Are 1973 basses models special?

[Knork]

I'm new to Rickenbacker basses and want to get me one. Now I've seen some 1973 models that are higher priced than those from other years. Coincidence or are they somewhat more collectable or of a special quality?

[tgoode]

I know that '73 was the last year of checkered binding. That's generally more desireable.

[rickaddict]

Yes, they are more special.

Especially for those who have one and/or want to sell one.

[sloop_john_b]

I know that '73 was the last year of checkered binding. That's generally more desireable.

Also, last year of crushed pearl inlays and the toaster pickup at the neck position (not counting reissues).

These is a cutoff though - most '73's made after July (except Joeys) do not have checkered binding, and the crushed pearl was stopped around February. They had the cool full-width poured inlays until about May, which is also a desirable feature. You'll notice that ones made later in the year are a lot cheaper (or at least they should be!).

[Danotron]

Some of the early '73's still had the full width inlays as well and they are kind of a unique material to that year.

I think they're special (and, yes, I have one!)

(Oops, JB beat me to it! Sorry for the repeat)

[rickaddict]

Quality is not any different.

In '73, a lot of the earlier features were gradually phased out. So the earlier you get in 1973, the more valuable a Rick bass tends to be as collectors prefer those earlier features.

Things that were phased out in '73 were:

-Full width crushed pearl inlays, which transitioned to swirly inlays for a month or two before finally becoming the smaller "floating" swirly inlay.

-Aluminum gap-toothed tail piece and bridge.

-Checkered binding.

-Toaster pickup

-1/2 inch spaced neck pickup

[sloop_john_b]

-1/2 inch spaced neck pickup

Silly Jeff. That lasted into '75!

[rickaddict]

-1/2 inch spaced neck pickup

Silly Jeff. That lasted into '75!

Oh. Oops!

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

by my records, the 1/2 " spacing was phased out by april/may '75 excepting the whiteglo basses for some reason that run months later (probably because they were old stock and jackplated later, or just using up the black pickguards ???) the '76 i just repaired accepted a 1/2 " spaced pg.

'73 non-deluxe 4001 basses also were the first year for the neck and bridge button top higains ( which i still have the neck p/u from MJ-4844.) body wings started to get thicker by '74.

my MD-1252 had the crushed shell full width inlays.

[chrisdski]

I noticed nobody mentioned the Grovers. Wonder why?

[jps]

To the topic question............

Mine is!

[Knork]

Thanks for infos. So it's all rather cosmetic only?

The serial number revealed a 1973 that got offered to me as a 1976 though.

[kiramdear]

It's an historic, transitional year for design, largely of interest to collectors and connoisseurs. Nothing radically different in the way they play and sound.

[johnnysain]

I believe, other than the merely ornamental,....the Schaller's and Zinc bridge were improvements (versus the Grover's and Aluminum).

[antipodean]

The zinc bridge and tailpiece adopted in mid-'73 allowed more travel for the saddles - some folk have remarked that the aluminium bridge did not have sufficient travel to achieve correct intonation on some string sets. The flip side is that the old aluminium tailpieces are pretty much immune to tail lift.

Oh... and Rickenbacker didn't use Schaller tuners until the mid-80s. The 4001 reverted to Klusons in late '73 due to some QC/design issues with the Grovers.