Played the Czech imposter, a Gibson 1967 original and the RI at a rehearsal, observations:
- ergonomically, the RI balances best, the Czech worst, eat your heart out purists, but the smaller headstock and tuners on the RI make sense coupled with its fatter body (67: 1 1/4" at upper horn, RI close to 1 1/2"),
- the Czech has the scoopiest sound, the RI the fullest sound, the 67 is somewhere in between,
- the 67 has that overdrive sheen to it, the Czech the pronounced high mids and the RI the most prominent low mids and the most focus of the bass frequencies which are stronger than on the other two without being all over (if the Czech or the 67 offered the same amount of bass as the RI than they would be all over it is my guess).
- RI has fattest neck, but still most comfortable one (to me). 67 feels wider though it isn't (both are 2 1/8" at the 11th fret).
All three basses sound fine, the RI just feels more substantial and better balanced. The sounds differ, but are within one family. If you dial the neck pup of the RI back a little with the bridge pup full throttle, it approximates the sound of the 67 albeit still a bit darker and fuller/less scooped.
