Hey Y'all,
I really don't want to sell this bass but I've always promised my wife I would only keep basses in my collection that I use on a regular basis. I'm a working musician, not a collector. I truly love this thing but the truth is, it's so nice that I've only used it two times outside of the house since I got it in November 2011. My main gig is in a band that just has WAY to much happening on stage for me to feel comfortable using this bass. It's just too beautiful and I'm more of a beat up ol' workhorse kinda guy.
I have used it for recording on a couple of tunes and it sounds frickin' awesome. But again, I'm just not a "collector" and it's hard to justify having this beauty for a couple of sessions a year that might call for it.
I've made a couple of modifications to the bass. Don't panic! Nothing that can't be reversed and all for the better. Firstly, I had the guys at the 12th Fret - Toronto's guitar repair guys to the stars - wire it up with a stacked vol/vol pot so you can control each pickup volume individually just like on a 4001/3. The toggle still functions normally. I used Hipshot knobs for this mod. I still have the original pot and it will come with the bass. Secondly, I had a local pickup maker - MJS Custom Pickups - make some really sweet single coil pickups to replace the H/O humbuckers that the bass is spec'd with. These are truly hand wound and fit directly into the original pickup surrounds. The custom covers he made are from ebony. I still have the original pickups and it would be super easy to put them back in. But I don't know why you would. These are way more "Ric" sounding and have a more even sound across the strings because he made the pickups wider so they use up all of the space inside the surround/housing. NO MODIFICATIONS WERE MADE TO THE BODY FOR THIS!! Lastly, I installed a Hipshot D-Tuner on the E string. It's a matching Schaller one just like the others. I still have the original and it - and all other original parts - would come with the bass.
I stole most of these picks from the posting from the member that sold me the bass. His pics were really good. The only pics I've added are of the mods I've made. Bass is in exactly the same condition as when I bought it. EXCELLENT. I've included a screen cap from when I posted the bass on Ric's Facebook page and they responded with a confirmation of exactly how rare it is. There were VERY few of these made during the transition from the Ci to the Cii. The Ci was maple neck through with walnut wings. The Cii is maple neck through with walnut wings and a maple/maple top/back sandwich. This bass was made in the first few months of the Cii where they put the fancy top on but not the back. It is also a very rare hand rubbed oil finish and of course an even more rare lefty.
When I bought this it was my dream bass and I thought I would have it for ever. But I think I covet it too much to risk damaging it live. So, I'll consider sending it to a new home where someone plays "safer" gigs than I do. I'd like to get $2400 out of this because of the rarity, pickups, mods and general awesomeness of this bass. I won't entertain any low balling because I'm not hard up. Let me know if you got any questions.
