THE bass to get?

[badeggs]

He offered it to me for $4500 (in 1998). Didn't have the dough...sigh...

That's nothing! A shop in Long Branch, NJ had what must have been a '60 or '61 4000 for $1000, back around the same time (1997 I think). I had just bought my first 4001 (a '79 JG with the case) for $600 and as I knew almost nothing about Ricks beyond that I wanted a 4001, had no idea what this was.

I remember thinking with that pickguard it looked kinda ugly (which, frankly, I still do). The massive appreciation in value over the following 15 years would have sweetened my opinion but like I said, I was clueless as to its true worth. Hell it could have been a '58 with a walnut neck for all I can remember. I kick myself to this day...

[Keef]

That is BEAUTIFUL!!
Is the body design on that one from the era where the upper horn was still shorter, or is the the full length?

It looks shorter to me.

The templates were made from a '61 IIRC...

Funny story behind it-
I first saw the '61 in early '87. It was sold to a buddy of mine(the deal was if he didn't want it I was next in line....)
Well, he then sold it to a forumite(who's identity should remain anonymous...), who then sold it to Mike Lull.
I saw it in Mike's shop when I was buying that TRC....
So I asked if I could make some templates from it.....
He offered it to me for $4500 (in 1998). Didn't have the dough... sigh.....

And so it goes....

Ahh... I think I heard about that bass. When I got my first Ric a few years ago I brought it in to Mike to set up since he's pretty good with Rics. He told me a story about Paul Allen and Chris Squire being in the same room and interested in that bass, but it was too much for Chris, so then Paul Allen's assistant raised his hand signifying they'd be buying it. It may or may not have been that bass, but it was a very early Ric.

[chefothefuture]

He offered it to me for $4500 (in 1998). Didn't have the dough...sigh...

That's nothing! A shop in Long Branch, NJ had what must have been a '60 or '61 4000 for $1000, back around the same time (1997 I think). I had just bought my first 4001 (a '79 JG with the case) for $600 and as I knew almost nothing about Ricks beyond that I wanted a 4001, had no idea what this was.

I remember thinking with that pickguard it looked kinda ugly (which, frankly, I still do). The massive appreciation in value over the following 15 years would have sweetened my opinion but like I said, I was clueless as to its true worth. Hell it could have been a '58 with a walnut neck for all I can remember. I kick myself to this day...

Well, from the mid 80s to the mid 90s the early 4000s
really did not command much more than 1000-1500...
I bought B9148 for 1000 in 1987. I traded a 65 4000 and $500
for B9143 in 1992. I don't think I got much more than $1500 for
either of them several years later. So I was fairly impressed by
the jump in value by 1998.

[rickfan63]

Relatively speaking, the '72 - early '73's are your best value compared to the '60's basses. You get most of the cool features, plus I believe the skunk stripe necks tend to be more stable and allow more flexibility as to what strings you can use. That said, if money was no object, I'd be looking for a RM1999!

"60's basses do go well with a nice V63 though!

I wish I had my old V63 back I hate I had to sell it. It was an awesome bass!