The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Rickenbacker Basses => Topic started by: Electro Dale on December 29, 2010, 10:56:19 AM

Title: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Electro Dale on December 29, 2010, 10:56:19 AM

Somebody went after this with a hammer and screwdriver enlarging the hole for a Mud-Bucker Gibson pickup.  The cavity was cleaned up and fitted with matching Maple/Walnut pieces, then routed for the stock Ricky neck pickup.
(http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq280/GuitarWork/FebruaryRepairs2009007.jpg)
(http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq280/GuitarWork/FebruaryRepairs2009008.jpg)
(http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq280/GuitarWork/FebruaryRepairs2009009.jpg)
(http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq280/GuitarWork/FebruaryRepairs2009010.jpg)
[IMG]http://i455.photobucket.com/albums.

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: TBird1958 on December 29, 2010, 11:11:32 AM

 Thank you for giving that poor bass some much needed love!
Meant to say "beautiful work" on all the basses you've shown us too!

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: weekend warrior on December 29, 2010, 01:02:18 PM

Hey! Thats my july 72 mapleglo!Hard to believe it looked that at one time.Dale did a fantastic job bringing that bass back to stock shape.He was able to finish that rout repair without having to refin the bass!hit the patina dead on too.An outstanding job Dale ;D

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Dave W on December 29, 2010, 06:33:28 PM

Some people shouldn't be allowed to get near hand tools.

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: weekend warrior on December 29, 2010, 06:40:45 PM

Yeah no Kidding! The first thing i thought when i pulled the guard up was Flat rock and chisel job.

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Denis on December 29, 2010, 07:52:01 PM

Quote from: Electro Dale on December 29, 2010, 10:56:19 AM

(http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq280/GuitarWork/FebruaryRepairs2009007.jpg)

Good grief, that's hard to look at.  :P

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: warriorbass05 on December 29, 2010, 09:55:23 PM

I remember that bass...

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Highlander on December 30, 2010, 04:41:54 AM

Strewth...!

Neat repair...

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: drbassman on December 31, 2010, 09:27:31 AM

Nice job Dale. Welcome to the forum!

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Daniel_J on December 31, 2010, 02:45:23 PM

If this bass was owned by a famous player and used to record some hit tunes, then there would be people trying to figured out what brand of hammer and screwdrive size it was used, so they could duplicate it.

But for what it really is, magnificent job on the repair!

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Electro Dale on December 31, 2010, 04:32:54 PM

 Daniel, that is quite true!  ;)
I'll have to find the final photos of that repair and post a few.  It belongs to one of the members here who besides being a great musician, is a good person even after being banned from 2 other Forums.  :)

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: weekend warrior on December 31, 2010, 05:15:09 PM

 ;)

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Highlander on January 01, 2011, 07:26:21 AM

Cant think why (ducking for cover ;D)

Here's a thought...

Why do they cut the slot from the controls to the neck pup in such a fashion as that...?

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: Electro Dale on January 01, 2011, 10:21:55 AM

Quote from: Kenny's 51st State on January 01, 2011, 07:26:21 AM

Here's a thought...

Why do they cut the slot from the controls to the neck pup in such a fashion as that...?

I thought the same thing when I 1st started working at the Rick Factory, so here's how it was explained to me by Dick Burke the woodshop manager:
The slot was originally cut using a 1/2 inch cutter on an overarm pin router, the rest of the cavities were cut with a 1 inch cutter, this meant that the cutter had to be changed and all instruments were placed in the router template twice.  Extra work meant loss of time at the overarm pin router, so a simple way to do this was after all the cavities were routed we would use a 1/2 inch brad point drill bit at the large table drill press and drill each Bass by hand for the neck pickup wire to extend into the control cavity.

Title: Re: Neck pickup cavity repair early 70s 4001
Post by: weekend warrior on January 01, 2011, 02:04:03 PM

Quote from: Kenny's 51st State on January 01, 2011, 07:26:21 AM

Cant think why (ducking for cover ;D)

precisely! :mrgreen: