The original Blue Boy bass?

[Dave W]

Apologies if this is old news.

Awhile back I looked a live footage of Jim Reeves' performances and never could find one with the bassist playing the 4000 Blue Boy. Tonight I saw this on Old Guitars in B&W on Facebook:

"Billy Grammer...notice the Brass TR Cover on his Gibson.
It was a Gibson option that had the player's name engraved on it.
Jim Reeve's Band behind him. That Ric Bass was Baby Blue, and I'll bet that gold guard Jazzmaster was too."

Unfortunately it's in black and white, but I've never heard of any other Ric owned by the bassist. Could very well be the one.

[ilan]

Sounds great too in that busy bass line.

[Paul Boyer]

That particular bass was "missing" for decades after James Kirkland (in the video) walked away from the music business and left the bass in Jim Reeves' basement. It surfaced a couple of years ago at a guitar shop that sold it to (supposedly) Vincent Gallo who collects the old, rare, Rick basses. In my interview with Kirkland, he expressed the desire to see that old bass again, but I fear he will never get that chance now.

[Jeff Scott]

He's playing with a pick!    He probably influenced Squire's decision to do, likewise. 

They guitarist with the Jazzmaster looks bored, he probably wished he had a 360 Capri, instead. 

[Dave W]

Yes, nice that you can actually hear the bass well. More likely to happen on old country videos since the guitar volume was usually lower and the drums were minimal..

[Jeff Scott]

..the guitar volume was usually lower and the drums were minimal..

As they should be. 

[Dave W]

As they should be. 

I appreciate a good drummer, and I need to be able to hear him, but who's the maniac who decided that drummers need more than one mic?

[Dave W]

Update: I don't know how I missed this, it was posted to YT 11 years ago. Paul, you've probably seen it.

[mc2NY]

Yeah, that bass resurfaced up near my old stomping ground in a music store near Rochester, NY. I called but had missed it by days.

Here are some color pics of it when near new....and one as it was when resurfaced.

My 1965 Ric 4005' I think, is the only other factory Blue Boy bass....although it is a factory refin.

[Rob]

Sounds great too in that busy bass line.

I think Ric's sound best when they have to cut through harmonic clutter. 
Those sure look nice!

[Dave W]

What piqued my interest again was a group of photos taken by a woman at the Louisiana Hayride 55-60 years ago and posted to FB by her son. There was a photo of Bob Luman with James Kirkland playing that Ric 4000 instead of the enormous upright he was usually seen with. I started poking around. Looked at Kirkland's FB page, and there's a pic of him playing the Ric with Ricky Nelson. I had seen James Burton playing a Ric in Ricky's band before (possibly a 381) but not Kirkland.  Also, his page includes a promo pic of Ricky playing a Ric flat top acoustic.

[ilan]

That is one well-kept bass.

[Paul Boyer]

What piqued my interest again was a group of photos taken by a woman at the Louisiana Hayride 55-60 years ago and posted to FB by her son. There was a photo of Bob Luman with James Kirkland playing that Ric 4000 instead of the enormous upright he was usually seen with. I started poking around. Looked at Kirkland's FB page, and there's a pic of him playing the Ric with Ricky Nelson. I had seen James Burton playing a Ric in Ricky's band before (possibly a 381) but not Kirkland.  Also, his page includes a promo pic of Ricky playing a Ric flat top acoustic.

Dave, Nelson's band was equipped with Ricks at one point, probably as promotional gifts. It appears that Kirkland's bass may have been a "two-tone brown," maybe an early version of what became known as "Autumnglo." When Kirkland went over to the Blue Boys, the bass was painted powder blue to match the Ricks the other band members had (also possibly promotional gifts) and there's a oft-published staged shot of Reeves and the Blue Boys with these guitars and even powder-blue-grilled Rickenbacker amps in my book (and many other places). The story of Kirkland and what happened to that old Rick bass is in the book, too. The second edition coming this summer has a recent picture of the bass as it surfaced a couple of years ago at a guitar shop and it was quickly scooped up by a noted collector who specializes in early Rickenbacker basses. It may never be seen again. 

[Dave W]

Paul, here's the promo photo of Ricky with the Ric acoustic.
https://www.facebook.com/tripleslapcat/photos/a.347198015352702.79906.281742475231590/347198022019368/

I've seen the Blue Boys promo photos over the years, I just hadn't seen a video of the band playing them. And I never realized that he played the Ric with Bob Luman.

[Jeff Scott]

...the bass ..... was quickly scooped up by a noted collector who specializes in early Rickenbacker basses. It may never be seen again. 

Yeah, VG is the Bermuda Triangle of bass collectors...........................