El Maya Rickenbacker copy project

[Doombuggy68]

Some of you might be interested in this geekness.
I purchased this El Maya rick copy a while back and could never get use to the HUGE neck and weak sounding pickup. I bought a real RIC treble pup, reshaped the neck to be skinnier from about the 12th down to the nut, took off mostly sides and stayed out of the middle. Today I shot the sides of the headstock with yellow tint Reranch to resemble what a 4001s looks like. (yes I know most 4001s dont have the skunk stripe, yes I know Ric uses different wood for the sides).
Its maple underneath but it turned out looking pretty close to the right color. I have to let it dry for a while and build up clear so that I can sand it all down even.. I plan on shooting the whole guitar with Reranch tint to match and clear coating it lacquer. I did the same thing to a Japanese made Gretsch Setzer that was poly.
Heres what the headstock looks like so far, the truss cover is setting on it so you can get an idea.

 

[Nomad98]

Looks like a fun project. How did it play when it was together?

 

[Doombuggy68]

Looks like a fun project. How did it play when it was together?

like a Louisville slugger lol, I have smaller hands (no Trump jokes lol) neck was ridiculous, the fingerboard on this thing is really thick, but as far as Rick copies it is VERY close, Ive owned a ton of 4000 series and this thing is super close, the only thing wrong was the head stock wings are maple and theres a rosewood or walnut stripe down the center, which wouldn't be on a 4001s (there are a few rare examples with this feature). its a real John Hall sweaty arm pit, furrowed brow maker lol.
Im a sucker for these old Japanese copies with actual acorn nut rod adjustment lol

 

[Jools4001]

Hmmm...my ‘73 4001 definitely has a skunk stripe. It’s a JetGlo, so it’s covered up but I know it’s there because when I bought it secondhand in ‘76, somebody had taken the finish off the back of the bass and I had to have it refinished..

 

[Jools4001]

was your an S model with dots? the single pickup 4000 was a glued in neck with a mono input, if yours was a 4001 stereo with inlays it would have the walnut strip all the way down the body, most of the 4001s models didnt have a strip down the neck or body, there was a few, Rick was known to use whatever they had laying around sometimes if a customer ordered something oddball for the time, its like if you wanted a 325 or 330 in 1972 when everyone wanted 4001 basses and the guitars werent in as much demand, if you ordered a guitar other than a 360 the most popular model guitar, it was probably made with 60's parts, Ive owned several early 80s guitars and they were using up the tiny headstock necks and using old Klusons.

Good point, mine is a stereo...