Electrics were always an afterthought on just about every Alfa model I have looked at. Sadly rust was not an optional extra, it came fitted as standard from the factory.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
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Electrics were always an afterthought on just about every Alfa model I have looked at. Sadly rust was not an optional extra, it came fitted as standard from the factory.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
Were there a couple of Rickenbackers in shot or are they PBG kits?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
looking great!
The Rick 360 is real its an '83 I bought from the States when the dollar was at parity.Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
The Rick style bass is a70's Nevara from Japan, I've had it since I was 16, sadly I took to it with a chisel when I was 17, its also got a twisted neck, so it needs a little work.
I think there may also be a Roland Space echo tape unit in view, it works but its definitely Lo-Hi, it sounds great with the Gretsch. ;-)
awesome collection you have from your 30 odd years of GAS Bruce !
I got a good start in the eighties when the cork sniffers were turning there noses up at the 70's gear.
Les Paul and SG for $350 each lol
Martin d12-18 for $100 ($900 in repairs though)
I just seem to get an itch under the skin for something in particular and then I hunt for it.
Alm.......I thought you should know that I tried really...really hard not to be jealous......... I failed horribly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
nice one Bruce getting those axes cheap !
@ Andy love your new avatar haha
Me Too. Sadly sold off way too much gear when I got married and kids arrived and now the kids have left home just starting to find time and spare cash to get back into it again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy40
If the dollar hadn't tanked it would be perfect.Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
The GFC, crashed the prices on the vintage market, there are still some bargains out there if you are patient ;-)
In the US there are some gretsch bargains and some the fender line if your pockets are deep enough ;-)
Keeping my eyes wide open looking for a genuine Ricky 4001 or 4003 to replace the 70's one I owned from around 1984 - 1991. Best axe, Bass or Guitar, that I have ever owned or played. The RC4 kit is tempting however I will keep saving up and pounce on one eventually. Current prices are nuts, anywhere from around $2k up to $4k. Almost makes me cry as the Azure Blue 4001 I had only cost me $750, sold it for $950 seven years later and thought that was a decent price at the time. Sounded awesome run stereo through 2 DI's to front of house and also through 2 channels on my 70's era 100w Marshall Bass Amp fed into slant front quad box with 4 x 25w celestion greenbacks. Used the same amp & box when I played rhythm guitar on my old Ibanez Explorer before switching to bass and the amp had a better blend of mid range than Marshall Lead amps from around that era. That was until JCM800's arrived with Master Volume and then that became the standard for every hard rocker. Great times, great memories, just wish I still had all that gear today.
Yes I love the 4001/03 Ricks myself, fav colour IMO is red like a nice deep blood red.
I think Red is only available on the Cheyenne according to this link http://www.rickenbacker.com/options_colors.asp? however I have seen a few 4003's in Ruby Red on eBay with pics attached. Most common ones however seem to be Fireglo or Jetglo followed by Maple.
Attachment 6947Attachment 6948
Yep perfect colour right there Waz, I have seen a ruby red 03 myself, jaw dropped to the core of the Earth it was magnificent!
we have probably hijacked enough of this thread and maybe should start another for Ricky fans to share their stories.
Was that the Marshall major? With KT-88 valvesQuote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
Guy's if you want to buy a Ricky try the US , I got mine from Dave's guitars Wisconsin
But remember to add the Couple hundred for shipping.
It saved me about a grand.
Hi Bruce, it was a JMP 100 watt bass head that had a small Marshall logo script on the front. Not sure what the valves were but at the time I thought they were EL34's as after a mishap doing a gig on a ferry it had a melt down and vaguely remember EL34 being mentioned. Originally bought when I was mainly playing rhythm guitar as it had better midrange and not as harsh top end. Little did I realise it would be used for Bass a few short years later. Didn't take much to drown out the stage levels as it as so loud and mostly plated it 'just on' at around 1 out of 10. Never went past 2 or 3 as it was deafening and blasted most front of house pa's. You can look it up on http://www.legendarytones.com/Marsha...ppers-guide-1/Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
How does customs affect such private imports?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
Dug out some old photos and pinched some off the web too. By the article at legendary tones mine could have been as old as '69 perhaps and from the rear photo it looked very similar except for the kettle jug AC socket whereas mine was hard wired into the chassis. Attachment 6986Attachment 6987Attachment 6988Attachment 6989Attachment 6990Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
He put it through for $995 so no duty, but customs left the case for now caked and smashed the pick guard.Quote:
Originally Posted by wazkelly
But Dave sent me new one for free, which is why I recommend him.
Very very very nice!!
Read up a bit more on the old Marshalls and discovered I actually had one of the early JMP Metal Panel ones from '69 onwards so it may have been early to mid '70s. Bought it second hand with a new Wasp slant front quad box fitted with 4 x 12" Greenbacks for $950 early 1980 and that same rig would be worth at least 3 - 4 times more today. It is the rig shown in a couple of the prior photos. Nothing beats the feeling that comes from the sound pressure of a seriously cranked one of these as you can actually feel the chords as you played and the mid range feedback was to die for. Had to use a Boss Overdrive Pedal for gain control as these required way too much volume before suitable distortion arrived unless you wanted to sound like Angus Young with plenty of volume and just a slight amount of edgy gain driven distortion which was very much 'the sound' back in early 1970's.
Shame that most overseas ones seem to be selling for nearer to $2k or more thus exceeding the $1k customs limit. Seen new 4003's for $3,999 on either Gumtree or eBay from a shop at Nerang on the Gold Coast and it makes the overseas imports look the cheaper way to go. Due to budget restrictions I will most likely have to target used 2nd hand ones available in Oz instead.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
Waz ,
There is one at Dave's for $1.3k us.
Might be worth a look?
Thanks Bruce, Had a look and he has 4 in stock but as they are all over $1k USD will need to work out how much import customs cost might be?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alm_63
Was, mine was a touch over $1k and he made accomodations in the paperwork for me ;-)
The shipping is the killer sigh.....
I wish the Australation a Gretsch distributed would realise that they are seriously damaging the brand here,
I saw a Maton JB4 fret less on line the other day, I nearly drained thee bank account, but I just couldn't do it. :-(
So many temptations but only so much budget and also feel your pain.
Attachment 7128
Doing the last setup pieces, filing the nut.
I got a set of Hosco files off the net.
nice one Bruce, worth having a set of nut files.
on the home stretch now
Boy's here is a clip of the Geko, the rhythm is clean via a Sennhieser, the lead is Garage Bands version of a cranked AC15.
https://soundcloud.com/bruce-hodge-410143076/gecko
Sounds nice! Got to love garage band.
Attachment 7246
Rewind, strip and start again.
I might have left it relic'ed if I hadn't already bought the pain't.
😄
Attachment 7247
Sand sand and sand again
I'm putting heat shrink tubing over the cloth braid to tidy things up a bit
Attachment 7248
starting again Bruce didn't you like the previous colour ?
what's the plans for phase 2 ?
No I didn't like the quality of the finish, it's time to learn from my mistakes. ;-)
Awesome clip. You've gotta be happy with that sound.
Thanks I just wanted to record a little of the clean sound from my build.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blueshound
Garage band just makes it so easy, and I apologise to DB for the quality of the bass playing ;-)
More paint photos, undercoating ....
Attachment 7303