73's on ebay and other musings.

[throw_this_away]

It has been a while since I have been on the forum... but I decided to stop by after seeing 3 73' 4001's on eBay at the same time. I wonder if people are unloading due to anticipation for new bases with checkerboard binding... I seem to have caught wind that they might be in the works (maybe on this forum?).

It made me think of the story of my mapleglo 72' 4001.

The bases on ebay made me remember how I got the 72... I had bought my 96 fireglo for a cool 1000$ but the pickups needed to be installed. I didn't know how to wire them, so I brought it to a local (and almost the only) music store. To make a long story short, they botched the job of course, and would not admit that they had no idea what they were doing (I gave them the wiring schematics). After 2 tries I took the bass of their hands (I was furious because they were dishonest and would not let me talk to the guy who did the actual work).

Anyway, I was forwarded to a local guy who also had a ric and who did work on basses. He ended up doing a great job on the wiring and ended up showing me his collection of 12 or so basses... 60's jazz bass, 57 and 58 P bass, 72 ric, and more... My eyes were popping out of my head. The guy knew they were valuable... but I helped him price all of the bases based on market value... including the 72. He had no idea HOW valuable they really were. He had jars of old P and J bass pickups from the 50's and 60's that people swapped out and just gave him because that was the thing to do in the 70's. Most of his basses he got for 150-300$ from local musicians during that time. In the end he said he would sell me the 72 for 1000$ less than I had appraised it for.

I had no money but he said that he would put it on hold for me. I sold a Fender Stu Hamm Urge II bass on ebay that I saved for 4 years to buy (great bass, no real issues... but it lacked heart to me, I never LOVED it), and lived off of peanuts for almost three months to save up the rest (I was a university grad student... aka poor). When I finally had the money I was sooo excited. It was better than any birthday or Christmas.

Needless to say, I take great care of it, and it has seen many gigs around the city since that day... and it will NEVER be sold.

I remember telling the original owner not to sell his P bass... it was 100% stock and from the first year of production for the "new" design (with copper pickguard and all). He ended up selling EVERYTHING, including the P bass. Some of the pickups went for 600$ a piece on ebay... I don't know what he got for the bases, but someone from the US made a deal for the entire lot of them. I was horrified and sad when I heard.

Still, it makes me think of priorities... I sold a bass that I saved for 4 years to buy... but I never loved it so never blinked twice in doing it. I would NEVER sell my 72, my first ric (96 fireglo with a super thin neck), or my first bass (a MIM Fender Jazz). I would sell my 06 longhorn if it were to get the right bass... like a 75 Fender jazz reissue.

But this guy sold all of these "once in a lifetime" vintage basses... except for one... a 90's musicman 5 string... because his wife bought it for him. I can't really blame him.

So I guess I can forgive the sellers for selling their 73's... who am I to judge. I suppose that each of us only will ever have a few instruments that will remain close to our heart.

Thanks for reading... share thoughts or similar stories if you wish.

John

p.s. I am still looking for a D Grover tuner for my 72'.

[edski]

Well, my first bass is my 75 4001. I busted my arse as a sophmore in HS to make honor roll when my mom said she help me buy a Rick if I got my grades up. I did (barely), and the academic change stayed with me to my future benfit, and I learned about having to work and save paying my mom back...another good lesson.

I got a 92 MIJ fretless Jazz new after I got divorced at a young age as a present for myself. I love the bass, but would think of trading/selling it if the circumstance was right...but I'll NEVER sell the 75. Maybe. Sort of. Have come close to it a couple times, but I always walk away from that cliff. I play my Laredo now about 95% of the time, but it's nice to have the 4001 I guess...

The odd thing is, after playing bass/guitar for about 28 years now, I've never sold a bass or guitar. I don't collect like a feind, so that's part of it, but I suppose I've been pretty discriminationg with what I've gotten over the years. I did lose a nice classical acoustic in college when I lent it to friend who got busted selling drugs, and his roomates stole all his stuff (including my guitar), but I had only paid $30 for that one at a flea market. Another acoustic, named a "Chevron" (I really think it was a freebie from the gas stations) ended up as firewood - it was the best use for that beast.

But I still have them all:

75 4001 Purchased about 2/1981
66 Fender Mustand guitar (about 8/1984)
92 MIJ FL J bass (10/1992)
86 MIJ Strat (about 7/2000)
2001 650 Dakota (5/2001)
2004 4004 Laredo (3/2005)

[sloop_john_b]

Welcome back, John - I came across a thread you had posted recently and wondered where you'd been! Hope you've been well and glad you've still got the '72.

[jakeox]

Hey John,

Great story there. I thought I'd chime in since I'm selling two of the '73s. In my case, they don't hold any particular significance and I haven't had them long enough to get attached to them (although they're both pretty sweet). You see, a couple months ago I came up with a chunk of money for a new bass, and I was actually looking for a cool old P-bass. Nearly settled on a refinished '64, too, but without knowing a ton about vintage Fenders I didn't want to drop that kind of cash on a long-distance transaction. I thought the only Rick I would really be into for that cash was a 4001CS. The FG '73 sort of fell into my lap and while I was working on the details of that one, it looked for about a week like it'd fallen through. I saw the MG on eBay and put in a speculative bid that succeeded (I guess one benefit to web surfing on the evening of July 3rd when everyone else was watching fireworks). Then the FG worked out all of a sudden, and I'd already more or less committed to it if it came back on the market. Then, pretty soon after, a forumite listed a 4001CS with some cosmetic issues for a solid price, and I jumped, since I wanted a CS to play out, not to keep in a case all the time. I figured I'd play all three and sort out which ones I liked and if I could keep more than one.

Well, we're also in the middle of a move that we did backwards -- bought a foreclosure, and we're listing our current place tomorrow. On top of that we're redoing the kitchen in the new place, and we need a deposit for that, on top of the two mortgages. So, really not a good time to keep more than one. I'm keeping the CS for a few reasons, including that I have a pending claim with the shipping company to see out, but also that I have a '72 that I dig already (I won't see it for another 8 months, but that's another story). I feel like my Shadow and CS cover all the Rick sounds I need right now, and for me, for right now, the Shadow is the bass I plan never to sell. But I could change my mind, and if someone came in and offered me five grand for it, I'd take it in a heartbeat. I tend not to get too attached, because I know how many great Ricks there are out there. I really wanted to keep the FG. I don't even like FG usually, but that thing looks sweet and they both sound great. But so do my other basses.

So that's the long-winded version of why two of those '73s are out there. I think another forumite just sold a '73 to help finance a pre-CBS jazz bass (gorgeous custom color, if I recall correctly). I haven't heard anything about checkerboard binding making a comeback, personally.

Oh, and let's see some pics of that '72!

[throw_this_away]

The odd thing is, after playing bass/guitar for about 28 years now, I've never sold a bass or guitar. I don't collect like a feind, so that's part of it, but I suppose I've been pretty discriminationg with what I've gotten over the years.

I think that is my goal... but who knows if it will be able to hold up. If the same bass came up in better condition with better playability, and I had the money... it might be hard to pass up. Also, as a "young" bassist I went through period of "finding" what I liked, so it makes sense that I would make a mistake or two early on.

Welcome back, John - I came across a thread you had posted recently and wondered where you'd been! Hope you've been well and glad you've still got the '72.

Thanks, I check things out every once and a while to drool and see if much has changed with Rickenbacker products. I have been well but I have just completed my second year of med school so I am no longer in a band... but I do jam with some classmates. My 72' saw a couple of gigs this year... one Jazz gig for graduation and another where I got to pay some ACDC/G+R/Joan Jett in a nice concert hall using a wireless system. I ran all over the place and even played while spinning in circles on my back.

Hey John,

Great story there. I thought I'd chime in since I'm selling two of the '73s. In my case, they don't hold any particular significance and I haven't had them long enough to get attached to them (although they're both pretty sweet).

Oh, and let's see some pics of that '72!

Sounds like you have many nice basses to choose from. I understand your position... I think it is wise to keep the rics that are "different" among your collection. I keep two ric's now because I love them and they are actually quite different in tone and feel. If I had 2 of any of my instruments I would be choosing which one to play based on the color of my outfit that evening... hahaha.

Currently I would love a nice Fender American Jazz with inlays, a Gibson T-bird, and maybe a nice P bass. However, I would have a hard time passing up a monty brown ric if I had the $$$... love that color!!!

[throw_this_away]

an older shot: the 96', the 72', my traynor tube amp, and my 96' jazz.

[throw_this_away]

and my current pedal board... I got the dunlop crybaby as a wedding gift from the old band's guitarist last week! (my wife is a drummer and accountant)

[morrow]

Nice to see you post again , John , I was thinking the studies were keeping you pretty busy .

Sad to hear Freddy flipped those old basses he had . I was trying to convince him they should be kept but I haven't seen him for quite a while now .

[wints]

Welcome back John...

[rickenbrother]

Welcome back John.

[Dan_Q]

Nice stories there I'll give you a bit of my guitar loving past!

I've only just recently got my first ric, so far I never plan to sell it but it is early days. Although I have the habit (like others on here it seems ) of growing attached to my instruments. That is partly why when i decided I wanted to learn bass properly, I needed to upgrade from my old Encore p-bass copy before I grew attached to it! The encore now resides at my brothers house, he fancies giving bass a try- so its his for now.

I first started learning guitar on the family classical, and once I'd convinced myself I was "in it for the long run" I saved like hell until I could afford my sunn mustang, a chinese fender licensed strat copy. I bought that brand new in '93 ish, it was my first guitar, and I still own it now- although it is slightly upgraded now. This guitar I will never sell.

I also still have my first fender, a mid 90's photoflame in tobacco burst, its a MIJ 62 reissue. I bought that new- well ex demo in '97, and I still have that today.

edski> I understand about your "present to yourself" at divorce time. In March this year my fiancee of 6 years left me, and for some reason after years of never playing regularly, I got well back into playing again. So my splitting up present to myself was the guitar I'd always wanted- a '97 gibson les paul studio. And as I was playing my old bass a lot more and really getting into it- I promised myself a "lifer" when I had all the paperwork for the house / settlements etc sorted- and thats when I got my ric 4000.

Infact the only guitar I've ever sold was the one I only ever did a gig with Which sounds strange as you'd think I'd want to keep that one, but i really wanted a fender and this was a stopgap. That was my late 80's / early 90's korean squier strat, maple board, olympic white. Bought for £90 with a gig bag, played hard and gigged over about a year, then I sold it for £120 without the bag when I got my fender

So yeah, I grow attached to things too. The only time i can see me selling the ric or the les paul is if I really have to. I'm thinking of passing on my fender actually, as now I have the 'paul it rarely gets played- but its a wonderful example and I know i'd always regret it. Also, I need the strat sound for the odd time I play a blues lick. I could convert the old sunn back to SSS (its currently on 2 tex mex 'buckers with 80's USA fender hardware) but it just doesnt sound as sweet as the fender. Hmmmmmmm........

Sorry I'm going on with myself a bit here! but anyway, there you have it, my life story

[atomic_punk]

When I sold my '73 4001 MG, it was to pay for my brother's funeral. Kind of put things in perspective for me.

Sure we love our guitars, but when it really comes down to it, they are only possessions that can be replaced. Some things cannot be replaced.

[markbass99]

I also still have my first fender, a mid 90's photoflame in tobacco burst, its a MIJ 62 reissue.

Hamburglar!!!!



As far as 73 4001's go, if someone out there thinks that a new rick 4003 with full inlays and C/B could replace a 35 year old vintage rick well ........... never mind........(respectfully submitted, of course )

[wints]

When I sold my '73 4001 MG, it was to pay for my brother's funeral. Kind of put things in perspective for me.

Sure we love our guitars, but when it really comes down to it, they are only possessions that can be replaced. Some things cannot be replaced.

Amen brother.

[teeder]

Welcome back, John! Your '72 is beautiful!