GC Rickenbacker 4001S Special?

[cassius987]

I understand what you are saying, however what you are describing should help it look LESS offset; normally, the thicker E string would appear to be CLOSER to the bridge pickup mounting ring screws. However, looking at the picture again, it appears that the much smaller G string is actually closer to the mounting ring screws. Again, if anything, the E string should be CLOSER to those screws. However, it is the G string that is much, much, much closer to the screws. If it's not picture distortion (I'm hoping it is), then it is REALLY off.

I am definitely not seeing eye to eye with you on this one. Anyway, it looks like it would be able to detect the strings just fine...

[Lefty4003S8]

I was finally able to get some shots of the Guitar Center 4001s I just picked up. Bit of a computer dope here, hope these come out okay.

As I stated before, I pulled her out of the shipping box ready to go. This bass is a beautiful piece of work. I flew her at rehearsal the day I picked her up and played her at three Church services over the weekend. She was a leap of faith at the GC price, but after looking at her, and playing her, I feel she was a great deal.

My sympathy goes out to players who step up to acquire such a piece and are disappointed. I'm an old geezer and have bought numerous instruments over the years including a number of RIC basses. This one is easily one of my favorites.

GLAD it worked out for you, Gary!!!! That IS one NICE looking bass. Guess they're NOT all duds. Enjoy!!!!!

[s4001]

This bass has worked just fine for Paul for decades; anybody here want to pick it apart?

Yes! Send it to me for a closer evaluation!

[j_gary]

Hi Jeff,

Thank you for the kind consideration, but no apologies are necessary sir. It was all good until you posted the photo of that beautiful bass next to mine. Is that beauty yours?

[simer4001]

This bass has worked just fine for Paul for decades; anybody here want to pick it apart?

Rick 4001S - McCartney 01.jpg

There is too much perspective distortion in that photo of the new 4001S laying in the case to get a read on alignments IMHO.

NOPE!!! This is the one that started it all, IMO.

[eddied]

To anyone who even cares, I was able to return my 4001S GC SPECIAL back to the WI store where my was located, and I received a 100% refund to my credit card. Out of sight out of mind. Sorry if I offended some of you because a $3400 bass had imperfections, but it did and I'll never make that kind of a mistake again. This never took away one bit of my passion for Rick basses and never will. It is just that the price vs. my expectations and it NOT being perfect don't add up for me. Bottom line, if the bass was priced like a normal new 4003, i would have kept it and made or paid for all the issues it had, starting with all new saddles. Later.

[cassius987]

Who's mad? If you aren't happy, that's all that matters. Glad you got your money back, now it's time for GC &/or RIC to set things right, or GC will just pass the dud on to the next guy.

[cjj]

He also told me, whether true or not, that Rickenbacker will not allow them to sell them under a certain price. I know this has been said to be not true here, but apparently GC is told to push that line...or it's actually true. Judgment call for the buyer, I suppose.

I'm fairly sure it's illegal for a manufacturer to "fix" the price at which something can be sold to the customer. If someone wants to sell it for less than they paid for it, hey, it's a free country.

Now, saying that the manufacturer won't let them sell it for less makes it sound like they have no choice and so you have no choice but to pay their asking price...

[bassduke49]

I think the way it works is that RIC requires its dealers to not "print" or advertise their prices. This makes it fair to all its dealers. That's why you see a lot of "ask for price." It's true, they can sell 'em for whatever they want to, but they'd be nuts to sell at or over the RIC suggested retail price which is easily found on RIC's website. Now, with a special order like GC's units, we aren't privy to a suggested retail price, and we don't know how much RIC charged GC for the order. I am sure it was more than the typical 4003 (per unit), but how much more, we won't get to know. If GC can tack on an extra grand and sell them all at that price, good for them. There's plenty of Ricks around for those of us who don't want to pay that price.

[glking14]

I don't know if RIC has a pricing policy , but Apple has a requirement on pricing, that's why all iphones and ipads are the same price. If a dealer sells an Apple product cheaper or more expensive then Apple will discontinue to supply that dealer. So much for fee enterprise.

[jps]

I don't know if RIC has a pricing policy , but Apple has a requirement on pricing, that's why all iphones and ipads are the same price. If a dealer sells an Apple product cheaper or more expensive then Apple will discontinue to supply that dealer. So much for fee enterprise.

Apple is a way huge corporation that probably puts enough money in our polititian's pockets to be allowed to get away with price fixing.

[cassius987]

I don't know if RIC has a pricing policy , but Apple has a requirement on pricing, that's why all iphones and ipads are the same price. If a dealer sells an Apple product cheaper or more expensive then Apple will discontinue to supply that dealer. So much for fee enterprise.

There is no evidence whatsoever this is the case with RIC. Think about the range of prices you hear for how much a new 4003 is going for... it is all over the map, almost never the same, with the exception of places like GC and MF which are "big box" places. Other equally recognized RIC dealers have exercised lots of flexibility on pricing over the years and the market basically validates their position with sales. Case in point, I have seen 4003s and 4004s offered for way under MSRP from the local dealer here (Wildwood), but in the same time period I have also known others to ask and get exactly MSRP within a period of a few months of each other. I will say I see Wildwood clear their 4003 inventory very rapidly all the time, while MF seems to accumulate huge inventories and then do massive "blow outs" (at prices comparable to what Wildwood always offers).

At the end of the day, RIC sells the bass to the dealer and the dealer sets the price to make their profit. The final pricing seems to be entirely in the dealer's hands.

[Wally]

Does anyone know if the GC Rickenbacker 4001S Special has the .0047 MFD capacitor installed? I know the C64 and the C64S included it but the V63 did not.

[ReluctantBass]

Does anyone know if the GC Rickenbacker 4001S Special has the .0047 MFD capacitor installed? I know the C64 and the C64S included it but the V63 did not.

Hey Wally,
I just bought one in Fort Worth. It's so amazing. If I had to guess, I'd say it DOES have the cap. The bridge PU sounds more like my 4001CS (which I added the .0047 mF cap into) so I think it must. There is such a huge difference between the V63 bridge PU and one with a vintage tone circuit. But maybe mine just has a a wimpy PU! Nevertheless, it's great!

[ReluctantBass]

Having said that, I'll pop the pick guard and let you know if it does have the cap.