What Model Exactly is This?

[lucidsounds]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1973-Rickenbacker ... 3364da6784

Ad says 1973 4001, but this looks decidedly odd to me. No neck binding, dot markers yet it has a bound body, not Grover Tuners, Toaster pick-up and weirdest of all, a zero fret....



Lucid

[libratune]

Here's a little more history on the modifications from the prior auction for this bass: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &viewitem=

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

From the Ebay listing...

"This is a unique 1973 Rickenbacker Bass. I purchased it from a player who had made unsightly modifications to this fine bass. First, he removed the Fireglo finish making it natural. He removed the fingerboard and turned it into a fretless bass. Only one of the original tuning keys remained. The case was a wreck. Now the good news. The remaining hardware was original, including the bridge and pickups. The pickups sound great and have the classic Ric sound, especially strung with Thomastik-Infeld flatwound bass strings. The neck is in great shape and is easy to play. I have used it briefly in a non-smoking, home studio environment. It records great.

To restore this baby I took it to a luthier in Austin, Texas. The fingerboard was re-radiused, and re-fretted. It was set up in the style of the C64S 4001 with dot inlays and a zero fret. I replaced the tuners with vintage Rickenbacker turners and changed the knobs to match the style of a C64S 4001. It looks and sounds like the '64 4001 McCartney used on many of the classic Beatles' recordings as well as in Wings. I purchased a new case, as well.

I verified the serial number with Rickenbacker and it is a 1973 4001. This baby has been on a journey but is ready to be played and cherished again.

Let me know if you have any questions about this unique bass."

[lucidsounds]

Thanks, that's cleared that up. Interesting that the current seller doesn't mention anything about the history. Not to mention the sudden doubling of value...but hey, that's business I guess.

[doctorwho]

... but hey, that's business I guess.

Well, that's one way to do business ...

[coolingitdown]

$1100 for this bass in the first auction was quite the steal! I'm not a big fan of the rosewood fingerboard, but I suppose that could be replaced (probably on a custom basis and at great cost, I would think) if it really bothered somebody.

As for the price in the new auction, you have to remember that everything seems to go for double in the UK. Although considering the seller paid less than half of what it's listed for, he/she might turn quite the profit.