NBD -- What color is it?
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
-
- New member
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:18 pm
NBD -- What color is it?
Greetings everyone -- new forum member, and once again a Ric owner after a 30-year break. I just bought a 4003 and I've been trying to figure out what color it is. So far, I've narrowed it down to "red". Going by pictures on the web, it's not as sherbet-y as Plumglo, and not as tomato-y as Ruby Red. Up close, it looks metallic, with tiny sparkles not visible from a foot or more away. The date by the Ric-O-Sound jack says it's from 2014. Any ideas? Thanks everyone, and I look forward to conversing in the future.
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
IMO it's a modern-era Ruby, IIRC that finish was still available in 2014 ... yes, a check of the Register shows a number of 4003s from 2014 in Ruby.
I think that the "tomato-ish" Ruby you are referring to was an earlier iteration of the finish. I had a 4001 from 1982 that was the "light red" version of Ruby.
I think that the "tomato-ish" Ruby you are referring to was an earlier iteration of the finish. I had a 4001 from 1982 that was the "light red" version of Ruby.
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
-
- New member
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:18 pm
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
Thanks, Doc!
- bassduke49
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6553
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
Definitely Ruby. The "new" Ruby was available as a standard color from 2011 to 2016. Nice one!
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
I had four examples of various Rickenbacker reds in my earlier "Take the Reds, Man!" thread:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=396089
Here's one of the pictures from that thread, showing the 1982 4001 Ruby on the far right (next to a 610 Ruby):
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=396089
Here's one of the pictures from that thread, showing the 1982 4001 Ruby on the far right (next to a 610 Ruby):
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
- bassduke49
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6553
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
Ahh, the fretless Burgundy 4000! One of the stars in the book!
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
-
- New member
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:18 pm
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
That brings back memories. My first bass, in '77 or so, was a black 4000 which the previous owner had defretted.
- jai_the_bass
- New member
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:50 pm
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
I do prefer the later Ruby colour - here's my "tomato" from 1986
Can we have a bit more talent in the monitors please.....?
- bassduke49
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6553
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2003 5:00 am
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
The earliest Ruby finish (started in 1981) was a "kandy kolor" - a translucent red applied over a silver base. I'm pretty sure the same goes for the early Midnight Blue (introduced in '85). But after a few years they went to a metallic red (and blue). Ruby was discontinued in '89, but brought back in 2011 and was a stock color until '16. The "new" Ruby was darker than the old Ruby. Midnight Blue continued to be a standard color until last year (?) when it was discontinued.
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
Re: NBD -- What color is it?
I like the newer Ruby better than the old, it seems a little brighter to me, may be the metallic component.