

I mean, the bass looks quite astounding, but I have this nagging suspicion that all's not well. It may just be the finish, though
Any info is appreciated! Thank you and feel free to delete or move my post if necessary.

[attachment=10862:fernfront.jpg] [attachment=10860:fernback.jpg] [attachment=10861:fernneck.jpg]

Finally, here's a [url="http://www.yuumusic.com/fernandesrb80bk.html"]black one that I googled up[/url].

[Kev]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='234264' date='Jul 7 2008, 04:27 PM']I was on easyjet. As such no instruments allowed as hand luggage and the guy only had a gig bag for it.
I was looking at the setup. The neck was bowed like hell. When I get my photos back I'll show you a pic of me playing the actual bass.
I have to be fair though, aside from the god awful action the weight balance was great and the sound suprisingly good.
Have I made a massive mistake here?[/quote]
if the neck wasnt warped and just needed a bit of settin up, uv been a silly boy

[Bassassin]

[quote name='fillerbunny' post='240028' date='Jul 15 2008, 01:59 PM']Any info is appreciated! Thank you and feel free to delete or move my post if necessary.[/quote]
That's stunning - buy it! :wub:

OK - knee-jerk reaction out of the way - thanks for posting the pics, I've never had the chance to get a good look at a Fernandenbacker before!

Going from the catalogue info I have, I think your deductions are right, it's an RRB-80, and it's probably from the early/mid 80s. I think the colour's stunning, and the fact we can see the construction's interesting, too. Lack of a skunk stripe doesn't suggest corner-cutting - Rickenbacker introduced the 4003 in 1979, and it has no skunk stripe, this may be copying that part of the design.

However it has the narrow neck pickup spacing (widened to one inch on real Ricks from about 1974) and it also has a toaster pickup - these were phased out on Rickenbackers in the early 70s. It's likely that the pickup & narrow-spaced scratchplate were used here simply because the parts were available.

Interesting choice of tuners too - they're either Schaller M4S/Grover Titans (they look identical) or copies of same - they're original, they are on the black one and also on the catalogue pic I have. This solves another little mystery - because I've seen the occasional unidentified copy with these before.

I would be fairly confident that this was made in Japan - apart from the colour, it looks identical to the early 80s catalogue examples, and I assume Fernandes was strictly MIJ at that point. What are your concerns about the wood? It's worth bearing in mind that this is a 25-year old bass (or thereabouts), the woods will be seriously well-seasoned by now, and any issues of construction & stability would have shown up long ago. I'm no expert on wood types, but I'd have assumed it's maple, since it's ubiquitous on Rick copies - and very common on MIJ basses in general.

Anyway, I think it's gorgeous, if I had the opportunity of getting it (for a sensible price, of course!) then I would, without hesitation.

Oh & thanks for the link to the info site - not seen that before. The timelines are interesting, but not strictly accurate from what I already know of some brands - but there are some useful insights.

And no problem (as far as I'm concerned!) posting here - I've always felt this thread should be more broadly about discussing Rick copies & genuine Rickenbackers, and would be better off in General Bass Discussion. It's not like there's a noticeable number of Rick copies on FeePay anyway!

J.

[noirpunk]

Interesting find!!
Found a swedish website selling the Shine Rickenfaker with a major difference to the model on the Shine site.
The headstock is the same!
Looks an absolute beauty - however £500 is a bit much

[Bassassin]

These are the best-looking current copy imo - have you seen the other finishes?

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=270&view=findpost&p=180460"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=180460[/url]

I particularly like the white with tort plate - :brow: and I like the fact they have [i]nearly[/i] full-width inlays.

J.

[noirpunk]

Yeah, thos Shines are stunning. It's a shame they cost so much though.
Shine are usually bargain basement guitars. those basses should be around the £300 mark instead

[noirpunk]

How heavy is ya average Rickenfaker?
Cos I managed to get one and it's an absolute back breaker!

[Bassassin]

What did you get? Of my two, the Matsumoku is a replica of the real thing, incredibly thin & delicate and weighs next to nothing, while the Kasuga has a bolt-neck, thick "sandwich" type body and is so dense it has developed its own gravity well and sucks light into it.

Admittedly I didn't help matters by bunging a brass Hipshot on it - still at least I can have good intonation with my spinal damage.

J.

[noirpunk]

I got that Fresher off ebay... *braces self for shooting down*

[Bassassin]

[quote name='noirpunk' post='246939' date='Jul 24 2008, 03:16 PM']I got that Fresher off ebay... *braces self for shooting down*[/quote]

Why??

Fresher stuff:

[url="http://www.sk.aitai.ne.jp/~luesan/AI13.htm"]http://www.sk.aitai.ne.jp/~luesan/AI13.htm[/url]

Too bad the pics are so small & it's in Japanese, but well...

Was that the one with the slightly lifted fretboard? If so, it looks like it should be an easy fix, and the price was pretty good too.

J.

[noirpunk]

Yeah that's the one.
The fretboard isn't too bad.
It needs a new nut since the groove for the E is worn out (currently being supported by a rollen up square of card - I kid you not)
It's generally worn around the edge but rough n ready suits me, I would never play a mint condish bass!
The thing literally weighs a stone. How difficult is it to obtain a convincing looking truss rod cover?