Exam time- Real or Faker

[chrisdski]

Lots of pictures to explore the details

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SS:US:1123

[opticnerve]

FAKER!!!

Do I get a gold star?

[admin]

Yes, if I am the teacher you get a gold star.

[cjj]

Yup, fake as can be...

[opticnerve]

Yes, if I am the teacher you get a gold star.

OH JOY!!!

[basse]

Looks like the old Univox copy I used to have in the late '70s...

[s4001]

I didn't know any of the fakers had dual truss rods. Good thing it's easy to spot as a fake, just the same.

[winston]

Gold stars all around on this exam. Most definitely a faker.

[jingle_jangle]

The case also is a deal giveaway--at least one brand of Japanese copies came with this "thermometer" type of case. Ricks never did, although I suppose that it's possible to find a real Rick in the case that once protected a Japanese counterfeit.

[chrisdski]

Here's what I saw for the faker- tuners were wrong, should say Grover on them. Pics of the fake and my ex 1981 4001. Can anyone comment on the width of the walnut strip between a faker and a Ric?

[chrisdski]

Rout between the control cavity and bass pickup is wrong. Should be drilled out with a forstner bit, not a smooth cavity. Also, the fretboard should be a redish brown, the fakers tend to be darker. Look for 2 truss rods, thought they both have them in this example.

[chrisdski]

rout of the truss rod peghead is wrong. Rics tend to be more like a triangle. Others can comment of the truss rods themselves if the nuts are wrong or not.

[chrisdski]

Serial number plate should say "Ric O Sound", not "StereoSound". And it should have a serial number on it- usually 2 letter at the top, 4 numbers at the bottom.

[chrisdski]

Pots tend to be CTS on Rics (look for 137 code followed by year/week). Looks at the difference in the Pot cover appearence.

[chrisdski]

Bindings on Rics do not touch below the bridge, many fakers do but this one does not. Comments? Any comments on this bridge?