Getting a Vintage Rickenbacker Bass restored ?

[bassslug]

Dear Rickresource members, My Uncle recently passed away and left all of his old musical equipment to me as I was the only musician in the family. Amonst the rubble I found a 1964 4001s Bass, a local vintage shop verified its year by the electronic compoents and serial number. It was my intention to have Rickenbacker restore this piece of history to it orginal state, as it has a lot of issues. However to my horror the guy I spoke to from rickenbacker informed me that they don't do that sort of thing??????? and suggested I go on here and seek advise, so it here I am....a little disapointed I can tell you. Please someone restore my faith in humanity and tell I have some route to go with this !!!!!!

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Donald - Sounds cool.

Start by posting some pictures and you will get a flood of expert opinion.

The letters and numbers on the jackplate will date it precisely.

Good luck on the restoration!

[Lefty4003S8]

Welcome to the forum. A '64 4001s is a beautiful thing!!!! Pictures would DEFINATELY be helpful.

What are the issues you are referring to????

[collin]

Keep calm, Donald.

Just sell it to me...and I'll take care of it.

[vjf1968]

If your in on near South New Jersy call Pick Of The Ricks or email them http://www.pickofthericks.com/. They deal with Rickenbacker guitars and basses exclusively so they might send you in the right direction.

[8mileshigh]

Maybe the issues aren't big issues? Looking forward to seeing photos.

[edski]

Without knowing much more, I'd suggest Larry Davis in Florida.

http://davisguitarworks.com/site/index.php

[wints]

Welcome Donald.

Where are you located? UK/USA?

Please post a few pics as others have mentioned. We can tell more then...

[Fred Mertz]

Talk to DR. Quist at the BeatGearCavern.com forum. He's a former Rick luthier He has done work for me in the past.

Good Luck, Dave

[bassslug]

Hi Guy's
Thanks for all the feed back the issues are as follows. The neck looks like it was broken near the headstock, in an attempted repair someone glued it back on and laid a very bad new fret board over it. So its needs a neck repair and new fret board with correct dot marks on , new Truss rods and a full strip down and re-spray. I am in Ireland but will ship to US to get the correct job on this, still can believe that Rickenbacker won't entertain this request if I was Sir Paul McCartnery they'd be falling over themselves to help.....dissapointing. Here is a few pics of her, Serial number is DA009

[wints]

RIC has no interest in old guitars and basses, unless as you mention, they are coming from a name musician. They are focused on selling as many new instruments as possible.

Now...back to the interesting stuff!

DA 009...Wow...The lowest serial number on a '64 bass I've seen. What a great find. Yes, she needs lots of work, but most of the original hardware seems intact, including the horseshoe and bobbin. Very encouraging!

I'd still be hesitant about shipping to the US from Ireland. There must be a luthier from the UK who could repair and refinish this bass. It's still pretty straightforward from that perspective. What say the UK members on the board...(Graham G!)

[bassduke49]

Looks like the bridge (which rests in the tailpiece) is a replacement as well. I'll bet that the black finish isn't original; you don't see many Jetglo basses from this era.

[Lefty4003S8]

If it was purchased new, within Ireland....that would make it an RM1999 and it would have been FireGlo. Right???

GREAT find!!!!!

[leftybass]

DA 009...Wow...The lowest serial number on a '64 bass I've seen. What a great find.

+1. That is really cool..!

[bassduke49]

If it was purchased new, within Ireland....that would make it an RM1999 and it would have been FireGlo. Right???

GREAT find!!!!!

From all the evidence I found, yes.