A fair point, but note what the original poster said early on: "I verified the authenticity with Rickenbacker years ago."hieronymous wrote:I don't want to be accusatory - though I think I was in my post - I just think that this was an opportunity for a new friend that may have been lost.
There is so much information now available on the internet and my impression is that instruments are greeted with greater scrutiny than in the past, which is great, but someone that bought an instrument like this in the '90s and didn't have that wealth of info available at the time may be in for a surprise. If I was in that position, I would like to be treated with some sympathy, that would make me feel more comfortable and open to dialog, instead of being handed the cold hard truth right off the bat.
That sounds like a confirmation that it's a 4008 (because 4008 was included in the title of this thread), but to me, that statement doesn't make it clear that is a 4008, or, for that matter, that it isn't. But his statement suggests that it is indeed a genuine Rick based on the serial number, but not necessarily a 4008. It's clearly a 4000-series that is set up for 8-strings; most likely modified from a 4001 to my eyes (and most others here). I want to be clear that I am, in no way, shape or form, suggesting that the poster is trying to misrepresent the instrument. It just has some historical uncertainty issues.
I think it's very fair for the increased scrutiny to be an expected response when offering an instrument on a forum dedicated to a wide range of Rickenbacker enthusiasts; from novices to experts. On the other hand, the experts know for sure (and I'm not one of them), and the novices should subscribe to the "buyer beware" credo.
That's always how it should be. That said, the ebay BIN price is probably not unreasonable if the fully-strung instrument sounds as good as I think it might. It's just not necessarily a very collectible investment for future increase in value. But I could be wrong. I thought I was once, but I was mistaken.
