4001S 64

[Captain Bob]

Thank you, Brian and Paul! You both always share your vast amounts of knowledge.

[jerzy]

Are the parts original and is it a Rose Morris or not ?

[bassduke49]

Don't know about the internals; I'll let experts weigh in on that. Whether it was an RM 1999 or not depends on its history. Only difference is the serial and a boat ride. If you or the bass is in the UK or Australia, then it is more likely an RM 1999. Usually the collectors of RM's have figured out the serials involved, but I am not such an expert on that. It does seem that most down-trimmed twin-pickup Rick basses made between 1964 and '67 were exported to Rose-Morris. Rickenbacker never really listed this model on its price sheets in the U.S., although it could have been ordered by customers. For more on this, see the book!

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Are the parts original and is it a Rose Morris or not ?

Sambor:

You are in Europe?

Your bass fits into the run of the first 1999 basses sent to Rose Morris in March 1964. That is not definitive, but best guess is it is a RoMo 1999. Same bass no matter what you call it, as Paul has noted.

Last year, RIC CEO John Hall had the Rose Morris file on his desk for a bit and was able to answer this question for a few specific instruments. For example we learned that DA 09, another bass just like yours but made in January 64, and currently residing in Ireland was not part of the Rose Morris run. Hence it must have been sold in the US or Canada as a 4001S.

John told me by email at the time that only one DA bass was part of a shipment of 5 instruments (4 guitars and a bass) Electro Strings shipped to the UK for photographs/publicity purpose and that the SN for the bass was lower then DA 09. So any bass prior to DC (other then one) was not a Rose Morris export model, but must have been sold in North America.

Sadly John has not been posting here lately. A post on the RIC corporate forum might give you a definitive answer.

More pics - - the whole bass, front and back, the tuners, headstock front and back, would be welcome by me anyway.

I never get tired of looking at pictures of Vintage RICS.

You are very lucky to own a bass like that. What does it sound like?

[aceonbass]

The pots are the early CTS with the dished back. By '65 these looked the same as the current CTS pots from RIC. The wire from C3 to C3 on the volume pots is not original, and someone has used a white vinyl insulated wire to replace the original turquois .0047uF bass cut cap for the bridge pickup. There's a non original red vinyl insulated wire coming from the mute assembly that should be soldered to the back of one of the pots, but isn't. I'm guessing it's soldered to a ground on the output jack assembly.

[fran4001]

Great reading, Brian and Dane! And thanks for the CTS info. I only asked because I have lots of experience with 50's and 60's CTS pots as used in vintage Fenders, and for whatever reason, even at the same 250k or 500k values, it seems I've never seen a dish-back CTS used in a Fender. Cool!

[Captain Bob]

Sambor, if you end up with this bass, Dane Wilder, who posted above about your wiring loom is the fellow you need to have rebuild it correctly when you're ready. I have three of his harnesses, one of which is installed in my '64 4001S.

[jerzy]

Are the parts original and is it a Rose Morris or not ?

Sambor:

You are in Europe?

Your bass fits into the run of the first 1999 basses sent to Rose Morris in March 1964. That is not definitive, but best guess is it is a RoMo 1999. Same bass no matter what you call it, as Paul has noted.

Last year, RIC CEO John Hall had the Rose Morris file on his desk for a bit and was able to answer this question for a few specific instruments. For example we learned that DA 09, another bass just like yours but made in January 64, and currently residing in Ireland was not part of the Rose Morris run. Hence it must have been sold in the US or Canada as a 4001S.

John told me by email at the time that only one DA bass was part of a shipment of 5 instruments (4 guitars and a bass) Electro Strings shipped to the UK for photographs/publicity purpose and that the SN for the bass was lower then DA 09. So any bass prior to DC (other then one) was not a Rose Morris export model, but must have been sold in North America.

Sadly John has not been posting here lately. A post on the RIC corporate forum might give you a definitive answer.

More pics - - the whole bass, front and back, the tuners, headstock front and back, would be welcome by me anyway.

I never get tired of looking at pictures of Vintage RICS.

You are very lucky to own a bass like that. What does it sound like?

Hello Brian,

Yes, I'm in France.
The Bass sounds great. Very punchy. But only the horseshoe is working.
Here some more pics.

[woodyng]

That is just a splendid-looking speciman,and more than likely "the grail" for me. Hard to say,since i've never actually held one in my hands. But i hear they're nice....

[teeder]

Very nice, indeed!

[cheyenne]

You got yourself a Grail there my friend. And you say that the neck is straight? Added bonus.

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Lovely images Sambor:

My thanks for sharing them...

A 60s era Toaster is expensive but not impossible to find - it is the same as the ones used on guitars. Is the pick up dead or is there an issue with the wiring harness?

[jps]

Yes, I'm in France.
The Bass sounds great. Very punchy. But only the horseshoe is working.

RRF member Sergio Silva lives in Portugal and does pickup repair/rewinding. He can certainly help your toaster pickup get back to working order.

Look in the section Winding Up With The Best for more.

[Kopfjaeger]

Sambor,

She looks like a player!! Love the wear in all the right places!! You got yourself a keeper there, unless you are looking to sell. There would be a few interested takers, I imagine!

Similar wear on my 1965 4001.

Sepp

[bottom4]

Sambor,

She looks like a player!! Love the wear in all the right places!! You got yourself a keeper there, unless you are looking to sell. There would be a few interested takers

36.jpg

Sepp

Yep and I'm not too far away in Germany...