Considering this Bass.........

[baddarryl]

I am considering this Rickenbacker on Ebay. Do any of you guys have an educated guess what it would cost to have a qualified Luthier do the repair properly? Thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1988-Rickenbacker-Mapleglo-8-String-4003-Bass-Repair_W0QQitemZ250361913883QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item250361913883&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

 

[Beej]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks an awful lot like the finish is simply cracked. I know a friend's les paul has similar marks and has been a solid player for him for the last twenty plus years. The seller makes no statements about already having had a professional luthier estimate the repair. It appears that he is just "assuming" it will be "a costly repair". It seems odd that the damage he is describing would be caused by storing it for a long time with tension on the strings. I guess its possible, but I've seen more than one 'basement find' over the years in which someone pulled a guitar from a case it had been in for decades and it immediately played just fine with new strings.

I guess what I'm getting at is, I'd want to lay hands on it and inspect it carefully before I assumed it would absolutely *need* a repair. Others with more expertise will hopefully chime in...

 

[madmachinist]

i don't think it would "lift" like the seller claims . unless the
trussrod's busted , it shouldn't matter . there should be very
little tension on the body wings of a neck through instrument,
if any at all . even w/ the mighty 8 strings , the bridge is still
on the same piece of wood as the tuners.

i see evidence at the joint that appears to be .010" - .020" , not 1/16 ( .0625") or 1-2 mm (.040" - .080") ,
which is a considerable difference.

 

[scottyd]

I'd jump on that quickly if I were you, neck-throughs don't have tension at those joints and it's probably just the wood needing refinished.

 

[andrew_b]

judging by the pics.... easy fix...
easier if you refinish it....
but still... fairly simple
a bit of glue and some smart clamping..

strings on the bass side of the neck look too close to the edge of the fret board?
to mea that means if the problem cant be solved by cutting a new nut, then the bridge will have to be moved to the right a few mm...

 

[Ric5]

That can be fixed ... I know a couple of guys who can with heat remove the body wings and then reglue them back ... that type of flaw happens once in a while to Rickenbackers ...

Also with the 8 string you might consider lighter strings, or tuning to E flat, or perhaps tune it to DGCF

 

[NORAMACTIVE]

This would be an easy fix for a qualified luther!
Geeeze !! even if he had to rip the wing off and reglue it or even dowel it it 's the easiest fix! and the finish is a breeze !
I'd go for it if I wanted one , I wouldn't let that stop you
Good Luck!! it'll will probably jump up in price like crazy the last 10 seconds of the auction ( Sniper Bids )

 

[xgator4u]

I'd jump on that quickly if I were you, neck-throughs don't have tension at those joints and it's probably just the wood needing refinished.

YUP if you want an 8 string ric. no prob., thru necks dont "lift" .

 

[baddarryl]

Thanks all, I will be sitting there at auctions end.