My Old '69 4001 Burgundyglo

fran4001 · Post by **fran4001** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 4:49 pm

Did anybody here end up with my old '69 4001 BG, serial number IA-007? Just curious. I had it from '87 until '01 I think. It went to the Bass Palace, then rumor has it, to Chicago Music Exchange. Then Lord knows where. I hope it found a loving home. I do miss her, but she probably got too expensive to buy back. I hope she ended up here!

maplered · Post by **maplered** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 6:00 pm

I remember seeing that on the Bass Palace's page way back when and I think it was priced in the low $2k range. I wish I would have bought it at the time, it was beautiful.

marcinkus · Post by **marcinkus** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:29 am

It would be nice to see some pics of that bass...

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:27 am

Sounds beautiful. I'd seriously like a BG 4001 from the 60's. Very rare....
As it was one of the first made in 69, it's probably very close to my Dec 68 4001, which has a 4 digit serial number and has the thinnest neck I've ever seen or played on a Ric.
Essentially a 68 bass I would imagine.

bassman · Post by **bassman** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 4:57 am

I almost bought your bass from Bob the Swami. I believe the price was $2200.00 if I remember correctly.

In the end I decided to pass because something else came up.
Bob sold the bass at one of the vintage shows in the south.

Here's a photo of your old friend.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:46 am

That's a beauty....

Wonder where she is today?

fran4001 · Post by **fran4001** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:01 am

Thanks for the pic! I've got lots that I could scan and post. She had the darkest eggplant color, almost black. And the thinnest neck, just like the '68. Pot dates were April '68, and she had a green hi-gain treble pickup with adjustable poles. Sounded great. I sold it to Bob at the Bass Palace when in need of cash. I had 3 other 4001s at the time, so it didn't hurt real bad. It does now! I got it off the original owner, who bought it in early '70 for an all-girl band he was managing. Came from Gallucci Music here in Scranton, PA. The silver case still had their name "Fraulein" stenciled on the sides! I'm sure it was a '68 that was on the line through Christmas and New Year's, and then got #7 put on within days of the factory reopening after the holidays. Nice theory anyway. It's a superb bass. Couldn't be too many '69 BGs. Anybody have a guess? I'll see what I can do about pics. I may need your help here, 'cause I'm not too deft around computers. Got several nice ones though!

chefothefuture · Post by **chefothefuture** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:18 am

The one at Chicago Music was my old one. A very dark FG....

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:40 am

That's one beautiful and rare 4001 to be sure, Fran. As I usually say, 'Rickenbacker magic at its strongest'. You say you miss it. I totally sympathize. I truly hope you find it eventually. How about a couple of pics?

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:15 am

That's exactly the color I want my future v68 to be. Eggplant Burgundyglo. RIC can abbreviate it to EBG.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 11:18 am

I love that hue of BG too, I'm having a bass refinned like that as we speak. Jon's 73 is about that dark, this 69 looks a little darker I believe....

maplered · Post by **maplered** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 11:31 am

John,

My old 69 Fireglo was at the Chicago Music Exchange. I wonder if we owned the same bass? It had an extra set of thumbrest screws on the pickguard and at the time CME had it, someone had replaced the original high gain w/ a horseshoe.

I wish I still had that bass. I was stupid to have sold it.

chefothefuture · Post by **chefothefuture** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:42 pm

I sold the bass to some one named Darryl(I think).
It had screwholes from a thumbrest. The thing that stuck me about it was the shading on the back of the neck was uneven. The bridge PU was the olive phenolic bobbin.
I installed horseshoes from a 40s lap PU. I still have the
magnet from it somewhere....
I still have the PU cover!
I wish I still had it too....

maplered · Post by **maplered** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 2:42 pm

Yep, I wasn't sure how the horseshoe got there. Didn't realize it was an old one. I assumed it was a reissue. I think CME had it up for $5k. When I bought it, about 7 or so years ago, I payed $1800 for it. I can't believe I got rid of it. I am soooo stupid.

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 3:18 pm

Ahhh, that old dark BG from '68. A great finish.