Help me find my 4001?

[lostRic]

Hello everyone. I was the original owner of a burgundy Rickenbacker 4001 bass, serial number SD2272. I traded it for a Fender Telecaster in April of 2001 at Mr. Music in Allston Massachusetts and have regretted it ever since. I have searched for it many times on-line with no luck, until tonight!!! I've found it on here in the Register. So now, you guessed it, I wonder if I can contact the current owner and see if they are interested in selling the guitar back to me. Any idea how I can do this? Is it permissible on the forum? I don't understand why I haven't seen it on here before because it was registered on November 12, 2008. In any case, I have the original sales receipt from June 17, 1982. I bought the guitar at Lomakin Music in Pittsburgh for $571. I also have a service receipt from Rickenbacker showing the serial number from December 1982 when I sent the guitar back to them for a neck adjustment (I was only 16 at the time). Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

John.

P.S. I am also the proud new owner of a 1996 Ric 330. Serial number C9-8871

[doctorwho]

Welcome, John!

One of the moderators should answer your question ... or maybe the current owner will chime in.

[lostRic]

Thank You. I may be spending more time here now that I am a Rickenbacker owner again. Looks like a great resource. Should I contact one of the moderators directly?

[doctorwho]

It probably won't hurt to try that. It won't be out of bounds, for certain, as we are a pretty understanding bunch when it comes to 'lost loves' ... there are a number of threads about folks being reunited with guitars from their pasts.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

What colour is your 330 John? Any pics to share?


Your burgundy 4001 is not a collected item - it was (when it was registered in 2008) owned by someone in the community here.

So there is hope.

I myself recovered my lost 77 jg 320 after a 17 year absence... It can happen

[cjj]

Send a "PM" (Private Message) to Peter (username: admin) or Gil (gibsonlp) and let them know what you'd like to do. They can contact the person who registered it (be aware they may no longer own it) and see if they want to be contacted, etc.

[lostRic]

Hi Brian. My 330 is Fireglo. I've only had it for about a month. What an amazing guitar. Very punchy and chimey, chimey, chimey! Also, thanks for the encouraging story about your lost Ric. I'm posting a picture of my 330 below.

CJ, thanks for the advice. I will contact one of the two people you've recommended. Very helpful.

Also, I'm sorry for all the questions, but what does "collected item" mean? I've looked around a little bit on here, but so far haven't figured out what that means.

Thanks again to everyone for all of your help.

John.

[simer4001]

Good luck, John. its amazing what a small world this is.

[cjj]

"Collected Item" or CI means that the information was collected from a publicly accessible place such as ebay instead of being added by the instrument's owner...

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

John:

Someone beat me to it... There are a number of us on the forum that search the internet and add Rickenbacker serial number to the data base when we spot them in a public place (such as Ebay - or a guitar store's website).

Your bass was added by someone specific -who had an account here - and who owned it in 2008. So there is a strong lead for you to follow - Gil or Peter will help I am sure. This doesn't mean that they still have it - or are willing to part with it. But it is better then trying to trace the whereabouts of a CI.

Forum member Kenny Howes recovered his first Rickenbacker a Walnut 360 12 last year - so it can happen. There is a cool thread on the recovery if you search

Very nice FG 330 BTW! Thanks for the pic.

[lostRic]

Thanks again everyone. I can certainly say that no matter what happens, there is a cool bunch of people here. I did write to Gil, and he forwarded the message on to the person who registered the guitar. Maybe they still have it, maybe they don't. Maybe they want to part with it, maybe they don't. We'll see. Either way, whoever registered the guitar on here took some really great pictures of it. If you have time, check it out. It looks fabulous. So, if I don't get the opportunity to get it back, at least I know it has a happy home judging by the condition it is in! (Awwwww.) Here is the link to the registration. Enjoy.

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... hp?id=6702

John.

[kiramdear]

I hope you can have your bass back. Is it your first rick?

[lostRic]

Yes. It was my first one. I had it forever. I don't know what ever possessed me to get rid of it We'll see what happens.

[cjj]

Good luck with your quest! At least you've got a trail to follow.

I'm still looking for my original Mapleglo 4001, but I don't even know the serial number. I do know what it looks like and if I ever see it, I'll be trying to get it back too...

[rickenbrother]

It probably won't hurt to try that. It won't be out of bounds, for certain, as we are a pretty understanding bunch when it comes to 'lost loves' ... there are a number of threads about folks being reunited with guitars from their pasts.

Good luck getting your 4001 back, John. I agree with Gary, though it might be in the hands of someone that loves it. Hopefully for you that someone is not using it and would like to see it go to someone would will love it and play it. Yours was a '79. I know how nice they are from that year.