82 4003s

[lumgimfong]

I’m surprised that Ric puts an on a removable plate. That means an unscrupulous person can make their own, etch it then say it’s whatever year they want to sell it. If the pots date wrong, he can just say he put in a new harness. As long as the horn is the right width, Trods are the right kind, what other ways can a Ric bass be dated?

[kiwi]

...what other ways can a Ric bass be dated?

Apart from the truss rods, here a few things to look out for - and this is just what pops into my head as I write this:

- type of tuning machines
- neck construction (1-, 2-, 3- piece, the latter with skunk stripe), flatsawn/quartersawn...
- body routings
- headstock outline, angle and size
- pickguard screw holes (split vs. single)
- tailpiece mounting screw holes (3, 5 or 7 screws)
- tailpiece/bridge assembly (aluminum vs. zinc)
- nut material and colour
- fretboard inlay material and shape (dots, full-width triangles, not-quite-full-widht triangles, crushed pearl vs. whatever...)
... and of course everything electronics (pots, pot knobs, caps, wiring, mono/stereo)

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list by any means. I'm sure there's a few knowledgeable forumites around who could offer additional insight.
Do a forum search for the excellent and highly recommendable "Anatomy Of A Rickenbacker Bass" series of topics (by Ted Staberow / rickfan60)...

[bassduke49]

A lot of information in "the book" too!

[kiwi]

A lot of information in "the book" too!

I knew I forgot something...

It's always interesting that once you dig a little deeper into the subject, you discover so many details which sometimes make it surprisingly easy to date almost any instrument, regardless of the manufacturer - or, maybe more importantly, tell the real thing from a fake.

In the case of my Model 4003 bass, which I bought used as a project (torso only) and came w/o jack plate, I finally managed to narrow the time frame of production down to a period within some 18-20 months. It's probably 87-ish, going by the follwing details:

- trussrod-adjustment already back to its former location behind the nut...
- during production, they still must have fitted the 7-hole tailpiece, telling by the number of screw holes...

The abovementioned "Anatomy Of A Rickenbacker Bass" postings were of invaluable help in this regard, and I can only express my deepest appreciation for rickfan60's work!

BTW: Did I mention that, apart from the forensical aspects, it's also great fun gettin' to known our beloved Ricks a little better every day?!?