Has anyone came across this on e-bay?

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:18 pm

What happened to the H.S. pickup?

peter_sillery · Post by **peter_sillery** » Tue May 22, 2007 11:35 pm

Its defo something that would have to go into a display case (with an alarm) rather than a gigging bass for that kind of money IMO.

D Silbag!

headbanger · Post by **headbanger** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:16 am

Elys said "n fact the only year any Rick basses have ever actually had 21 frets was a brief time in 1970 and the first three months or so of 1971".
Elys, this is not entirely true. There well may be others that haven't surfaced yet.
I have a 72 Fretless which is 21 position, AFAIK it is one of a kind if we exclude Chris Brubecks (70?) and James Groves(now fretted) basses which had bound headstocks. Probably, my bass was made up when a FL order came through and was assembled with a board made circa 1970, and there might well be others.
Never say never AFA Ricks go.

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:32 am

So this photo shows a '68 4000 as available for US sales. Not the more 'common' RM1999 export dual pickup we covet around here. Has anyone seen a horseshoe'd early US single pickup 4000. pre '70 deluxes are rare enough!

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:58 am

Yes. My 1963 4001 started out life as a 4000 with a HS. That year (as others) I have been told, the bodies were pre-routed for the neck pickup, and they left off the pickup to make a 4000. Later in life, my 1963 4000 was converted to a 4001 by adding that missing toaster. It killed some of the collector value of course, but it plays like a dream with that fast, skinny neck and wonderful old-wood rich sound. So yes, it had/has a horseshoe, as did all Rick basses of that era.

ricosound · Post by **ricosound** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:09 am

'63 yes, which is not far removed from the original '57 (dots and single HS). However, late '60s 4001's are scarce enough. I have never seen a non-bound, dot neck, single HS bass of this era around. For that matter, a US version of the RM1999 which was to become the later 4001S.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Wed May 23, 2007 10:34 am

Elys, couldn't you get a Pickguardian made 4000 guard and return that bass to a 4000?

wints · Post by **wints** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:50 pm

I've seen a couple of HS 4000's from the 60's. None for sale though.

My '67 4001S could be a domestic order bass. The MG from Canada too. They were special order only it seems and are not even mentioned in the RIC literature of the time. Very, very rare even by 60's Ric standards.