Relic'd Rics

[Hotzenplotz]

I do not like pseudo old instruments in general. Some kind of wear can be very nice, it can give an instrument unique character, some call it mojo.
I call it this way: the guitar can talk about life, my life.

Since two years I own a 31 years old Ibanez 12 string acoustic. When I received it from a friend it was not looking that age - still today it does.
One very nice evening we played with two of this models. The guitarist on the right next to me turned for laughing - crash - her headstock made an autograph on mine. O.K., without this it would stayed a nice guitar, too. But whenever I look at the (deeper) dings they remind me of a great time I had together with others for weeks. The shock of the first moment disappeared and made the memory just deeper.

Factory made age in my eyes is like wearing an military order without ever been in a battle.
Just marketing, just my two cents.

[surfinmars]

I have an '85 4003 - White with black hardware. The bass itself is in fair shape, but the black has been coming off of the tuners and pickup bezels. The cable jack plate is pretty spanked and can barely see a serial number. Which poses a question - Can a replacment cable jack plate with the original s/n be ordered from Ric?

Mars

[TheCurvedEarth]

Nothing cooler then a beat up white 4001 or 4003.

[woodyng]

-OR 4000...

[ken_j]

Welcome Mars. I would recommend contacting RIC customer service and inquire as to whether a new plate can be purchased with the original number on an exchange basis. They used to sell plates with an XX designation but I believe that practice has ended.

[gearhed289]

Here's the honest play wear on my 4003S. I recently had the frets replaced, and I went ahead and had them refinish the entire neck/fingerboard/headstock. But I told them to leave the body alone.

[surfinmars]

Thanks Ken,
Yes I'll give rickenbacker a call and ask about replacement jackplates.