74 4001 with DOTS, not "S" Any Idea?

[ajish4]

Ok, got me.....think this was once a fretless or what?

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1974-Ricken ... 286.c0.m14

...EIDT...just checked the RIC serial serail number, comes out to a FEB 75.

[headbanger]

Yep, once a fretless. Side dots.

[cjj]

Yeah, those frets are not originals. You can see in the one pic that the binding doesn't cover the ends like it would if they were factory...

[rickenbrother]

A side dot marker at every fret position is how the 4001FL was made.

[FretlessOnly]

I'd like a clarification on the side dots. I know '74 was the only year for red dots, but did the side dots line up with the fingerboard dots, or with the "fret" (i.e., proper fingering) position? I ask, because my 2008 4003FL has the side dots where they are supposed to be (at the correct fingering position), but the fingerboard dots are where they would be on a fretted bass (mid-fret). Did Rick use to put the side dots mid-fret or always in the correct fingering position? When did change? (If it did!)

[ilan]

AFAIK the side dots were always where the frets would be, and the fingerboard position markers were always in between where the frets would be, like a fretted neck.

[jc-sz]

if the side dots are where the frets should be, these frets are not ok! take a look at the pic where it shows the neck and the side dots, the first dot or so coincides with the frets, but after that it's all messed up.

Cheers!

[just_bassics]

Another "All Original" Ric auction...NOT!

[SMR 78]

The TRC also looks strange on this bass, and I've seen this before on a few other Ricks on eBay and always wondered whether they were replacement TRC's or whether someone put the lettering on themselves, so perhaps someone can chime in on this difference: on this bass (the bass that is the subject of this thread) the TRC has "Model 4001" on top of the "Made in U.S.A." and the font is clearly different from the original stock 4001 TRC's from the 70s.

The original stock 4001 TRC's from the 70s such as displayed in one of the pictures for another eBay Rick - a '78 4001 (see link below) is also the same as my '78 which I know is original to the bass. As you can see "Made in U.S.A." is stamped on top of "Model 4001".

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

Very interesting.....

[cjj]

The molded plastic TRCs with raised letters have the "Made in U.S.A." on top, the plexiglas TRCs from this era have it on the bottom. The raised letter ones started appearing somewhere around 1975 to 1976, perhaps even earlier. The bass that is the subject of this thread has a plexi TRC.

[ram]

so we know the tuners, knobs and frets are not orig.... hmmmmm?? my '74 4001 (not a fretless) TRC is plexiglass and the logo and all are a decal or painted on the reverse side. but a question did Rickenbacker put the model data on the TRCs? I mean would one expect to see a 'Model 4001FL' there or just the 'Model 4001' less the FL?

[cjj]

It would just say Model 4001.

[SMR 78]

The molded plastic TRCs with raised letters have the "Made in U.S.A." on top, the plexiglas TRCs from this era have it on the bottom. The raised letter ones started appearing somewhere around 1975 to 1976, perhaps even earlier. The bass that is the subject of this thread has a plexi TRC.

Thanks - I just learned something new