Maude Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 (edited) I did something silly a couple of weeks ago which resulted in me owning this gorgeous bass. I've always said the only Rickenbacker I'd ever own is a 4005 due to me not really gelling with any 'normal' Rick basses I've tried, but the 4005 being one of the best looking basses ever made, IMO. The price of 4005's being what they are meant I'd never be owning one anyway so it was kind of a running joke with our guitarist who owns eight Ricks. This bass popped up on my fb feed on one of the selling pages, one of those random posts that pop up from pages you don't really follow, I thought 'ooh that's nice', but it was in Chester and I was in Cornwall. Gigging commitments meant I couldn't go and look at it and I couldn't expect someone to post it really, could I? Anyway who knew what it would be like being a custom build and it was more than I wanted to spend, plus I was didn't need any new gear being happy with my own. Roll on 24hrs and I'd agreed to buy it 🤣 It's a faithful tribute to the 4005 (ok ok a copy) built by the luthier ***** *****(the names have been changed to protect the innocent😗), whom I've never heard of, body I assume is maple but would like any thoughts from the experts on here, it's got some nice grain and quilting, block binding, maple and walnut laminated neck, partial genuine hardware, not sure about tailpiece but it looks the part and the pickups are custom wound House of Tone toasters to give a Macca neck, Geddy bridge mix. The previous owner (don't know if they're on here) sent it by Parcelforce to arrive before midday next day, after a tense three days it arrived at work (Christmas backlog) and I'll admit I was a little nervous unpacking it, firstly was it in one piece, secondly what was the build quality like? It was in a Gigblade semi hard case which is actually a very nice case and when opened I had a wave of relief wash over me, it was beautiful. The quality of ***** *****'s work is awesome, the woodwork is great and the fit of everything is excellent, my only slight bug is the lacquer finish but it's not as bad as I thought from the sellers pictures. Most people wouldn't see anything wrong but I'm a fussy tw@t when it comes to paint. Too be honest it's not really bad enough too bother refinishing but time will tell if it bugs me enough. Anyway pictures, you must be bored of my ramblings. A couple close ups to try and show the quilting, as always it looks better in the flesh but you can see a bit of it. In real life some of it almost looks like velvet, it has a real depth to it. The neck is really well made, maple and walnut, bound and crushed pearl inlays. Lovely signature Rickenbacker carving around the bout. As you can probably tell I'm over the moon with the looks, but, and it's a big but, I don't like how it plays. Given that I don't gel with Ricks it's no surprise but my thought when I bought it was with it being a copy I won't feel guilty fiddling with it. Some of you may have noticed the thumbrest, it's a very crudely chunk of wood I've doublesided taped on to just try out. Because of the style of bridge the strings are very long way from the body, nice low action on the neck but string to body is huge and using pickups as thumbrests isn't working for me. Using the bridge PU as an anchor is just too close the bridge and using the neck PU just feels too sloppy for my style of playing. It has to be right or I won't end up using it. I'll make a nice wooden rest and tape it on so that it can be removed if sold. I'm making a new nut as the string spacing is wider than I like and the strings are very close to the edge of the neck, a few times I've slipped the G string off the neck while playing. Now for the sound, it's very nice but the PU's are quite low output, it doesn't seem to have a lot of punch but that's probably down to the placement, reading up a bit this seems to be the way the real ones sound. Either PU on its own sounds good but together I get that Jazz phase problem only worse and the volume drops. I might wire a series switch in and call on the electrical guru's of the forum for help. All in all I love it and once I iron out a couple of niggles, which are my fault not the basses, I'll be over the moon. It's certainly imposing, it's massive, and although I'd never claim to be the real thing with the mojo of the real thing, it's quite possibly better quality than the real thing and certainly doesn't look like your average Rickenbacker copy. Edited December 26, 2018 by Maude 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Looks like he used a fair number of genuine Ricky parts. Did you actually save a significant amount as opposed to a genuine Rick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Lovely! I suspect this one I tried recently was by the same builder... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 Last being made in '84, I think, the price of genuine ones vary wildly. But they seems average at about 7 or 8 grand, obviously dependant on condition and originality. I will never be paying that whether I could or couldn't justify because I'd never be able to gig something of that value. I paid £900 including delivery and the Gigblade. A lot for a copy but not a lot for a luthier made custom bass? Who knows if it's a good deal, but I like it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 (edited) 12 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Lovely! I suspect this one I tried recently was by the same builder... Quite possibly. It looks very similar but then it should, shouldn't it? 😁 Edited December 26, 2018 by Maude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 Apparently the bass cost £1300, the pickups £210 and the Gigblade £170, its not even a year old and is as new. I've looked at it as £900 all in, £100 for the case £50 postage, so £750 for the bass. Its hard to price something like this and it's as close to the real thing as I'll get so I went for it. Wise or not, I don't know 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 £900 with a couple of niggles Vs £7k with the same niggles ? I think you made a wise decision 🙂 That's a very fine looking bass,congratulations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 (edited) - Edited March 2, 2022 by Jus Lukin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Looks like the real deal and a stonkingly good score; I'm jealous! - a 4005 is about the only bass I still have GAS for, but with the stratospheric prices there's no chance....... The occasional '70's Shaftesbury copy crops up, but this looks light years better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 15 minutes ago, Shaggy said: Looks like the real deal and a stonkingly good score; I'm jealous! - a 4005 is about the only bass I still have GAS for, but with the stratospheric prices there's no chance....... The occasional '70's Shaftesbury copy crops up, but this looks light years better Same, the one bass I'd love to own. I'm pretty meh about every other bass. I'd considered a Chinese copy from AliExpress and then fill the PU holes, route in the correct place, sort any issues and refinish. But it still wouldn't have any correct hardware. It wouldn't look right and would cost pretty much the same as this one once done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 27, 2018 Author Share Posted December 27, 2018 Totally gratuitous, but here she is reclining in my little reading corner. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskit_case Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Lovely bass, saw this on FB too, was a bit too rich for me at the time. The Luthiers work always seems well regarded, seems a good guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Beautiful looking bass, I too saw it on FB, and again it was a bit too expensive for me (given the time of year etc.). Enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Gorgeous bass! Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Was the luthier a tad naughty putting a Rick decal on the headstock ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 18 minutes ago, fleabag said: Was the luthier a tad naughty putting a Rick decal on the headstock ? I guess they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 28, 2018 Author Share Posted December 28, 2018 No more than Limelight I suppose 🤔 It'll never be able to be passed off as the real thing, there are things which aren't right like the placements of control knobs, but the biggest give away is that it just looks too new, the newest genuine ones will be 35 years old and this wood is as fresh as a fresh thing. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 Yeah, regardless , it looks stunning and extremely well made. Personal taste, but to me it looks way better style wise than any standard shape Ricks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 28, 2018 Author Share Posted December 28, 2018 And no stupid pick up covers in the way and razor sharp front bindings to dig into your forearm. To me a 'normal' Rick bass looks nice but just trying a bit too hard, where the 4005 is just effortlessly beautiful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 (edited) - Edited March 2, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 28, 2018 Author Share Posted December 28, 2018 BTW could anyone tell me if the strap buttons are for Schaller straplocks. I've only ever used the Dunlop rings that you twist or rubber washers, my strap doesn't fit nicely/safely over these. It also came with a similar pair without a knurled edge rather that the smooth bevel on the fitted ones. The thread is larger than a standard strap button so would need plugging to revert to what I'm used to. I'd rather not got to a certain straplock or I'll have to change all my basses or buy a strap specific to this bass. Can you get a standard button with this thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borntohang Posted December 28, 2018 Share Posted December 28, 2018 9 hours ago, Maude said: BTW could anyone tell me if the strap buttons are for Schaller straplocks. I've only ever used the Dunlop rings that you twist or rubber washers, my strap doesn't fit nicely/safely over these. It also came with a similar pair without a knurled edge rather that the smooth bevel on the fitted ones. The thread is larger than a standard strap button so would need plugging to revert to what I'm used to. I'd rather not got to a certain straplock or I'll have to change all my basses or buy a strap specific to this bass. Can you get a standard button with this thread? Yeah, they're original Rick hardware from looks of it so are to fit Schaller. The knurled edge are the vintage style ones and are the closest to a standard strap button they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted December 28, 2018 Author Share Posted December 28, 2018 Thanks borntohang. I'll give the knurled ones a try with a rubber washer. If not I may have to get some Schaller ones and just use one strap specifically for this bass then. If the buttons are standard Rick items then I'd rather keep everything as it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Beautiful bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 I’m not a Rick guy, but that is really nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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