Rickenfaker?

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:58 pm

http://www.capsulemusic.com/retail/detail.asp?ID=3117

The maple wood and FG coloring looks like an Ibanez lawsuit to me. Anyone confirm this?

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:03 pm

Looks okay to me. But there's others with sharper eyes than I.

relayer4u · Post by **relayer4u** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:07 pm

The inlays look too large and abalone like, plus the bridge pickup surround seems too thin at the top. Don't like the look of the tuners either.

But I have been wrong before!

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:08 pm

Looks okay to me.

ajish4 · Post by **ajish4** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:45 pm

Check this one out!

http://www.schloffguitars.de/bilder/home3.JPG

http://www.schloffguitars.de/

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:09 pm

I'm pretty sure that other one is a fake, though.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:15 am

The FG 4001 is the real thing.

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:51 am

The second one doesn't 'pretend to be a Ric' - but
Ric must be getting sick of seeing their shapes re-used.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:36 am

The one at Capsule Music looks like the real thing. They're one of the better "vintage" shops in Toronto and should know their stuff.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:25 am

One of my favorite indicators of a faker is the color of the fretboard wood and inlays. This one looks spot-on to be genuine.

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:34 am

First one is genuine
Second one is a joke

morrow · Post by **morrow** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:45 am

They have had quite a number of Rics go through Capsule over the years although it's been a while since they posted one. I would hope they would spot a faker. I don't think they would pass off a copy as the real thing.

Most fireglo 4001 basses have a nice amber tint to them now but sometimes the photograph does not really represent the actual colour.

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:53 am

Yes, but the second one comes in 4.5 or 6 string...

It's funny..they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, yet here is a German guitar maker, who is trying to make a unique high quality instrument, but chooses to copy other makes styles.

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:16 am

Hmm... I agree.
Yesterday a local guy brought his early '70s Kay "4001" over for some adjustments and repairs. Besides being a copy, the instrument screams "poor quality". It looks almost homemade. Only the pickups on it, though they're microphonic and not very pleasant to look at, do have some quality, meaning they're hot and sound good. If I remember correctly, Kay did produce some nice, original instruments in the '60s and maybe '50s. Why did they then decide to start producing poor quality copies? Is the company still around? (I don't believe so)

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:42 am

"... here is a German guitar maker, who is trying to make a unique high quality instrument, but chooses to copy other makes styles"

Maybe they think they can improve on the original design, like Lull, Sadowsky etc. building boutique Fender style basses. They do so not because they want to copy other make's style, or because they can't come up with their own design, but simply because that is what their customers ask them to build.

Compared to many original-design boutique basses, usually with wild "organic" shapes or those single-cutaway high-ends with those horrid lumps, you have to admit this one looks much better.