A seafoam 4003 - love it or hate it?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 6:15 pm

I walked into the Boston Com Ave. GC sometime during the summer of 2001 and there were at least 15 used Ric basses hanging there and the Sea Green instantly caught my eye. I loved it right away (I like all the pastels). It looked brand new, had the original strings on it and everything. the salesman thought it was an 87 and ugly, I had never heard of COY back then and thought it had been refinished or was a custom order or something. I walked out with it for 750.00 haha! I also got an excellent condition 78 Azureglo 4001 the same day for about 800-800.00. forgot the exact price. I think those days are just about over. The Sea Green is still mint just about, I very rarely take it out, it sounds great though, nice and big with the Tetrahedons I have on it. (love that word reminds me of an organic chemistry molecule).

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 7:06 pm

Bob, you can say Pyramid here. It's OK. Not OK on the company site. Don't really understand why, though.

wints · Post by **wints** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:55 pm

I think there are very few of the Seagreen basses. I cannot recall seeing one on eBay in the last few years, (anybody?) and, with only Tim Sarter selling his here.

Bob has his one, but the rest are few and far between.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 2:32 am

The last SG bass I saw on E-bay was at least 3-4 years ago. It was a 4003 that went for around $1600. Still kicking myself...

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 2:37 am

Bryce ... post some pics PLEASE !!!
I love the Sea Green finish

Bob

markbass99 · Post by **markbass99** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:22 am

I don't know why more people don't consider this but wouldn't it be easier to find a mapleglo from that particular year and have Paul W or Dale refin it to sea green? The level of work they do just blows me away and I would think that the results would be too close to call. The reason I suggested mapleglo is because the overspray would look correct. Of course this is not a cheap way to go but at least it's attainable. I've personally given up on finding a '73 azureglo so I bought a fireglo that was a little beat up and I'm going to have Paul do his thing. If you saw the posts and pics of his restoration on Bill Yantz's guitar(Rickenbacker Forum) you would be very impressed.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:29 am

It is a good idea, Mark and one that I have considered for a long time. But I'm holding out for the right Rick. Part of the problem with doing that to a mapleglo is that you'll be covering up the most select woodgrain of the RIC pile.

Example: I bought a 4003SMG on ebay a couple years back planning on having it re-finned in Sea Green. On the only ebay photo the grain looked as boring as a sheet of plywood. When I got it I realized that it had very nice figuring around the edges. Now I don't want to cover it up! I might re-fin it in Aquaglo though!

Another problem is the cost of a re-fin. And if you're gonna do it, you'd probably feel better about it if you could find one that was a little beat-up.

For those of us that are obsessive enough to do it, its really great to have the option to change color with a factory-quality re-fin, but I can understand why not too many are.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:09 am

There used to be a member here with the user name of Sea Green. He hasn't posted now for a while, maybe lurking?
Paul I know you can say Pyramid here, I just think it's kind of funny, especially the first time it happened to me on the Ric Site, I typed it in two or three times before I realized what was going on, someone has a sense of humor over there.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:13 am

Mark, did you ever contact Simon Mole? I think he's got an early AZ w/ all the goodies.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:26 am

I have an early '73 4001 that was originally Azureglo and was sunbequently stripped and later refinished (badly). When I have the funds, it's going to Paul or Dale for a refin back to Azureglo... or Sea Green.

tsarter · Post by **tsarter** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:27 am

"I think there are very few of the Seagreen basses. I cannot recall seeing one on eBay in the last few years, (anybody?) and, with only Tim Sarter selling his here. "

Ouch! - do you have to remind me? I've been sorry since the day I sold it. Was in a position where I had no choice (financially). At least I know it went to a good home.

- Tim

markbass99 · Post by **markbass99** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:01 am

Yea I know Simon's got one but the cost would be prohibitive on that one, if he wanted to sell. The only other one's I know of are the one with the cut off neck and I guess yours Steve. What is the first two letters of your s/n?

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:35 am

I'm not sure of the two letter code, but I remember it being spring of 1973. Full width inlays, but not sparkle. It just about broke my heart when I saw the original Azureglo in the pickup cavities (it was stripped to natural when I got it). A luthier friend offered to refin it for free, and while he's usually very good, it didn't turn out the way I wanted. At some point I will get it refinished properly.

wints · Post by **wints** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:40 am

Very few early (pre 73) AZG basses about. I missed out on a Feb 73 last year by a couple of hours for $1200...it's in Texas somewhere...

brycycle · Post by **brycycle** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:11 am

which years did ric offer the 4003 in seafoam? i'll run the serial and post some pics when it's in my possession.