Need help dating my New Rickenbacker 4001

[7CardStud]

Hi All, just looking for some info from the experts on this 4001 I just picked up. I saw it in the local Craigslist as "1970's Rickenbacker bass that needs help - $300.00 (Canadian)". Even though I'm a guitar player, I play some bass and have always wanted a 4001 so I hopped in the car and drove 2.5 hours return in rush hour traffic to get this bass. Even better it came with a late 60's/early 70's Fender case!

The basses issues are; separating fretboard, separating join on top wing of body, non-original pickguard & replaced bridge with bridge cavity crudely filled (looks reversible though). Other than that it looks original, as far as I can tell the white finish looks original too. Serial number is GK 4571 which by my research says November 1967! Do the features in the photos below bear out this date? Thanks for any assistance!

[cheyenne]

Interesting. Pups definitely look real.

Better get your camera ready, your gonna be asked to take more pictures...

Oh, Guys!!!!!!

[admin]

November 1967 Mike. It is now in the register.

[7CardStud]

Camera is at the ready. I'm just wondering if white was a factory color in 1967 and if that fretboard and markers are correct. The Rickenbacker truss rod cover in white on a white guitar throws me a bit too.

[teeder]

Welcome, Mike.

Can you get some pix of the control cavity? Also, I could be wrong, but I think 1967 should still have the square neck heel in the back. What does that look like?

If it is a '67, then the rear pu and surround was changed out.

[7CardStud]

Here's a couple more shots, the wiring only allows for a couple of inches movement of the pickguard and I'm not prepared to pull it out yet so this is the best cavity shot I could get. My early feeling has me thinking something isn't right here. It doesn't look like a copy Ricky to me but the serial number dating is questionable IMO.

[cjj]

Camera is at the ready. I'm just wondering if white was a factory color in 1967 and if that fretboard and markers are correct. The Rickenbacker truss rod cover in white on a white guitar throws me a bit too.

According to this source http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricinfo.htm white was available in 1957 and then started again in 1970, so white is probably not the original color.

You might try removing the pickguard, bridge pickup, and the Truss Rod Cover/Name plate on the headstock to see if there's any original finish under them, but there might be new paint there too. If you do remove those, be sure to take pictures and post those too...

Edit: Oh. I see you just posted some more pics. Yeah, it looks like the inside is painted the same white color.

You might try to see if you can read some of the numbers on the pots, that can give you an idea of when they were made, assuming they are original.

The full width fretboard inlays indicate it's from the change over that happened in '73, so it certainly could be a '67. Checkerboard binding went out about the same time too.

[7CardStud]

Just looking at the registry, I saw a couple of mapleglo 1968 4001's that had all the same features, truss rod cover with made in USA under the R, checkerboard binding, same shaped heel, same fretboard...so it's likely a bass made in November 1967 could have all these features and be correct IMO. I'm starting to think it's a refin, there's hard lines near the binding that would suggest the binding was masked off and I caught a hint of red under the trussrod cover that indicates to me fireglow may have been the original color. Were these originally finished in Nitro or poly? If it's poly, I may be able to get the top finish off and see if the original finish is intact underneath...but that step is still way down the road.

[badeggs]

Just based on the color years and the screw-top hi-gain, my guess is it's a 70-72 with a changed jackplate, but it's just a guess...

All I know is you got a late 60s-early 70s 4001 in White for 3 bills Canadian...you did good, man!

[cjj]

Were these originally finished in Nitro or poly? If it's poly, I may be able to get the top finish off and see if the original finish is intact underneath...but that step is still way down the road.

RIC changed from using nitro in the late '50s, so the original finish would have been "CV", Conversion Varnish, which is a polyurethane material...

Oh, and yes, that's a good score even if it's a refin!

[s4001]

You've heard of a beast of wrath? Well, that's a beast of RAS.

[johnallg]

Mike, as Jeff said, for $300 CAN you did really good! This could actually be from '67 and one of the first without the horseshoe bridge pickup or maybe it was a replacement for a failed original horsey. Definitely a refin. Paul W might pop in with advice on removing the white paint. Having the FG intact under the white would be a huge bonus. All depends on how the job was done. Finding an original aluminum cast tailpiece will be expensive but more an adventure in patience finding one. Great buy!

[EDIT] For what you paid, having a pro refinish it to it's factory FG glory is within reason for the value it would have after.

[gearhed289]

Very cool bass, and the price.... Nice!

I would leave it white.

[7CardStud]

I have a couple of pro repairmen acquaintances that do great re-fins so that's the way I would go for sure. Pretty happy with this bass for sure and I'm starting to think it really is a 1967.

[FretlessOnly]

Yes, a nice score!

In the photo below, note the two grooves cut into the wood on either side of the neck pickup cavity. Was this done by Rick to aid in truss rod installation/removal or is this something done by an old owner? My April '73 has nearly identical cuts.