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Phil Lynott's Rick 4001

Gunga Din

Gunga Din

Jun 22, 2018
2,386
3,070
#1
I was a big Lizzy fan back in the day, and I've always wondered why Philo gave the 4001 up. BY 1974 he was using the 4001 after moving to that bass from the Dan Armstrong, By 1975, he could also be seen using a 4000. But by early 1976, the Precision that had sat as his back-up now, with the reflective 'plate, became his main; another P supplementing as back-up.

I've often wondered why he sacked the Rick. Was it the neck misbehaving? Or did the Precision win over as more ballsy? I'd also love to know what happened to that 4001.

Philo2.jpg
 
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#2
It might very well have been the neck. 4001's with the neck pickup in that position (like my '73 4001) - especially very early ones - are susceptible to a condition where the very small, thin piece of wood under the very large route for the neck pickup, can turn into a hinge if the string tension is too high. The neck will begin to rise up - like a drawbridge opening - and, there's nothing to be done about it. Without a lot of repair time, and spending a lot of money... And, given the fact that lots of people put round wounds on their Ricks - usually Roto 66's back then - which had a lot more tension than the factory German Maxima Flats? That could very well be what happened to his 4001. As for his 4000? I couldn't say. If it was old enough, it wouldn't have even been a neck-thru bass, and in any case, the single pickup wasn't in that very weak neck position. Maybe he just got tired of the Rick's "it's like playing a pencil" neck. From personal experience with both of mine, I gotta say - they do take some getting used to...:cool:
 
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#3
GIBrat51 said:
And, given the fact that lots of people put round wounds on their Ricks - usually Roto 66's back then - which had a lot more tension than the factory German Maxima Flats? That could very well be what happened to his 4001.
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According to the Rotosound website, Philo used their flatwounds (Jazz Bass 77). Which, if true, means quite a bit more tension than the 66, and doesn't alter your hypothesis significantly.
 
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#4
HaphAsSard said:
According to the Rotosound website, Philo used their flatwounds (Jazz Bass 77). Which, if true, means quite a bit more tension than the 66, and doesn't alter your hypothesis significantly.
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Yeah, and one HELL of a lot more tension than the factory Maximas. I learned to play bass on a '68 4001 with it's factory flats, and "High Tension" was definitely not how Maxima's could be described. The RS77LD's on my Gibson T-Bird, OTOH? Definitely bridge cable tension, and IMO? The Kiss of Death for a pre-'78 4001...:cool:
 
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#16
Matt O said:
I don't know what happened to his ric, but check out those righteous plats he's rocking:

View attachment 5140322
Maybe he toppled over onto the ric?
Click to expand...

I had a pair about like these from the early 70s I just couldn't throw out. I put them in the back of a closet when I bought my first house in '83.

I moved in '08 & the soles had literally dissolved into the carpet. Only thing left was the uppers. Crazy. Obviously something in show soles & the carpet reacted.
 
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