Missing link: '62 4000

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:28 am

Hmm. Any way to find out the date, Mike? That would narrow down when the change to the large horn was made.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:47 am

From the way it looks, IMO no earlier than '60 on the bass Mike is holding. YMMV....

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:45 am

John, what are your visual clues?

Thanks.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:52 am

I don't see any bridge lift!

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 5:19 am

Paul: The biggest clue to my eye is that it has a very Red-looking Fireglo, which wasn't a standard finish until 1960 IIRC. The hue of the FG on this bass seems consistant with some of the other Ricks of the period. I won't deny it's possible it could be a '59, but Fireglo was still being fiddled with in '59 and it's just a hunch, really. It just looks like more of the 1960 models I've seen.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 4:16 pm

This is similar except for the HS surround.

jojo99 · Post by **jojo99** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:59 pm

It looks like she's playing some mean thumb-slappin' funk there....

8mileshigh · Post by **8mileshigh** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:47 pm

Mike.........is that the one Guitar Centre Hollywood has?

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 10:16 pm

The one that is being played by the Country Lady looks to have a much longer horn. In fact the one at the GC looks as if the top horn has been sanded ala Macca at some time? Are we all 100% sure it's not a refin?

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 11:51 pm

Nope, they are both shaped and finished as they were originally. The GC bass is the earlier shape, the one the lady is playing is like the '62 bass Paul posted about earlier in the thread.

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:10 am

Bob - the country lady's name is Treena Foster and you really don't want to know how much she paid for that 4000.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:42 am

"you really don't want to know how much she paid for that 4000."

It's either a little or a lot and I'm guessing a little...

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:53 am

Long time owner, small time payer...

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:06 am

IIRC it was a few hundred dollars. In her alt.guitar.bass profile she states that her Ric is a '61. It has a long upper horn like current Rics, and the old large pickguard.

dluxe · Post by **dluxe** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:41 pm

I recall the serial on that 4000 of hers was AC277. Isn't she the gal that was claiming to own all sorts of vintage basses and was using photo's of other peoples instruments?