Rare 1971 4001-S ? or what?

gaboik · Post by **gaboik** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 4:56 am

If there is anyone that can bring closure to this issue, please come forward. I own a Rick bass which I bought in 1980. This bass was hanging on a peg board, in the back of a music store that used to set up my 75 4001. The repairman asked me to step to the back where he did his work so that I could tell him if the action was OK. Upon entering, I noticed, on the wall, was a Rick 4001-S hanging. I knew it had to be older than my 75 because it had walnut wingsand a slit in the bridge. I asked him what the story was with the bass, he said that it had been there before he started working there. I offered to buy it, and he sold it to me for $200.00 Now, here comes the good part. The bass was missing the bass pick-up and the pick guard, but aside from that, it was intact. My question is being that the 4001-s was discontinued around 1969, what is my bass considered? the serial number starts with K, which makes it a 71 model. Here are the details: The bass has the neck-thru design. The bass has the factory routing for the bass pick-up, There is no skunk stripe on the neck, it has a dot fingerboard, mono output and old style truss rod cover that doesn't state a model number.(unlike my 75) I own a mid 70's 4000, and that has a glued on neck and is totally different than this 71. I can supply a picture to anyone interested.
Please let me know if you know of this model, is it a rare one, or an over glorified 4000.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 6:58 am

Charlie: If you send me a pic I will try my best to help you. E-mail me at:

vintagericks@yahoo.com

From what you describe, it is possible that you may have either model. Rickenbacker started using the newer neck design around 1970-71 with the 'skunk stripe'; the 'set-neck' basses also started appearing around this time, possibly a little later...

Even though the rout is there for the neck p/up, was there evidence of anything being soldered to the existing wiring? Were there 4 pots instead of two?? or did they go with the pickguard?? With some of the others chiming in, hopefully we can get it solved for you......

gaboik · Post by **gaboik** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:51 am

Hi John, The pick guard was gone along with the pots. The only electronic pieces were the wire from the treble pickup, the wire from the output jack and the ground wire from the bridge. I will be sending you a picture soon.
The neck on this bass is of the ultra skinny type. I own 5 rick basses and this one has the thinnest neck of them all.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 2:14 pm

Hmmmmmm, very interesting. Any way that you send a pic(s) of this bass?
Jwilli1130@aol.com

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 2:18 pm

Hmmmmmm, very interesting. Any way that you send a pic(s) of this bass?
Jwilli1130@aol.com

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 5:35 am

Charlie, thanks for the Pic.. I think we should look at the rout of the neck pickup---if its a factory rout, it will look a certain way; Mark the MD should be able to confirm this. The treble p/up looks good for a '71, and your bass sure does have a cool look to it. Too bad the guts were gone out of it, but that's okay. We'll find out what it is!!!

Is there any writing in the control cavity??

gaboik · Post by **gaboik** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 7:03 am

Hello John, I've had the bass put away for years. I own 25 instruments and that rick is way in the back. I will probably take it out this weekend so that I can take some better pictures of it. I will send you photos as soon as I take them. When I bought it, the bass was only 9 years old, and who knows how long it was hanging in the music store, so the parts do look decent on it. I remember comparing the rout to the one on my 75 4001, and they were similar. My 75 was made 1/75 and originally came with a white pick guard with the bass pick up closer to the neck. I installed a black pick guard and a black truss rod cover to boot. The picture that i sent to you was taken in 1981 I have the 71 in an anvil road case.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 8:27 am

I know that in the late '70s they were taking model 4000 basses and adding the neck p/up at the factory, although I don't know how many, or when they started this practice... I chat with a guy who has a left-handed one, made in 1977. It has a set-neck as well.

gaboik · Post by **gaboik** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 10:38 am

My 73 4000 is calling for that additional pick-up to be added. It's a nice sounding bass, but it sometimes lacks that lower end sound and I end up adding it with EQ. The problem with adding the pick-up is that if you were to rout a hole for it, it seems like the neck joint will lose support where it needs it most. How do the late 70s basses get their hole routed? Is there any difference in neck joints between a 73 and a 79?
If there isn't, then I guess that the neck joint will be fine with the added pick-up. Also, my 4001 CS has a toaster with 6 pole pieces. Did rickenbacker ever make a toaster with 4 pole pieces. The level on each string is fine, so I guess it doesn't make much difference with the 6 poles.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 1:16 pm

I have a 1975 4001S WHT that has a set neck - and a 4000 nameplate! It was a special order by a RIC dealer at the time, so it's factory stock. As John states above, the factory converted a 4000 to a 4001S by routing a place for the second pickup. If I get a chance (it won't be soon, as the next two weekends are tied up), I will pull the pickguard and take a picture of the rout area.

gaboik · Post by **gaboik** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 1:58 pm

hello Gary, wow, I cannot belive that Rickenbacker was doing that way back in 75. Do you notice, or have you had any problems as far as the bass being weak at the neck joint? Also, is the pick-up on your bass closer to the neck( Pre 75),or is it placed more towards the center of the pick guard? The difference would matter alot due to the amount of wood surface the neck and body have to make a good glue joint.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 2:33 pm

I think if you insist on routing a set neck 4000 to do the neck PU, it could be done more safely than factory; i.e.,you simply rout only enough to get clearance around the back of the PU and the magnet depth.Rick always seems to have routed a bigger hole than was actually needed, but the extra space Can facilitate quicker assembly at the factory of the pickguard and all it's loose wires on the backside of it.

gaboik · Post by **gaboik** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 4:13 pm

Hi Don, Good point! I will keep that in mind if and when I cross that bridge.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Mon Aug 05, 2002 3:55 pm

Charlie,
I'm getting some pictures and measurements of the routed area on my '75 together; I should have them ready in the next few days. One thing I can tell you (and Don) is that on mine the routing was 'terraced', that is, the cuts were varying depths, shallower near the edges, with only the area under the pickup cut deep. Once I get the pics ready this will be clearly seen.
In regard to any problems with this guitar, I haven't had any, but I've owned it only a year or so (I am the second owner, and the original owner hardly played it). There are no physical indications of a weak neck joint that I can see, nor does its playability reveal any flaws.

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Mon Aug 05, 2002 9:31 pm

Gary,
Most, if not All Rick basses have the "terraced"
routing under the neck PU, as well as under the bridge.