Question about a 4001S that I just bought.

big_g · Post by **big_g** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 4:46 pm

A salesman from a bass establishment that was represented at the Nashville guitar show this weekend sold me an early 80's 4001S. The name of the dealer was The Bottom End; I have heard nothing otherwise derogatory about them. The deal is he claimed it was a factory done overspray to jetglo over Burgandyglo, which you can see coming through a wear mark where the right forearm goes across. I could tell it was an overspray when I bought it, but my question is how could one ever possibly know if this claim is true?
I love the bass and it sounds and plays great, I got it for $740.00 tax and all. I don't really feel ripped off, what with the way prices are going now, but I'm none the less curious about that claim. I have seen some Fenders and Gibsons done this way, sunbursts sprayed over with a solid color when a large order came up in a color that they were low on. This guy claims that Rush was just hitting it big in Europe and the demand in England for jetglo's went way up and that's what happened here.
I wasn't born yesterday, but the guy was very sincere in his beliefs, and may have really believed this, but did anything like that really happen? Any opinions, John Hall, do you remember that ever being done in a high demand situation in the past?

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 5:00 pm

Only reason I'm not buying his story is the price. Unless the bass is in **** condition, he could easily get more on Ebay.

Just like that guy who sold me the white on white and said it was a special order. He seemed sincere in his beliefs but, they were not true.

ken_james · Post by **ken_james** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 5:15 pm

As JH said, "Hans Christian Anderson had some good tales as well." But really it's a good question, I'd never heard of that, but with Ric there are exceptions to the norm.

big_g · Post by **big_g** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 5:30 pm

Well this I know, it was made in April of '82 and it is a 4001S. It has some really old Rotos that have to be years old, I'm cleaning it and restringing it tonight as well. Fret ware isn't too bad either.

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 11:51 pm

Must-have-pics-soon, with new Nikon...

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 2:59 am

IMO the Rush story is bogus. At that time 4001's(Geddy never had an 'S' model) and 4003's were flying out of the factory, there wasn't a shortage.

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 3:31 am

You got a nice bass that plays and sounds great. You paid $740. for a Rick 4001S. If you’re happy I wouldn’t worry about anything else.

Relax and enjoy

cheers

big_g · Post by **big_g** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 7:03 am

True Andy, I don't really care I just find it weird that he would volunteer a story like that, in a place where people who are very jaundiced to that would be there thinking, "What the heck is he talking about?" I certainly was.

One oddity though, I cleaned it up last night and had a chance to look in the treble pickup route and under the TRC, and they are black up in there, with old, white Turtle Wax residue in the corners. Odd, I was expecting to see the underlying Burgandyglo layer. Weird, huh? The fingerboard looks thicker on these, is it just because the binders aren't on them? Are they thicker?

I do know a luither that is top notch, I might get it refinished eventually, because it's looking worn anyway, got time to think what I'd like to do with it. I thought about the Chris Squire treatment, toaster and horseshoe, cream color, reddish brown headstock wings, maybe. Maybe something else, who knows?

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 7:15 am

The fret board thickness is just a visual thing IMO. I don’t notice it on my MG V63, but definitely do on my JG S5. And remember thinking it was thicker on a JG C64 that I once played. I believe it’s a color contrast – I could be wrong.

A toaster and horseshoe will work great – can’t go wrong there – you know the story on the horseshoe… You’ll probably have to wait awhile for that.

Put it to good use!

cheers

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 10:46 am

You'll be plenty of money ahead if you do the CS treatment. Unless you want to pay upwards of $5000.00 for a real one. I think $740.00 is a great deal for an 'S' series. And I agree with Andy, Take it, play it, love it.

bassplyr4001 · Post by **bassplyr4001** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 2:33 pm

Personally, I'd prefer it to be BG. It's an awesome color, I had a '77 4001 in that color.
You said it was made in '82? I bought a 4003S in AzureGlo about a year ago, it's dated around May 1982. Does yours have the ROS jack? Mine does and I always read that the S models weren't made with the option.

The neck on mine is superthin, like the V63's, and allows me to play very fast. I mean thin, width across the fretboard. Now the only thing I need, is to find other musicians that can and enjoy playing YES music....lol.

Hope you enjoy the bass.... I know I love playing mine.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 2:35 pm

Besides that, you dont have to worry about putting that all fatefull, "first nick" in her if you play her as is.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 2:40 pm

Welcome to the forum Daniel. I'd really like to see an Azure-glow 4003-S. Can you post a pic?

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 3:32 pm

Daniel, where did you get that AzureGlo? I sold an '82 4003s about a year ago, could that have been one from Ebay?

bassplyr4001 · Post by **bassplyr4001** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:46 am

Steve, yes I bought it off eBay a little over a year ago. I think it was in January.

Bought a treble PU cover for about $15 and been gigging with it ever since. Had to do some slight neck adjustments to lower the action.

Just bought a new 4003 MG this year, it's a great bass. But I still prefer my "S"!!!!