4001? 4003?

[bvstudios]

No pics (forgot my camera), but a friend who owns a Mom and Pop music store has taken in a Ric bass, thought to be 4001, but may be a 4003. It was in sad shape and needed much improvement (someone had hacked up the original finish and sprayed it with cheap black auto touchup- including the binding, some of the hardware and the entire fretboard. It also appears to have come with an original steel pickguard- at least there is old tape underneath to insulate the pots from the surface. The original TRC was included, as was the jackplate (ser # TT-4000, poss TI-4000, corrosion has made it tough), but the bass needed almost everything else put right and a decent refin.

Nearly a year down the road, It's almost done, but for the sake of truth in advertising, he'd like to put it up properly as a real 4001 or 4003... I checked the register and the number on the jackplate doesn't seem to go with either...

Anything I can check to help determine what it may really be?? If you like, I'll head to the store and get a couple of snaps. At the moment, it's only partially assembled, but I can do closeups, most likely..

[libratune]

There are a few ways to tell, but the obvious visual one is -- if it has a "skunk stripe" or a thin piece of dark wood running down the center of the neck-thru-body, then it's a 4001. The 4003 model of that era had a one-piece maple neck.

If the first letter in the serial no. is "T", then this was a 1980 build, which I believe was the first full production year for the model 4003. The model 4001 wasn't phased out until around 1985.

[s4001]

Skunk stripe: 4001
No skunk stripe: 4003

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

4000 is the correct range for a Ti serial number... T1 should be in the 6000 range, so it is more likely a Sept 1980 (Ti) bass.

Often in this era the model number is on the TRC. Since there is a metal (replacement) pick guard you can't use the other method. 4003's in 1980 had a two piece pick guard, while 4001's had a one piece.

As far as I know Rickenbacker's never left the factory with a metal pick guard.. Perhaps John Hall could correct me if I am wrong about this...

Pictures would be welcome!

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

And this one is up on Ebay now... Burgundy! I love Burgundy!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-RICKENBACK ... 5893c41794

[ajish4]

And this one is up on Ebay now... Burgundy! I love Burgundy!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-RICKENBACK ... 5893c41794

Yummy, that one is NICE!