My March '73 4001 has the checkerboard and full width inlays, and split bridge, and my August '73 doesn't have any of those things. I got that one new in November '73. They both have the walnut skunk stripe, and the enclosed Rotomatic tuners, and black nuts.
I have a white nut on my April 73 4001. It's factory stock. The bass also has checkered binding, full width MOP inlays, split tailpiece, silk screened TRC, Grover boxed wave tuners, small headstock with a skunk stripe running through the centre of the bass. Although it's very difficult to see due to the darkness of the Burgundyglo finish.
I gotta guess the bass pictured above is a early 73 because of the MOP inlays. I've never seen them on a 72 before, only sparkle inlays.
I dunno, those look like crushed pearl (sparkle) inlays to me. My Nov. 72 Mapleglo has the crushed pearl inlays, walnut "skunk" stripe, checker binding, "split" mute cage, closed Grover tuners with flat keys, white nut, toaster and what was probably an early high-gain for the bridge pickup.
Author: "The Rickenbacker Electric Bass - 50 Years As Rock's Bottom"
David, since your August '73 doesn't have any of the old features, mine must have been one of the last ones to have checkered binding...maybe it was the last one. It would be cool to find out if that was the case.