Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Grabbed one off a friend who recently nabbed it from a co worker. Neck and radius are perfect and the thinness of the body is something I didn't know I needed 'til I played it. A lot more comfortable and solid than the bolt on Fender knock off I had prior. Couple questions though:

Would the neck be set or thru to the end of the body for this year? Not totally bothered if it's the former, just curious.

Fret board is original but it was converted to fretless way back . Do the Stew Mac sizes listed here for a '78 apply to '73 as well? The luthier recommended to me has a large collection of NOS parts on hand but a specific fret wire seems like kind it may be kind of an outlier. Would like to keep it as original as possible...

I'd venture a statement that all 4000 models made in the 70s were set neck.

You'll know easily since the set neck models have a "step" from where the neck heel meets the body it's glued into, and also the "skunk stripe" from the neck wood won't continue through the rest of the body, at least on transparent finishes.

Those are cool basses, congrats.


EDIT: Yes, the stock fretwire you're looking for is Stew Mac #0148

This is the "step" you mentioned I take it?



The jetglo doesn't cover a stripe that would otherwise be there I'm guessing? It's part of the build depending on the year & the wood used? Nice detail...

collin wrote:Yes, the stock fretwire you're looking for is Stew Mac #0148

Nice one. I'll pass that on if need be. Thx!

LBx wrote:This is the "step" you mentioned I take it?



The jetglo doesn't cover a stripe that would otherwise be there I'm guessing? It's part of the build depending on the year & the wood used? Nice detail...

Yep that’s the step, it’s a set neck.


The vast majority from that era are Fireglo, Mapleglo and sometimes Burgundyglo which are all transparent and show the skunk stripe (or lack thereof) unlike opaque finishes Jetglo or Azureglo

Exhibit A:


Exhibit B: