4000/4001 series:When did the rounded heel come in ?

[seyesbass]

Just out of curiosity when did Rickenbacker start rounding off the heel on the 4000 series basses?

I expect there are the usual cross over years but I have seen only square heels on the 63 4001 in the Rickenbacker book, RM basses, V63, CS etc. the latter ones being moddled on the early 60s RM features.
I would be interested to find out if the heels were rounded on 4001,RM and 4000 basses by the mid 60s and onwards and when and why the change was made.

[teeder]

I believe the change was around '67-'68, but don't remember seeing any '68's with a square heel.

I just looked through the register and there are very few 4000 / 4001 basses listed before '68. Even fewer that show the back of the bass.

I think the change happened before '68.

[wints]

The rounded heel is there by '67. I thought I had seen a '65 at some point with a round, but all the pix I have as reference seem to be still square. A '66 shot still looks kinda square as well, although it's hard to make out sometimes...

[seyesbass]

Thanks Andy,

Its another of those details that has a very vague history.
Its a pity we dont have more basses from the 60s on the register as this is the sort of niggling detail thats hard to pin down.

[jimk]

Might the lack of pictorial evidence be due in part to the relative lack of basses dating from the era?
JimK

[sloop_john_b]

Might the lack of pictorial evidence be due in part to the relative lack of basses dating from the era?
JimK

Yup.

[doctorwho]

Did that change on the basses occur contemporaneously with the corresponding change on 6- and 12-string guitars?

[rickaddict]

Uhh..huh huh.

He said...

[leftybass]

The rounded heel is there by '67. I thought I had seen a '65 at some point with a round, but all the pix I have as reference seem to be still square. A '66 shot still looks kinda square as well, although it's hard to make out sometimes...

I am trying to think of the FG '66 that was owned and played by the CCR bassist back in the day (there are pics around).........IIRC this bass has a square heel.

[rickaddict]

Uhh..huh huh.

He said...

Okay...Apparently a word for a part of the human anatomy that also can be found within the name of one of the planets in our solar system has been deemed inappropriate for use here by our administrators and has been removed from the above post.

Please accept my apologies and please remove the post altogether and this post as well.

[wints]

Might the lack of pictorial evidence be due in part to the relative lack of basses dating from the era?
JimK

Yup.

Yes, very few examples from this period, as the registry shows. At some point we'll be able to make that call, but certainly need a few more late '66 basses to surface...