First White 4001?

[ilan]

Sérgio - by 'block' you mean checkerboard? this must look fantastic. Like the Susanna Hoffs Prototype in Björn Eriksson's website.

[rickcrazy]

Yes, I meant checkerboard binding.
As for Maurice's 4001 having plain white binding on the headstock, it sure looks like it on the LP cover shot.
If I'm not wrong, for a short while ('69/'71?) some 4001 basses came with a block bound body and a plain bound headstock. Chris Brubeck's is an example that comes to my mind. Forumite James Grove's is another.

[jwr2]

On the Rush in Rio DVD there is a secret part that you can get to where they have Rush playing Anthem about 1975 or so and Geddy is playing a white Ric with black binding and black plastic and chrome hardware ... very pretty bass ...

[nattiep]

Cool.. I'll have to find that. I ordered it last week.

[rictified]

The bass in bassplayer was white/white I'm pretty sure, I might have it around still I'll look.

[kbhag]

Back around '85 I special ordered a White 4001s (4003s?) from Rickenbacker. Nice guitar but I sold it 'cause it had such a chunky neck. I was pure white with a white pickguard, never saw another one like it.
Ken

[GuitarPlayer1990]

Actually, I read somewhere that his Rick was originally fireglo (red sunburst), but he later had it repainted white.

[armybass]

My first Ric was a white 76 4001 that had yellowed to a nice butter color. I so would like to get another whit 4001.

[bassduke49]

It's funny how some of these old threads get resurrected. Gibb obviously had two "white" Ricks. The LP with the shot of the deluxe 4001 on the cover was released in 1972. I don't have complete price sheets for that year, so I can't tell if "White" was a color available for order. It is likely that a few were made for special customers back then before becoming available to the masses. Maurice also had a Fireglo RM 1999 (4001S) which was refinished in white, and the caretaker of that bass is Wints:

[armybass]

It's funny how some of these old threads get resurrected. Gibb obviously had two "white" Ricks. The LP with the shot of the deluxe 4001 on the cover was released in 1972. I don't have complete price sheets for that year, so I can't tell if "White" was a color available for order. It is likely that a few were made for special customers back then before becoming available to the masses. Maurice also had a Fireglo RM 1999 (4001S) which was refinished in white, and the caretaker of that bass is Wints:

MG1999.jpg

Wow, that is a beautiful bass!

[doctorwho]

...[it] was pure white with a white pickguard, never saw another one like it.
Ken

You obviously have not seen any of my posts with this picture contained therein:

1975 4001S WHT WT and 1998 4003 WHT WT (w/ white binding)

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

gibbs 70's 4001 had checker bind.

ken...both squire and entwistle got matching '73 4001/8 basses in white with potato heads and dot boards, black trim and guards. the only diff between them was entwistle's was strung rick traditional root first and squire's was octave first. therefore the machines were placed differently on the potato. vince gallo owns squire's and entwistle's was sold at auction in england.

[wints]

Don't forget this one, the famous no inlay bass, which was said to be from 1970.


Here's a closer look at the deluxe Gibb bass, with possibly 21 frets, and the forward position tailpiece.

[bassduke49]

No, don't think so. There should be more fretboard below the 19th fret, and the tailpiece is in the normal position. There's a bright reflection coming from the bottom of it making it look like it doesn't reach the bottom of the body. And I've got my doubts on checker binding, too. It should be there if the pictures of it on the '72 album cover certainly indicate that it must be a '72 or older bass, but we should see a darker edge to the body. Perhaps it was painted over? Could this be a refinished one, too? Hmm.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

Don't forget this one, the famous no inlay bass, which was said to be from 1970.


Here's a closer look at the deluxe Gibb bass, with possibly 21 frets, and the forward position tailpiece.

wints...looking at the fretboard, it looks like wood inserts where the inlays would be ???