OK Paul...here's your dream bass

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Feb 06, 2003 2:44 am

We'll see who will be the lucky buyer AND who the mistery seller is.

gregson1 · Post by **gregson1** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 3:46 pm

This is exactly the bass I wish Rickenbacker would reproduce.

dminer · Post by **dminer** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 4:27 pm

It's already gone way beyond what my 2001 Vintage Guitar Price Guide suggests $3500.00 tops. Of course my guide is 2 years old, and it still hasn't reached the reserve!! With a zero feedback sunglassed bidder! I don't think it's going to sell....Greg, I'm with you, and I'm sure Paul is also.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 7:24 pm

Yes, David. I've been wishing that RIC would reproduce it, and add one more fret to complete 4 octaces of the notes E.

That, my friend, would be real ecstsy!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Feb 07, 2003 7:41 pm

Ya ... wouldn't it be cool if Ric reissued a 4001 with checkered binding and triangular inlays ...

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 12:23 am

I second the motion!

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 3:18 am

Third!

davecondra · Post by **davecondra** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 7:28 am

That would be the ultimate reissue. Also, if they would make the 3-screw tailpiece like the old ones (the ones that don't bend). I have two '72's with the old 3-screw, slot tailpiece and they sit perfectly flush with the body. Beautiful. My '73, V-63, and CS all pull away. (We've all seen this). I compared the weight of the two different tailpieces and the old one is lighter. Why did they change the material (alloy, whatever..).
Mr. Hall, can you enlighten us?

bassman · Post by **bassman** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 7:33 am

Personally, I don't want to see the factory ever reissue a 4000 Series bass with checkered binding and full width triangular inlays.
Those of us who own a 4001 with these original features would find that the value and the demand for our basses would drop.
Checkered binding in the 4000 Series is a thing of the past, so are the full width inlays, Grover tuners, split tailpiece and thumb rests. I hope it stays that way.
If RIC ever opens a custom shop, then that's a different matter. At least those instruments would be one offs.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 8:39 am

As JH has said before, without the availability of certain materials today, the classic 60/early 70,s look will not return anytime in the near future. These are still to many the best basses for overall look and sound, even with the problems that we know affect them. The truss rods alone have counted for the demise of many, and we are talking about fairly low production numbers, especially for the 60,s basses, even with all the debate on original units produced...1 of 17..that,s always going to be a collectible. Even with the V and C re-issues of recent years, the originals when they do turn up still are deemed most collectible, and depending on condition/market attract a lot of attention....

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 9:24 am

let's face it a reissue is never the same as the original .... but why do ALL the reissue basses have the damn dots instead of the triangles?

I don't care what Sir Paul used ... I like the triangles and binding on a 4001 .... I was always dissapointed with the 5 and 8 string models having the damn dots also .... heck I'd even like to see triangles on the 4004 ...

Hey the triangles are part of the signature look of the Rickenbacker bass ...

well time to get off my soapbox ...

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 10:01 am

you know ... that brings up the point that a 4003 is basically an updated modernized reissue of the 4001 ... if you take a 4003 and put in a toaster, horseshoe and a capaciter you have basically the same bass as an old '60s model ... or if you leave it stock you have a bass that essentially looks like the old bass but sounds more modern ...

Even so I still like my '68 4001 ...

they just don't make any more old guitars ... they only make new ones ...

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 11:12 am

Very good point Bassman. If RIC continues to reissue all of the old models, it may have the effect of making a relatively old instrument less desirable for some and perhaps a reduction in value may result. I suppose one way to determine this will be to have a good hard look at the V series values as the C series comes on line.

gregson1 · Post by **gregson1** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 1:47 pm

Well...I used to care about the collector market until I sold all of my collector basses...except the 4002--and I'd love to see a reissue of that, value be damned. I've never really had much of a chance to own an early 4001 and it seems a very short step away from the 4001C64 to produce a deluxe model of that same instrument. It has the feature set that I want. The early 4001 deluxe basses didn't have the sparkle inlay--it seemed a rather plain, sort of an off white, so that couldn't be that tough to reproduce. The block-binding seems available enough.

A new bass will never command the same value as an old one, as long as it's in decent condition, so I wouldn't worry about the old ones holding their value--especially if the design calls for that reversed head stock that I hate so much. What a shame that feature was included on the 4001C64, as all it does is make a V63 loaded with C64 parts a much more interesting prospect to me. To each his own, I guess.

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Sat Feb 08, 2003 3:20 pm

Greg,
I had a similar conversation with someone on this board awhile back about the wide inlays. They are producing the 660 series with wide inlays that are not the crushed pearl type stuff, but it still looks much better IMHO than the more narrow inlay. It looks fairly close to the wide inlay stuff they used in the 60s, and I think it would be great for a reissue bass. Maybe some purists would object to it, but I'd be fine with something like that... As for the checkerboard binding, the 660 has that too, they could probably do it the same way...