The Japan-only new limited 4003 with checker binding

[Captain Bob]

http://www.rickenbacker-jp.com/items/ca ... gory_id=29


The limited Blue Boy on my iMac appears to be more like 'Green Boy'....Surfishly speaking.

[bottom4]

they have some very cool basses for sure...

[pag]

There are some really great looking basses on the Ric Japan site.
I think the build quality of Rickenbacker basses is at a high these days.
As someone who would buy a 4001V68 and RM (60s 4001s) reproduction without a second thought, I think the only "custom shop" or ltd. run area
that Ric might look into is the reproduction of vintage hardware such as the magnetic horse shoe pickup and the original
cast aluminium tailpieces.
At the end of the day we bass players are no different than guitarists in our search for tone and those parts of the
vintage Ricks I just mentioned arent available from the factory at the moment so I wouldnt be getting any different tones
from a ltd run bass in Japan than my 4001CS and V63 which are good but just short of "that" vintage tone and authenticity.

How about a Manchester-only Ltd V68 and RM?
Why should Japan have all the fun?

[Captain Bob]

Manchester only, Pete!? How about the Eric Haydock Signature Hollies Fender VI for you lads! But, then again there is that Gouldman fellow....

[pag]

I was thinking more of a 4001KR "Keppel Road" signature bass.
Thats the street in Chorlton Manchester where the Gibb boys grew up before they left for Australia.

By the way, lots of great shots of DH163 on the BBC4 Bee Gees documentary on Saturday.
My wife kept saying "get over it" everytime the refinished white version came into shot.

(Maybe I will if we ever see an RM replica bass with all the original hardware.)

[pag]

By the way, I played Gouldmans 4001 when it was in Barratts on Oxford Road.
10cc came in the shop to buy it on the day I put my deposit on my white Jazz Bass.
Even back then in 74 I knew I only wanted a 60s Rick so the black 4001 wasnt for me.

[rikk]

I would love a checkerboard 4003. If the cost was right I would buy one. For $3000 I would not. $2100 maybe. I wonder if a dealer like Pick of the Ricks had pre paid orders would Rickenbacker then make a batch for them. It would be interesting to see how many people pony up.

[Captain Bob]

By the way, I played Gouldmans 4001 when it was in Barratts on Oxford Road.
10cc came in the shop to buy it on the day I put my deposit on my white Jazz Bass.
Even back then in 74 I knew I only wanted a 60s Rick so the black 4001 wasnt for me.

Ah, Strawberry Studios. You should have followed them back over there begging for a 'tape op' position knowing now what they created on 'Original Soundtrack'. Then, you could have been chasing that redheaded secretary who famously lent her voice stating 'big boys don't cry'. lol

I've seen clips of Graham with an older Sonic Blue Jazz too.

[86kubicki]

When RIC was producing their "Colour of the year" finishes, we were told that these colours would never be produced again so "get ''em while they're hot". I guess that's gone out the window...

[DriftSpace]

I would love a checkerboard 4003. If the cost was right I would buy one. For $3000 I would not. $2100 maybe.

As I have said before: several shops in Japan will ship one to the US for around $2500, like Ikebi Gakkai and Ishibashi Music; the latter is a dealer with whom I have dealt, and it was a pretty hassle-free and positive experience.

[petersland]

Sorry to sound smug Guys but, welcome to my world.
I live in Western Australia and have no local dealers.
My Snowglo cost me $3.5k landed but hey, i have one.
Ive learnt to;
Go to my hardware store,
Buy some cement,
Build a bridge,
And get over it

[nukebass]

I generally started ignoring a lot of comments from the factory, mainly because either the models/options are offered or they are not (and it doesn't really matter why), partly because they could just be frustrating, and partly because the arguments didn't always add up, at least to me. If the binding and fret marker cost arguments I read a few years ago were 100% accurate, at least from how I read them, it would mean the 4004L would be the cheapest bass offered.

The checkerboard binding looks great and I'm sure there is at least a small market for it, but I'm not in it. I've haven't had the best of luck with quality control and can't justify buying a new bass at the current market price, let alone the increased checkerboard price.

[cjj]

Be happy you live where they're cheap...

Market price here is $3300-$3600 for a 4003 in the standard colours...

[teeder]

Ah yes, but don't you live in the Mirkwood Forest?

[jps]

Ah yes, but don't you live in the Mirkwood Forest?

I believe this is his neighbor.

She's retired, these days.