Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

When will we get them in Germany?

I saw the original run of Noir's when they were released, but I noticed that Ron O'Keefe mentioned a "4002 run of Noirs" early in this thread, and I certainly WOULD have noticed that! Having seen, played, and drooled over the first 4002 models when they first came out in the late '70s early '80s period(the time-period blurs for me but I know it was when I was a young man!), I would love to know more about these 4002 Noir models. Where they like the original 4002s, with the high impedence input jack, special pickups, etc.? I realize that they shared an ebony fretboard with the 4002, but were they officially labeled as 4002 models by the factory?

This is what I get for not checking in here for a couple of months!

squirebass wrote:I saw the original run of Noir's when they were released, but I noticed that Ron O'Keefe mentioned a "4002 run of Noirs" early in this thread, and I certainly WOULD have noticed that! Having seen, played, and drooled over the first 4002 models when they first came out in the late '70s early '80s period(the time-period blurs for me but I know it was when I was a young man!), I would love to know more about these 4002 Noir models. Where they like the original 4002s, with the high impedence input jack, special pickups, etc.? I realize that they shared an ebony fretboard with the 4002, but were they officially labeled as 4002 models by the factory?

This is what I get for not checking in here for a couple of months!

I believe it was just an old set of 4002 wings, so the binding (and the wood itself) is all that it would have in common. No XLR, no split coil pickups, etc.

I don't think 4002 body wings were ever used on a Noir. The taper of current neck and body blanks where they're joined is different, so 4002 body wings wouldn't look right joined to a current neck blank. Also, since 4002's usually had pretty nice maple, I doubt RIC would paint over nice maple.

Thanks for the clarifications guys, and yeah, I'd be all over those Noirs if they were made in that mapleglo or autumnglo burst that some of the original 4002s had. But then they wouldn't be Noir's now would they?
I'm impressed with the energy that Ben is bringing to RIC, he's obviously got a vision about where he wants to go with this company, and these Noir's are no exception.

My bad. The "4002" reference in my post was a typo. Should have been 4003. By the time I noticed, it was too late to correct it.

squirebass wrote:I saw the original run of Noir's when they were released, but I noticed that Ron O'Keefe mentioned a "4002 run of Noirs" early in this thread, and I certainly WOULD have noticed that! Having seen, played, and drooled over the first 4002 models when they first came out in the late '70s early '80s period(the time-period blurs for me but I know it was when I was a young man!), I would love to know more about these 4002 Noir models. Where they like the original 4002s, with the high impedence input jack, special pickups, etc.? I realize that they shared an ebony fretboard with the 4002, but were they officially labeled as 4002 models by the factory?

This is what I get for not checking in here for a couple of months!

libratune wrote:My bad. The "4002" reference in my post was a typo. Should have been 4003. By the time I noticed, it was too late to correct it.

squirebass wrote:I saw the original run of Noir's when they were released, but I noticed that Ron O'Keefe mentioned a "4002 run of Noirs" early in this thread, and I certainly WOULD have noticed that! Having seen, played, and drooled over the first 4002 models when they first came out in the late '70s early '80s period(the time-period blurs for me but I know it was when I was a young man!), I would love to know more about these 4002 Noir models. Where they like the original 4002s, with the high impedence input jack, special pickups, etc.? I realize that they shared an ebony fretboard with the 4002, but were they officially labeled as 4002 models by the factory?

This is what I get for not checking in here for a couple of months!

see what you started? ha ha ha ha ha

libratune wrote:My bad. The "4002" reference in my post was a typo. Should have been 4003. By the time I noticed, it was too late to correct it.

Well, it got me all hot and bothered!

I've been kicking myself for decades for not snapping up one of the 4002's when they came out. I saw one in early '81 or '82, and shoulda bought it but I didn't have the $