Custom Rickenbacker "Sea Nymph"
 

  Ignore the obviously Fender-esque headstock in the background and meet Corey Keller of
Friedrich Heights Guitar Works.  Corey and I decided a few years back that I needed a cool
Rickenbacker, more or less inspired by the "Fool" guitars of the Beatles (especially the
Gibson that went to Clapton and later to Rundgren).  We set about finding parts, and by
"we" I mean Corey, and wondering whether John Hall would hunt us down.  (I think he'd
probably appreciate that we saved a dumpster-ready body and neck, actually.)

This isn't a treble-happy Chris Squire type of Rickenbacker.  Think Paul McCartney.

Once all the bits were in one place, Corey went to work assembling,
refining, modifying and doing all the paint and finish work. 

The 1982 transition-era 4003 body and neck came from
eBay and were not so beautiful at first. 

 During the build process (obviously near the end of the process), a
mysterious Man From The North Woods appeared.   He said that
he'd come from "The Land of Dreams" in order to view the Ric . 

The details:

1. This bass began its life as a 1982 "transition" 4003 with a two piece pickguard
and bottom adjusting truss.  The truss rods are custom made replacements!

2.  Pickups: 1970s-era Hi-Gain neck pickup (11.3 k resistance) and a Lollar/Aiello
Neodymium "H-shoe" bridge pickup - the very last one to be manufactured! 

3.  Electronics:  Original 4001 Mono circuit circa 1960 (or Rose Morris UK
export). Switchcraft 3-way switch and Switchcraft 1/4 jack.  CTS 250k
volume & tone potentiometers.  Weber .047 oil-in poly capacitors.  1950s-60s
NOS Belden braid-shielded wire (vintage Gibson type).

4.  Hardware:  Original 1982 Ric bridge with blued allen-head adjustment
screws added.  Original 1982 6 screw tailpiece.  Truss rod cover &
pickguards: made in clear plexi by DazBootman Pickguards.

5.   Etcetera:  Hipshot Ultralites tuners with clover keys.  Vintage unbleached
Cow Bone/Macassar Ebony nut.  Dunlop straplock strap buttons.

6.  Finishing details: Design and painting by Corey Keller. 
The finish is Winsor & Newton type AA lightfast Alkyd pigments over
white shellac base, sealed with two light coats of clear shellac, then 9
light coats of McFadden Nitrocellulose lacquer.  Neck shaft is 10 coats
hand buffed Birchwood-Casey gunstock oil.  The existing poly from
earlier refinish was left on fingerboard.