Skybone Posted August 3, 2018 Author Share Posted August 3, 2018 Definitely worth a punt, if the price is right. Factor in the cost of parts, especially the bridge. Allparts have a pattern Ric bridge for a reasonable amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Got a picture of the ends of the straplock buttons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Presumably the truss rods adjust from the other end of the neck (like the first 4003 models with the split pickguard)? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 I'll get a pic of the buttons, they're little black Schaller type 'screw through' jobs. Interesting, so there were some early 4003s with truss adjustment at the body end? Obv the headstock was never routed for the usual big retaining plate and this screamed 'knockoff' at me but maybe not.....either way I'm not stripping it down until the owner's brother is around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Genuine Ric strap buttons are one piece including a threaded shaft; strap buttons with a screw through don’t fit a Ric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Yep, some Rics had the adjustment from the body end. But the pickguard was in two parts. I don’t know what the headstock looked like under the TRC. It was only the first iteration of the 4003.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 (edited) I think that's a 1983 4003, (possibly a 4003SB) with a plethora of replaced & bodged parts. The additional bridge screws are consistent with this era of 4003. I know my Fakers pretty well, my Ricks a only little less well, and this is no Faker I've ever seen. 100% worth acquiring and restoring, imo. Edit: pic of heel-adjust headstock end in this TB thread. Edited August 3, 2018 by Bassassin Linkage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Thanks all, really useful replies. That thread is fascinating Bassassin, first matching headstock I've seen and yet another insight into the uniqueness of the Rick bass. It's been a steep learning curve! Someone has to rescue this thing then, I'd better start thinking about £numbers..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 11 hours ago, Bassassin said: I think that's a 1983 4003, (possibly a 4003SB) with a plethora of replaced & bodged parts. The additional bridge screws are consistent with this era of 4003. I know my Fakers pretty well, my Ricks a only little less well, and this is no Faker I've ever seen. 100% worth acquiring and restoring, imo. Edit: pic of heel-adjust headstock end in this TB thread. It's a shame Joey's Bass Notes has disappeared! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, prowla said: It's a shame Joey's Bass Notes has disappeared! Only found out myself yesterday. Hopefully it'll be back, best resource of ID info out there. Thread about it on RickResource, looks like it may get incorporated into the RR forum, which would be good. Not really clear why Joey took it down, but it's his site, so whatever! http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=415609 Edited August 4, 2018 by Bassassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 On 26/06/2018 at 08:46, Rick's Fine '52 said: Here's my pair, UK hand made from scratch, no Chinese crap, and not cheap either. I couldn't decide on WB or not, so decided to have both! 4005 Fireglo, chequerboard binding to rear, full width crushed pearl inlays, 60's spec throughout. 4005 WB, Mapleglo, plain white binding to front and back. Both full 60's spec in every way. Not so much fakers - perfect clones. Fab-u-Lous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 They’re worryingly gorgeous... and I suspect worryingly expensive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted August 10, 2018 Share Posted August 10, 2018 Oops - this bridge looks on a wonk... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted August 10, 2018 Author Share Posted August 10, 2018 Compensated... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted April 14, 2019 Author Share Posted April 14, 2019 Thread resurrection time! Has anyone done a pickup swap on their Faker? What have you tried? What do you want to try? Been looking at the Gemini Pickups site again, thinking about getting a set of the Tsunami pickups. Tried the Retrovibe "Classic" pickups, they were ok, but didn't quite have the sound I was after, not interested in trying any of the humbucker options either, I do like the single coil sounds. Thoughts? Opinions? General observations? Etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storky Posted April 14, 2019 Share Posted April 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Skybone said: Thread resurrection time! Has anyone done a pickup swap on their Faker? What have you tried? What do you want to try? Been looking at the Gemini Pickups site again, thinking about getting a set of the Tsunami pickups. Tried the Retrovibe "Classic" pickups, they were ok, but didn't quite have the sound I was after, not interested in trying any of the humbucker options either, I do like the single coil sounds. Thoughts? Opinions? General observations? Etc Yes, I’ve got a Retrovibe and I’ve just brought a set of Gemini pickups for it: Rougue Wave bridge pup under a Thunderbird cover with coil tap push/pull and Waverider neck pup. I’m looking forward to getting them in, should look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted April 14, 2019 Share Posted April 14, 2019 I've put real Ric pickups on a faker before. I've got SD pickups on a Ric, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 14, 2019 Share Posted April 14, 2019 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 (edited) On 26/06/2018 at 08:46, Rick's Fine '52 said: Here's my pair, UK hand made from scratch, no Chinese crap, and not cheap either. I couldn't decide on WB or not, so decided to have both! 4005 Fireglo, chequerboard binding to rear, full width crushed pearl inlays, 60's spec throughout. 4005 WB, Mapleglo, plain white binding to front and back. Both full 60's spec in every way. I think I have the link between your two from the same builder, maple without front binding. Pickup series switch and thumb rest added 👍 Edited April 27, 2019 by Maude 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 New addition arrived yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 The best thing about this thread is the ingenuity in the silly names 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 Couple of Fakers. On the left is Mr Konig's retired Renegade. Simple as get out, just vol/tone and a series/parallel MM. On the right is Sunday's purchase. Bolt on Hondo II 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrycreed Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 (edited) Using my limited language "skills", I've managed to find fakers being sold in Italy, via Chi-na. Also some in Latvia, but they're not fakes, they're ones that might make you Rock Better. There's also a Spanish gumtree style website which has a Jayo and Oakland (private sellers selling them on used obviously), both of which I've not heard of, and they're around the €600 mark, which seems a bit pricey but if they're as good as what they claim they are, then they could be worth a punt. There's a store selling a new faker in Spain as well (can't remember brand), and someone on the Fretboard pointed out it was a chinese job, but is also over the €500 mark. I'm half tempted to dob them in, seeing as if I didn't know, I'd have paid that for it! I wouldn't mind, there used to regularly be some ones that make you Rock Better for sale on an Irish classified site over the years, and I used to always chuckle at the name. Now they're nowhere to be found! Speaking of fakers, I vaguely remember in the early 90s a guitar brand called deVille or something like that, used to make guitars very much like Rics. Edited May 19, 2020 by barrycreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 7 minutes ago, barrycreed said: I'm half tempted to dob them in, seeing as if I didn't know, I'd have paid that for it! Why would you do that ? Unless it's branded as "Rickenbacker" where's the problem. Is it the €500 that bothers you ? Basses from China are typically in the €200 to €300 price range. Call it €250. Seller has VAT, it's now €300. Seller has a store. Rent,rates,insurance,utilities and wages need paid. Money for those bills are added the the €300, could be as much as 20%. Bass is now €360 and he's yet to turn a profit. Another cost folks don't think about are QC fails,returns etc. Seller has to allocate part of his sale price to cover those. This seller may only make 20%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 31 minutes ago, kodiakblair said: Why would you do that ? Unless it's branded as "Rickenbacker" where's the problem. Is it the €500 that bothers you ? Basses from China are typically in the €200 to €300 price range. Call it €250. Seller has VAT, it's now €300. Seller has a store. Rent,rates,insurance,utilities and wages need paid. Money for those bills are added the the €300, could be as much as 20%. Bass is now €360 and he's yet to turn a profit. Another cost folks don't think about are QC fails,returns etc. Seller has to allocate part of his sale price to cover those. This seller may only make 20%. Well, if someone is bumping up the price of something in the hope of conning someone out of their money, then I would happily snitch on them. It's often said that you make your profit when you buy, not when you sell, so if someone has a shop and isn't making a profit then they're buying too high and it's pretty shabby charging excessive amounts to have someone else cover the cost of their mistakes. If they're charging £100+ more than it takes to buy and import from AliExpress then dob away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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