First White 4001?

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ilan
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First White 4001?

Post by ilan »

According to the Ric Finish Timeline in Mike Parks' website, white was introduced in 1970. But I've never seen or heard of a white pre-73 4001, that must have had checkered binding.

So when did the first white Model 4001 appear?
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rictified
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Post by rictified »

There was a picture of Maurice Gibb in bassplayer with a white on white 4001 with a toaster in it the month after he died, I don't know what year it was but I think the picture was from sometime during 1971 or 72.
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Post by rickcrazy »

Probably this photo is the same as the one on the cover of "To Whom It May Concern" (1972).
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bottom4
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Post by bottom4 »

I think that's Wints' RM1999
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wints
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Post by wints »

No, not my bass Andy. Sergio's correct on that one. That is the 4001 with the full width MOP that he had around 71/72 and came after his RM1999 that I own. He was obviously very keen on white and probably bought one of the first factory finishes for a bass.
There are probably no more than a handful of the pre 73 basses in white out there and I've still yet to see one.
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cheyenne
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Post by cheyenne »

I wanna see a white 4005.
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jps
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Post by jps »

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nattiep
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Post by nattiep »

Lol. Negative!
1976 Rickenbacker 4001
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ilan
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Post by ilan »

Thanks! I've never seen that Bee Gees LP. I can't find a big enough picture on the web to see if it has checkerboard binding - anyone has the actual cover and can look?
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ken_swearingen
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Post by ken_swearingen »

I saw a white 72 on ebay a few years ago it had checkers and pearly inlays...I thought someone here got it ???
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Post by marty »

I don't have the LP, but here's a pic of the cover.

Even if you enlargen the pic, it's hard to see any binding, but then again it's not clear enough to tell:

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ilan
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Post by ilan »

Yes, I think it may be just plain white binding. Hard to tell.

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Post by ken_swearingen »

Wints would know he knows where that bass went.Doesn't squire have or had a 8 string potato head in white???
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Post by rickcrazy »

I do have the original LP. Maurice's white 4001 definitely has block binding.
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wints
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Post by wints »

I'm not sure if this is the same bass used later on in the disco period. I was told that a white bass was given by Maurice to a D.J. friend in the U.K.
In Smith's book there is a note about a 71 special order white bass with a bound head and special pickguard. It also had a black nameplate with white lettering. Could this be that bass?
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