New (to me) '81 4001 - Questions

[tgoode]

Hi all,

This is a cross-post - originally posted on the Ric forums a couple hours ago...

I just yesterday bought a used Rickenbacker 4001 (1981) from a very reputable Toronto retailer who is well known for higher end instruments.

It is a 4001 in Jet Glow - Serial is UB 603 which makes it Feb 1981 production.

The instrument has a couple of issues, but the price I paid reflects this.

Mechanically it is in decent shape. There is a touch of tail lift, less than 1/16". Someone over time stripped the original strap peg holes and rather than filling them with dowel and redrilling, they put on a set of Schaller straplocks beside the original holes. Unfortunately it appears that they didn't drill pilot holes and completely stripped the screw heads when they still had a 1/4" to go... I have drilled off the screw heads and have been able to get enough of a grip with pliers to remove the screws. I have filled the incorrect holes and filled and pilot drilled the original holes, which are now sporting a new set of correct strap pegs. The only other mechanical problem is a bit of backlash in the E tuner.

Cosmetically, the body has a few dings and scratches, but is in pretty good shape for a 30 year old bass. There is no checking. The back of the neck is completely bare wood. It appears to have a tung oil type of finish. The fingerboard is also unfinished - probably stripped at some time. It appears to have original frets on it as there are tabs of neck binding at the ends of the frets. The surprising thing is that the back of the neck almost looks like it came from the factory like that!

So - here are my questions...

1. Did the 4001 ever come from the factory with an unfinished/tung oil finished back of the neck?
2. If I choose to refinish the back of the neck (assuming it is incorrect) what is the best product to use & color code? It's debatable whether I would refinish it. It does feel good.
3. Similar to 2. above - best material to refinish the fingerboard?
4. Does this serial number check out as being correct for a 4001?
5. Do original Ric fingerboards have tabs of the neck binding at the ends of the frets?
6. The tuners appear to have black plastic spacers between the base plate thier base plates and the back of the headstock - is this correct?

Some lo-fi photos of areas mentioned above are here: http://tgoode.zenfolio.com/p392350404

I will be taking better hi-fi pics and uploading them tomorrow AM.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Tom:

Welcome to the forum from a fellow Canuck.

Bass is definitely a real Rick, although heavily modified. It did not leave the factory in that condition (with a stripped neck). SN (and truss rod cover are correct for an early 1980s bass.

Refins are not something that amatuers can do - there are a number of experts here who can help - but it expensive.

Still - if you got it cheap enough - seems like you have great player bass. Any Rickenbacker is rare in Canada.

Enjoy it!

[rickenbrother]

Welcome to the forum, Tom!
If your 4001 sounds great and plays well, enjoy it the way it is. You can always consider having it restored someday, if you'd like. Then you'd want to ask questions directed to Paul W. (jingle_jangle) in the Reflections Of A Curmudgeon section of the forum.

[cjj]

Welcome to the RRF Tom!

Yep, the picture link works now. Real Rick. No, the neck didn't come that way, it was stripped by a previous owner.

Refinishing with CV is the proper way to do it, but it's not something your average amateur can do. Doing it right is NOT cheap. The fretboard should be done with CV too, also not easy/cheap.

If it plays well, and sounds good, consider it a good player. If you got it for a good price, all the better. Play the heck out of it, at least you don't have to worry about a few dings and scratches...

[badeggs]

Not sure what you mean by "tabs of the neck binding," but the frets are correct.

Schallers from that timeframe typically have black plastic spacers.

[tgoode]

Not sure what you mean by "tabs of the neck binding," but the frets are correct.

Schallers from that timeframe typically have black plastic spacers.

What I mean is that the fret wire doesn't extend to the edge of the fingerboard - it goes as far as the neck binding and there is a bit of neck binding that sticks up like an extension of the fret.

[cjj]

That sounds normal for a Rick. The neck binding covers the ends of the frets...

Edit:
This isn't the best shot, but you can kind of see it. Is this what you're talking about?

Maybe this is a bit better:

[tgoode]

yes, that's what I meant exactly.

By the way, I've uploaded some better photos to the galley linked above... Excuse the Les Paul and Jaguar. LOL

[Grey]

They're called fret nibs. When having a refret done some people will pay extra to have the nibs re-installed after the fret job.

It's a way of saving on labor as using fret nibs instead of having the frets extend over the binding is faster.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Tom:

Just found your new bass on an internet auction site. It sold in Beverly Hills California.

1981 Rickenbacker 4001 Black Guitar, #UB603. The neck back finish has been stripped; adhesive residue on the body. Mostly original with minimal checking. Fair condition.

It sold in Nov 2010 for $1015 USD

There were two images of it front and back

[tgoode]

Huh, cool!

Thanks, Brian!

The JG 481 they sold at the same auction is also available at the store I bought the 4001 at. I think they want about 1300 for it.

Either this store is getting inventory from the auctions, or ???