Only fugly bit in my opinion is the bass extender - it looks like a more modern version, rather than the clover-leaf style of the other three. It's hard to tell due to the convenient angle / sneaky marketing.... Not a difficult fix, but if I'm dropping that much cash, I'd want the right one...(original tuner is not included BTW.. d'oh.)....
It also looks like a bit of a tight fit in that old Fender case. I fear for the headstock..
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In the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock, having a good solid piece of wood in your hand is often useful...
Of course I love it, but that is a crazy price. Anyone would be better off getting a new or slightly used Rick. I get how someone might think it's worth that much since it is an old bass in pretty good shape (that bass extender could have been installed without adding any holes to the headstock), but the late '70s - early '80s the least-sought-after and least-valuable era of the 4001/4003.
It's not old enough to have the original horseshoe/toaster pickups or checkerboard binding, but it is old enough to not be a 4003 (i.e. it has the original, weak, single truss rod design, and original bridge without the back screws, which is very prone to lift).
But, it's a Rick, and I love it.
Gilmourisgod wrote:I never really "got" what a Rick is capable of until I ran it stereo a few times in my college band. We used to call it the "Piano of Doom". You get all the bottom and all the top in total a**kicking mode.
Yes way too much money and agree on the dropped D tuner but man that's in nice shape. I have an 80 Ric that I used all the time for about 20 years and I can't even read the black silk screen for Ric O sound. I guess the owner did not play it much at all.
superheavydeathmetal wrote:Of course I love it, but that is a crazy price. Anyone would be better off getting a new or slightly used Rick. I get how someone might think it's worth that much since it is an old bass in pretty good shape (that bass extender could have been installed without adding any holes to the headstock), but the late '70s - early '80s the least-sought-after and least-valuable era of the 4001/4003.
It's not old enough to have the original horseshoe/toaster pickups or checkerboard binding, but it is old enough to not be a 4003 (i.e. it has the original, weak, single truss rod design, and original bridge without the back screws, which is very prone to lift).
But, it's a Rick, and I love it.
Not sure what you mean. This bass has dual truss rods. All Ricks have had dual truss rods since their inception in 1961. As for the comment about the truss rod being weak, I strongly disagree. The older "hairpin" truss rod design is very stable IF it's properly set. My '79 4001 has one of the most stable necks I've ever encountered. In 20 years, I have not had to adjust the neck once! I can leave that bass untouched for months, if not a year+, take it out of it's case, and it will still be in tune. I suspect the bad reputation that older Rick necks get is largely due to people not knowing how to adjust them properly.
Thank you for the correction, Pete! Here I am thinking I know something about Ricks, and I have been mistaken on some key facts.
I understand with the old hairpin rods it is necessary to apply pressure to the neck to get the desired relief, then adjust the rods to match it. I was either told or just assumed that this is because they were too weak to move the neck themselves.
I won’t make those mistakes again!
Gilmourisgod wrote:I never really "got" what a Rick is capable of until I ran it stereo a few times in my college band. We used to call it the "Piano of Doom". You get all the bottom and all the top in total a**kicking mode.
I bought mine new in 78, and I didn't much care for the pickups. About 8 years ago, I put in the toaster and horse shoe pickups and had to rout the the pup pocket to fit the nos t/hs in there. If this hurts the value, I don't care.. If that guy sells that one at 5+, gar blass his little harte. I've asked my kids to keep mine in the family, so it's kind of priceless to us.
It'll be interesting to watch that listing to see whether someone bites or whether he goes down in price.
