Sir Paul's Rickenbacker Bass

[T.A.R.]

Just one of the reasons I love this place.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

I consider it a 4001S as it was never exported to/imported by Rose-Morris; why would it be considered a RM1999 at all?

Between John's Radio-Tel quote and your logic, that for me defines it.

Me too!

I would be surprised if any of Rickenbacker's records mention "1999" at all. They would have been 4000+1 and not a 1999 until in RM's hands.

The ONLY real difference is the backwards headstock
( It wasn't an export which he purchased, it was built specifically for and given to him )

IIRC, wasn't Paul's the first lefty?

be interesting, teed, to know how many early-mid sixties 4000/4001 leftys there were !!!

[sloop_john_b]

None, Ron. Supposedly there is a '67 out there. And John's '69.

Do I have that all right John?

[pag]

I would say Pauls bass is technically a 4000 with added neck pickup.
I say that because in my letter of reply from Mr.Hall about DA24 which I used to own and is the serial number next to Pauls
bass he stated that DA24 was made in Jan 1961 and should have been a 4000 single pickup bass.
However a look under the pickguard and you could see it had been obviously made as a two pickup bass from the factory.
So its possible these serial numbers were some of the first dot neck two pickup basses in the 4000 series and were to be
re-numbered 4001 at a later date when the binding and inlays were developed as more deluxe features.
So in my mind the type of bass we call an RM from pre-Rose Morris period is really a 4000 with two pickups until it appears on the order books as 4001s later on.
Its a guess but it could explain the confusion.

Paul imported his own bass so its the first PMC by a long chalk.

[ilan]

he stated that DA24 was made in Jan 1961

Surely you mean 1964?

[Ivan3000]

I would say Pauls bass is technically a 4000 with added neck pickup.
I say that because in my letter of reply from Mr.Hall about DA24 which I used to own and is the serial number next to Pauls
bass he stated that DA24 was made in Jan 1961 and should have been a 4000 single pickup bass.
However a look under the pickguard and you could see it had been obviously made as a two pickup bass from the factory.
So its possible these serial numbers were some of the first dot neck two pickup basses in the 4000 series and were to be
re-numbered 4001 at a later date when the binding and inlays were developed as more deluxe features.
So in my mind the type of bass we call an RM from pre-Rose Morris period is really a 4000 with two pickups until it appears on the order books as 4001s later on.
Its a guess but it could explain the confusion.

Paul imported his own bass so its the first PMC by a long chalk.

What ever happened to it?

[bassduke49]

Macca still has the Rick and has been seen in the background in some recent interview videos. He just doesn't use it in performances anymore, it seems.

[Baker69]

I read somewhere that he had the original bridge pickup on his 4001S changed (and also the chrome surround). What was it replaced with, a high-gain?

Would the original have had the finger rest? I can't see any evidence of it on later photo's of the 'stripped-down' version. If it was replaced perhaps Rickenbacker also replaced the pickguard to rid of the screw-holes it would have left.

[bassduke49]

Apparently the bass was never fitted with the tug bar. The pickguard, treble (bridge) pickup and its surround were replaced at Rickenbacker, and a zero fret was added at PM's request. The 4001C64S represents the look of PM's after the repairs and the body horns were sanded. I believe the pickup is an original Horseshoe in a new surround.

[JakeK]

When it was sent back to the factory in 1974 or 1975 for repairs, the original HS was beyond useable, so a Hi-Gain was put in its place, and Paul played the bass without a pickup cover. In about 1987 or 1988, with the 4001V63 and it's reissue HS pickup becoming popular, it appears that Paul had a reissue HS pickup put in and that's how the bass remains.

[Ivan3000]

I would say Pauls bass is technically a 4000 with added neck pickup.
I say that because in my letter of reply from Mr.Hall about DA24 which I used to own and is the serial number next to Pauls
bass he stated that DA24 was made in Jan 1961 and should have been a 4000 single pickup bass.
However a look under the pickguard and you could see it had been obviously made as a two pickup bass from the factory.
So its possible these serial numbers were some of the first dot neck two pickup basses in the 4000 series and were to be
re-numbered 4001 at a later date when the binding and inlays were developed as more deluxe features.
So in my mind the type of bass we call an RM from pre-Rose Morris period is really a 4000 with two pickups until it appears on the order books as 4001s later on.
Its a guess but it could explain the confusion.

Paul imported his own bass so its the first PMC by a long chalk.

What ever happened to it?

I should have been more clear. What ever happened to DA24, sorry about that guys.

[bosco64]

I should have been more clear. What ever happened to DA24, sorry about that guys.

I think they just told you...

[leftybass]

None, Ron. Supposedly there is a '67 out there. And John's '69.

Do I have that all right John?

Pretty much, and the '67 is supposed to be a 4001-S, a twin to McCartney's. Mine is (so far) the only lefty deluxe that has surfaced, but we'll see.....BUT..HAVING SAID THAT.....

I think that there is a possibility the bass that Ed Gagliardi had in the early days of Foreigner may be another pre-1970 4001 LH....it is hard to see pics of it with all the details we need to see to make the call, but it is an ongoing investigation for me.

The Foreigner bass had the wider pickguard and a high-gain bridge pickup which would make it no earlier that late-'68 early-'69.....I have not been able to tell if it is wired mono or for ROS, or how long the peghead is....If anyone has good pics of this bass, put 'em up so we can see them.

[Lefty4003S8]

MANY years ago in a record store, I remember seeing a Foreigner poster where the bass-player was holding a Lefty Rickenbacker bass.
This was the second Lefty Rick bass I had ever seen.
Unfortunately, I didn't know much about Ricks back then.......I do remember it being Red----or Fireglo.

Anybody here have that poster?????

I would actually like to see that bass again!!!!!


Lefty4003s8






Do not drink from the toilet when taking Lyrica

[cjj]

Is this the bass you remember?

Ed Gagliardi.jpg (3.82 KiB) Viewed 1953 times