I just got hold of a body and neck. There's the fretboard, frets and both the truss rods and the belt holding thingies (me not english native so not know all words).

No tuners, no nut, no electronics/pickups and neither tailpiece, bridge nor saddle.

It has no jackplate (so no serial) neither but I guess it's a 4001 because it's a mapleglo with that strip of shedua. The carved out spacing for the neck pickup is closer to the neck than the one from my 2010 4003. So is it an early 70ties model then?

But here's the first question before all: I read the 4001 necks are weaker than the 4003s. So will it bear the tension of 8 strings at all or should I rather go safe and make it a common 4 string anyway?

IF it's safe to go for an 8 string model, what about the tailpiece? I studied Joeysbassnotes.com and the 8 string tailpiece looks like a normal 4 string model to me except the additional 2 big screws. Now can I use a common tailpiece (because easy to get) and drill the holes into the piece and the bass' body for these screws? And then drill the holes for the additional 4 strings in its back?

Slotting the saddles is yet another issue. Suggestions?

Now to the head:
I realized its head is a bit smaller than my 4003s head. I probably have to fill the tuner holes and drill new ones. Anything I need to be aware of?
I wonder if I should only double up the D and the G string, modding the bass to a E A Dd Gg set up. Easier on the head's layout and on the overall tension... hmmm...

The truss rods are somewhat loose now. I can fiddle them lightly just with a finger. Is this their normal state when there are no strings?

btw when I write I will drill this and screw there, this might involve taking it to a luthier and have it done. Depends on the requested knowledge (especially the electronics job), but I'd like to get basic infos for now.

Oooops something hit me. No jackplate? No TRC cover? Where would I get these? And how to determine if it is a genuine Rick at all? The young lad told me he had it from a luthier and I just grabbed it. It looked so real to greedy spontaneous me. Saw the ad online, bought it, 1h train travel, got it.

Going out on a very thin limb: If I can get it to work, then I won't really care too much if it's a copy. I'd buy an 8-string Rick immediately but where are they? In a worst case scenario, this will be my custom personal bass with as many original Rick parts as possible. But here I might be at the wrong place to ask for help. Understandably.

Post a picture or two. A lot of folks around here can tell you if it's legit even without any parts...

brought it to a guitar shop. it's officially fake. bummer. and how naive do i feel? well i didn't pay much for it anyway (which was kinda suspicious....)

ok, drop the issue here. i will get me the parts and see how it turns out.

Keep looking for that 8 string, my friend. I'll bet you find one someday!

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Four Rics and Counting!

hmyeah, on the day pigs fly over a frozen hell.

no that's ok. it's body, neck, fingerboard, frets and nut for quite cheap. so i'll see what i'll do with it. some freaky project...