Rick Turner RIP

Dave W · April 18, 2022, 08:37:09 AM

Just read at TDPRI that he died yesterday, and I found this posted at the Rick Turner Guitars FB page:

Ethan & June Turner here.

With a heavy heart we must say that our father Rick Turner (Warwick Lancelot Armstrong Turner III) has left the building. Rick passed away peacefully last night (4/17/22) of complications from congestive heart failure and stroke.

If you have a message for the family or a story to share please share below this post. We will read all and reply when when can.

Please respect our privacy during this time of mourning.

BTL · April 18, 2022, 10:28:14 AM

I just saw that on Facebook. He was a legend.

Rob · April 18, 2022, 02:52:42 PM

RIP Rick

uwe · April 19, 2022, 04:33:17 AM

The man who invented the diamond shaped split coil for the legendary Silly Purple (or Red) Clown Bass of which only two specimen are known to exist ... In a faraway land ...

Gute Reise!

gearHed289 · April 19, 2022, 07:56:50 AM

Definitely a legend and an innovator. RIP

Dave W · April 19, 2022, 06:49:53 PM

Very nice article in Fretboard Journal.

Rick Turner, 1943 – 2022

Basvarken · April 20, 2022, 02:22:40 AM

Quote from: uwe on April 19, 2022, 04:33:17 AM
The man who invented the diamond shaped split coil for the legendary Silly Purple (or Red) Clown Bass of which only two specimen are known to exist ... In a faraway land ...

Gute Reise!

I'm afraid not.
In that same faraway land there's another.
The split coil diamond shaped pickup got lost on the mists of time. But you can see where it sat.

uwe · April 20, 2022, 04:57:57 AM

But that's not pointy!!!

I know why the Rick Turner pup is no longer there - with all due respect to the deceased, you can't win them all & those diamond pups created issues. String-to-string volume was uneven and on my 5er Silly Red Clown Bass, the B and E sound vastly different to the A, D & G. It's like playing two different basses.

Still, I wouldn't take out those diamond shaped contraptions (underneath the pup cover, simply a slanted P split coil lurks, the diamond shape is just packaging), they belong to those WRC basses.

Basvarken · April 20, 2022, 09:08:04 AM

Quote from: uwe on April 20, 2022, 04:57:57 AM
But that's not pointy!!!

Who said it needs to be pointy?
Oh well the headstock is ;-)

I think I would make an effort to restore the diamond shaped pickup. Make a casing from ebony or so and then put a split P inside.
The (German) owner of the WRC prototype is looking to sell it by the way. So if you need it for Ze Kollekshun, just let me know.

uwe · April 20, 2022, 09:24:25 AM

It ain't Silly Clown if it ain't pointy!

Alanko · April 20, 2022, 02:17:05 PM

Quote from: Basvarken on April 20, 2022, 02:22:40 AM
I'm afraid not.
In that same faraway land there's another.
The split coil diamond shaped pickup got lost on the mists of time. But you can see where it sat.

That bass had some exotic diamond shaped pickup and the owner still thought 'just chuck a Jazzy pickup in there mate!'

ilan · April 20, 2022, 03:20:41 PM

Awesome Model 1

uwe · April 21, 2022, 01:04:50 AM

Quote from: Alanko on April 20, 2022, 02:17:05 PM

That bass had some exotic diamond shaped pickup and the owner still thought 'just chuck a Jazzy pickup in there mate!'

They weren't great-sounding.

morrow · April 21, 2022, 05:13:28 AM

That Model 1 though ilan , does look awesome !

Dave W · April 21, 2022, 08:09:42 AM

I played a Model 1 at Willie's in St. Paul years ago, it sounded amazing.

Rick was a real pioneer in so many ways.

I had downloaded a pic of Rick playing the Epi equivalent of an EB-6 with Autosalvage, the band he was in in the late 60s. It's probably still somewhere on my hard drive.