1981

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:26 am

Going through available RIC catalogs and noticed the huge variety of Rickenbacker basses that were available in the 1981 catalog. Featured were:
3000
3001
4000
4001
4001S
4002
4003
4005
4005 WB (white bound)
and if they weren't enough:
4080
4080/12

Strangely missing was fretless option, but it may have been available by special order. Later catalogs feature fretless 4001 as a separate model.

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:36 am

The year of birth of my JG 4080!
I know for a fact that some of us wish we could go back to that year.
4002 & 4005 sales would be through the roof!

The trim options were most likely quite varied also.

john_l · Post by **john_l** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 1:22 pm

And there was a 4003S available too!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 1:33 pm

naaa ... it can't be golden ... the 4003s5 and the 4003s8 weren't in there ...

1986 would be my choice for a golden year ...

4003, 4003s5, 4003s8, 2030, 4003fl, 4003s, 2050, 4001v63

they had cool colors like white, red, silver, and they had black trim ...

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:08 pm

Remember we saw that '82 with checkered binding - would it be available as an option then?

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:33 pm

An '82 with checker binding? Maybe on a 4002.

byu · Post by **byu** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:40 pm

Paul, fretless was a special option in '81. My '81 4001S is fretless.

wints · Post by **wints** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:33 am

CB was an option in 82 and not exclusive to the 4002.

Here's one fine example for sale at present....

http://cgi.ebay.nl/Rickenbacker-4001-4003-c64-c64s-fender-precision-jazz_W0QQitemZ330032462938QQihZ014QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:45 am

That one will give Ilan a heart flutter. Nice bass but a big price.

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:41 am

Oh dear. IIRC he paid $1,600 for it.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:46 am

Hmm... The seller of the '82 4001 with block binding is in Spain. Too bad I'm broke at the moment, otherwise I'd make that baby MINE!

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:08 am

That bass is only a white guard and TRC away from being THE WHITE SHADOW!

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:52 am

Hmm. Thanks, Bill. I wasn't aware that you could special order checker binding. I also wonder if it might have been one of the production lots for export to Japan. I believe you could get checker binding on a Rick in Japan long after it was replaced by solid binding on the US market. Hmm. More fodder for the book.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:44 am

I believe you could get checker binding on a Rick in Japan long after it was replaced by solid binding on the US market.

I didn't know your book was going to be in the fiction genre.

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:12 am

John, I think Paul is referring to these models:

http://www.rickbeat.com/modelslibrary/4003vpcb/4003vpcb.htm