Details, Details

The first thing I needed to do was decide what this bass would be exactly. I was currently jonesing (or "gassing" as gear heads say) for a Rickenbacker 4001 bass, or even a good COPY from the 70's as the real deal will set you back a couple grand at least. Now, I am totally not a Ric guy, I have never really owned or played a Ric bass that I loved, but I am currently and have always been a big McCartney freak, and was/is currently freaking on his mid to late 60's bass tone. Hence the Ric re-fascination. I have always disliked the necks on these basses, too square feeling. I have always disliked the binding on the 4001 and 4003 models. I was never a fan of the big ass triangle inlays on the fretboard, or the neck binding for that matter. I also really like the way McCartney's bass has an upside down headstock, as it's left handed - yeah, gotta get me one of those upside down headstock deals. All of these issues would need to be addressed and remedied on the Sethenbacker.

First order of business - I borrowed my friend's early 70's 4001 (thank you Dan!) and spent an afternoon photographing, tracing, measuring, and generally molesting the thing. I learned alot from this disection, and could not have proceeded without this crucial step.

Originally I decided to make this bass the single pickup version, the 4000. it fit with my simplistic asthetic qualities, and sure would be alot easier to wire up (one thing I totally suck at). Just take a gander at the fine example above, courtesy of Ricky Sounds UK. Dot neck - check. No binding - check. FireGlo finish - check. Sign me up, slap an upside down headstock on there and it's the Sethenbacker damnit! Let's do this thing, people.

What followed next was a glutonous spending spree on fine bass parts, and aged hardwoods. Thank you "the interent" for your vast stores of shit we can buy. I went pretty much "spec" on the whole deal: Rickenbacker bridge, pickups, and hardware. I had my buddy The Pickguardian cut a pickguard blank for me, without holes though. He's a bit of a Rickenbacker afficiando, and has the "correct" pickguard materials. He does stellar work. I hand selected some aged hard maple for the body wings, but made a measuring error when homeslice at the harwood center was cutting me a chunk - ended up having to buy the whole 9 foot plank. good thing, as I tend to make mistakes.

After a couple weeks spent waiting for my Carvin made neck to arrive (did I mention I am not up for making the neck myself? quite frankly it intimidates me) something started to creep into my shallow little mind, undermining my whole deal with this Sethenbacker idea. TWO pickups. I mean, you really do need the two to get that proper 60's Ric thing going. That compressed to the gils slightly overdriven with flats thing I enjoy so much. A bridge pickup was ordered, added to the pile of wood on my desk, and the $800 budget was maxed out.

Above : this pile of stuff should look like the picture below, eventually.

I soon realized, with my two pickup, upside down headstock, dot neck version, I was just making a copy of the '64 4001 McCartney reissue that Rickenbacker has already made. Whatever, mine will say "Sethenbacker" on the head stock.....and have a better feeling neck (no offense Rickenbacker.)