1957-59 Ric 4000 tuning keys

[Baz Cooper]

I just got the cat to throw in a set of Lulls in the trade to use in one of my other bass builds.

[chefothefuture]

Yes, But didn't they have 2 truss rods?

My 59 and 60s all had two rods.

[Baz Cooper]

John,
How thick were/are the bodies on your basses? Just wondering if mine is the same thickness.
Thanks!
Baz

[Baz Cooper]

Well...apparently Dale Finally sent me a personal email claiming that he did not build the bass. Said someone in New York built it??? Whatever. Well...if it's real...if it's a tribute, Rickenbacker had it perfect with his design.

[Baz Cooper]

However....I found this....Almost exactly like my bass....in fact...this is the Bass I picked up before I took it back to get the one I have...something fishy going on here...

http://s455.photobucket.com/user/Guitar ... ort=3&o=30

[jps]

However....I found this....Almost exactly like my bass....in fact...this is the Bass I picked up before I took it back to get the one I have...something fishy going on here...

http://s455.photobucket.com/user/Guitar ... ort=3&o=30

Cool, a purpleheart fingerboard!

We have known yours is not a real '50s 4000; now.............who made these?

[8mileshigh]

I think that's pretty obvious!

[cjj]

I think that's pretty obvious!

+1, look at ALL the pics...

[jps]

I think that's pretty obvious!

+1, look at ALL the pics...

I didn't do that, obviously.............

A great visually tutorial on building and restoring instruments, actually. A shame things are the way they are.

[chefothefuture]

John,
How thick were/are the bodies on your basses? Just wondering if mine is the same thickness.
Thanks!
Baz

Thickness varied from 1 5/8" to 1 3/4".

[Baz Cooper]

Ok, Dale only painted the basses, not built them
I wonder who this mystery builder is.....

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Ok, Dale only painted the basses, not built them
I wonder who this mystery builder is.....

Is it possible that your bass was a rebuild of a trashed vintage 4000? What confuses me is why would a non stock Rickenbacker bass have a bridge plate with an accurate serial number? I have heard of new bodies being built to replace a trashed one - Paul W (Jungle Jangle) did that with a 60s era 4005...

Could you post a picture of the bridge plate so we can see if it is a real vintage piece or a replica?

[jps]

What confuses me is why would a non stock Rickenbacker bass have a bridge plate with an accurate serial number?

Let's start here for one possible place to harvest serial numbers.

[8mileshigh]

Dale made this one. Or at least he claimed he did a few years ago. I hope you didn't pay too much. I can only imagine the number of people who will be stung in years to come by these luthier copies.

[jps]

Especially so, after the current owners go through the trouble and expense of trying to make then even more authentic-like by replacing hardware and whatnot..........