Author Topic: Old Rickenbacker Remake...... (Read 195 times)

jaurigemma · « **on:** November 01, 2004, 07:32:20 PM »

I have a very very old Rickenbacker 4001 Bass Guitar. It's a 62 or 63, I can't remember, and it was bought for $50.00 at a pawn shop. It was abused badly by it's previous owners.

First off, someone removed the Rickenbacker pickups and put in Fender Jazz pickups... So the body is a mess... It's got a badass bridge, which isn't a horrible thing.

The neck was never taken care of, and the fingerboard has started to pull away from the neck. One of the two truss rods were broken, and I had to order a vintage replacement from Rickenbacker.

Lastly, I had a local luthier in Orlando fix the truss road, and put in Bartolini Rickenbacker pickups, but the bass just has no heart or soul anymore. Also, the finish is cracking off. So, I think she needs to be reborn.

Would it be possible to do the following:

1. Remove the damaged body wood, and relaminate on top a 2 layers, one mahogany, one maple to remove the fender jazz routing? This would give the bass a solid body again.

2. Remove all of the finish on the bass, and refinish the bass? I would prefer the whole bass to be made a nice translucent black, including the neck. The body would be glossy, but satin on the back of the neck.

3. Remove and reseat the fretboard or replace it with a new one?

4. Replace the electronics with Alembic Rick pickups, and the East Meets West electronics?

5. Replace the tuning keys with Alembic ones, and replace the badass bridge with an alembic bridge?

I just feel that my friends here at Alembic could resurrect this poor lost soul. Alembic folks and fans, what do you think?

I will try to post pics of it over the weekend.

gare · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2004, 06:58:17 AM »

Jeff..without seeing pictures its hard to picture #1. 4001/4003 series instruments were solid maple bodies neck thru, the neck pickup is mounted to the pickgard. So it would seem the pickgard would cover alot. Or did they tear it up that bad ? The original fretboard should be bubinga (at least they used to be),it would be a shame to loose that unless its in really poor condition.
If it were me,I'd try to keep it as original as possible,to retain the character of the instrument.
The Alembic pickups and electronics would be cool. Since the bridge has already been changed,I would leave the badass one,unless its trashed,then I'd replace it with another badass bridge. The original Ricko bridges are a pain to adjust.
I guess I'd just go with a restoration and upgrade the electronics.
Well, thats one Gare's opinion anyway.

keavin · « **Reply #2 on:** November 03, 2004, 04:01:21 AM »

I would keep the fret board,but would refinish it & reglue it,and i would install alembic guts(fatboys),but would leave the bass as old as possible,(origonal),if the badass is still good,then its cool and yes i'd paint,..and then i'd just enjoy plucking my new RICKOLEMBIC!

bassman10096 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 03, 2004, 09:25:35 PM »

Hi Jeff: Sounds like you have a fun project to take on. Personally, I'd relish doing a refinish myself, having done my first 2 in the past 8 weeks. Much easier and far more satisfying than I'd suspected.

I generally agree with Gare and Keavin's thoughts - particularly the insight that the pickguard covers a lot (or a custom guard could easily be tailored to cover a little more, if needed). Definitely do whatever you can to save the fingerboard, if it's salvageable. Not only will that preserve more of the Rick's soul, but may also keep your costs down. You didn't mention why you would replace the tuners. If they work alright, keep 'me. If not, I wouldn't necessarily go for the Alembic/Gotohs. I'd try to stay with something more like the originals (Alembic is definitely not what it is because of the tuners it installs!).

Keep us posted on what you decide.

Bill TBO

bigredbass · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2004, 10:11:27 PM »

Man, where to start . . . .

FIRST, have you really decided to truly sink these $ in an old Rick? I'll consider you have, so here goes . . .

Strip all the mehanicals and electronics, and strip the finish. While it's 'raw', have the finger board pulled, install the repalcement truss rods, and reseat the fingerboard. Have it refretted while the board is off, and BE CAREFUL if this 4001 has the triangle/glitter fingerboard markers.

The 'big' Rick pickguard will hopefully cover a lot of the routs you won't need anymore, depending on what electronics you go back with. Anything that needs filling should be filled and sanded while it's stripped. Make a final decision on your components and build out from there. I'd use ALEMBIC Ric Activators to maintain a Rick identity, and they'll fit the pickguard. Any battery routs, etc., need to be done BEFORE you refinish.

Go back with the BadAss if you like, but I'd suggest Grovers like Most Ricks use. A set of HipShot Ultralights would work too. I've rarely seen Ricks with Gotohs, plus the holes in your peghead from the old keys are probably too big, anyway.

Refinish, then reassemble, and you're done. If this was a solid finish instrument, don't be surprised if the wood you find after stripping is not real pretty to use for a see-thru finish.

I can't stress enough to use a FIRST rate tech for this if you can't do it yourself.

But it ain't gonna be cheap. For the same money, you could find a used 4001/4003 in much better shape, change the pickups, and you're home.

J o e y

blazer · « **Reply #5 on:** November 09, 2004, 05:10:06 PM »

Well I can tell you about my refurbishing methods using my self built Rick copy as an example.

Here's the story, I scarrow across the musicstores in my country looking for damaged guitars that I botch up and then sell on again, when I found this Damaged-beyond-repair Japanese made copy of a Rickenbacker 4001 bass. I layed down the requiered 50 bucks and the Plywood wonder was mine, I love enourmous Louisville slugger profile necks and this baby had the mother of them all. So I went out, made routing templates for a new body and went to work with the neck as basis for what I was planning.

I used five pieces of very tighly flamed maple and nice dark platanus contrasting stripes, but when the glue was hardening, I found out (too late) that the lower half of the body was not wide enough and so I had no other choice but to rout it out slightly off centre, the only mistake in this otherwise very well turned out bass. I used ABM and Grover hardware, switchcraft electronics and Kent Armstrong pickups and it has since become my main bass, everywhere I take it out People go Whoa, dude, where'd you get that awesome looking bass? and I can proudly state that I made it myself.

jaurigemma · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2004, 09:05:38 PM »

Well, I haven't been able to take pictures of her yet... Maybe over turkey day, when I am in the Tampa area. She (Rickenbacker) doesn't live with me, she stays at my brother's studio.

I'm thinking of scrapping the ideas of fixing her, and coming up with a new Orion design. I'm thinking of going really over the edge with the woods this time, but nothing until later next year...

Hope everyone has a good turkey day!