Searching for '76 Jetglo 4001 s/n PL7996

[Tache3]

Hello All. If you will all forgive me for such a forthright first post, I am putting out an appeal. I would like to trace- and if possible buy back- this guitar (see pic below). 1976 Rickenbacker 4001, serial number PL7996. When sold, this guitar had a Jazz bass pickup fitted in the bridge position. Black scratchplate and Jazz pickup were added by me and I played this guitar extensively during the early-mid 1990s. In 1995, it was sold without my permission by someone working for Nomis Studios, London (possibly to a client or customer).

I know this is a long shot and it may have changed hands and locations many times in the past 28 years. But in my experience musicians are generally a sociable lot, who like to discuss and share info about their instruments and spend a lot of time online, so if I can spread this appeal as widely as possible, someone out there may realise that they have it. There have been a few recent extraordinary examples of items found in this way so I thought it may be worth a try. Any info gratefully received.

[rickenbrother]

I tried looking in the registry. It's in there, but mostly likely a recent addition made by you. You never know, many people look in here. I saw your post on the RRF Facebook page as well. Good luck.

[Tache3]

I tried looking in the registry. It's in there, but mostly likely a recent addition made by you. You never know, many people look in here. I saw your post on the RRF Facebook page as well. Good luck.

Nope, wasn't me. I've had some registration issues and only got on the forum for the first time yesterday. Looks like someone has listed it as a collected item (from the Rick Resource Facebook page according to the notes). I'll drop admins a message and get it added to my records. Thanks for letting me know.

[Tache3]

Just a quick update. Sadly, I am still no closer to finding it. Things are also becoming a bit murky. The situation is that I have now been in contact with the person who sold it back in 1995. However, they claim to “not remember that time” which is odd because, even though it was 28 years ago, it will have been the only occasion in their life that they have sold a guitar, so its extraordinary that they can’t remember a single detail about it. Furthermore, I know that this person told a mutual acquaintance that it had gone to an ex-partner who apparently obtained it as a gift for a sibling. I’ve therefore also been in touch with this ex-partner and they deny buying it or knowing anything about it being sold. So, someone here is mistaken (to put it politely). I’ve sent follow ups to both these persons but have yet to receive replies.
Not sure what else to do TBH but while I think about that, here’s more pics.

[Tache3]

Six weeks on from the above and I'm still searching. There were a couple of brief moments of excitement during Nov, firstly when a used black/black '76 with road wear turned up on Reverb. But it was a manufactured a couple of weeks before mine according to the serial. Also, The Bass Gallery in London had listed a used Jetglo '76 with a non-original bridge pickup. TBG are located just a couple of miles from my old apartment, so I was immediately intrigued. A quick trip up there confirmed it wasn't the one, unfortunately.
I did receive some information that has eliminated some of the uncertainty about the ex-partner/sibling situation though, which has allowed me to disregard that. It turned out to have been a case of poor communication.
So, I’m still no closer to finding the guitar and the person who sold it in 1995 has nothing else useful to add. In the meantime, there are threads running on all the major Facebook Rickenbacker groups and other Ricky or bass related sites like this one and alerts are set up on Reverb, Ebay and Gumtree (the UK's equivalent of Craigslist). I guess its going to be a waiting game now, not sure what else to do.
In the meantime, here’s a pic of my manservant giving it a quick tune up back in 1992.

[Tache3]

So, I've just come the the end of a long trawl through the hundreds of pages of topics in the bass, marketplace and appraisals sections of these forums, looking for any mention of the instrument (a process that has taken months) and unfortunately have come up empty handed.

I have noticed a couple of things though. Firstly, that there is an incredible amount of knowledge and information on these forums, I've learned quite a lot. Secondly, that it is only relatively recently (i.e the end of the 2010s) that late '70's era 4001s were still available to buy for under a grand. Those days sure disappeared quickly and will no doubt never be back.

[henry5]

Sorry to hear you haven’t found it yet. I had my first ever bass, a 1980 Rick 4001 in Jetglo, serial number TC915, stolen around 1986 from the band van in Hendon after a gig. Rather strangely, I’d also replaced the scratch plate (but not the trc) with a black one, so the bass looked just like yours except for the jazz pickup, although I had had the back pickup rewound by Kent Armstrong. Seems someone out there has sticky fingers for black 4001 basses.

I’ll add that I’ve heard nothing about it since, in spite of appeals on here and Basschat.

[Tache3]

Sorry to hear you haven’t found it yet. I had my first ever bass, a 1980 Rick 4001 in Jetglo, serial number TC915, stolen around 1986 from the band van in Hendon after a gig. Rather strangely, I’d also replaced the scratch plate (but not the trc) with a black one, so the bass looked just like yours except for the jazz pickup, although I had had the back pickup rewound by Kent Armstrong. I’ll add that I’ve heard nothing about it since, in spite of appeals on here and Basschat.

I'm sorry to hear about your Rick. I know exactly how you feel and can sympathise. They do turn up again, so I'm told, even after many years. You just have to stay vigilant. If Peter Frampton's Les Paul can turn up 31 years after being lost in a plane crash in a jungle, there's always a chance yours will pop up.

Seems someone out there has sticky fingers for black 4001 basses.

Yeah, maybe its a London thing...

[Tache3]

So, its been six months since I started this search and still having no luck so far, although there have been a couple of near misses- a guitar shop in Germany recently sold PL7986 and the database here lists PL7998 as being located somewhere in Tennessee. Both of these were probably from the same production run as mine.

I’m not deterred though, but as mentioned earlier I’m now just playing the long game, waiting for some info to appear.

There was some discussion elsewhere of the wisdom of tagging it as stolen, as a couple of people have stated their belief that it would make someone less likely to come forward, if they have it. That argument has merit, I guess, although I have made it clear from the start that I’m looking to buy it back in good faith and not recover it as a stolen item (it was never reported to the police as stolen, so can’t be ‘recovered’ anyway). But it does worry me that the stolen status might hinder things. What does anyone think about this? I’d be interested to hear any opinions.

[Tache3]

Hello All.

I've received a message from a friend of mine earlier today saying a Jetglo 4001 with a JB pickup in the bridge position appeared on Facebook UK marketplace this morning. However, the listing seems to have disappeared and does not also appear under the 'Sold' category.

I didn't get a notification from Facebook about a new listing (no surprise there though, considering how ropey that place is) and I can't see a duplicate listing on Ebay, Reverb or Gumtree or in the 'For Sale' sections on various bass forums, which is often the case.

So, I don't suppose, on the off chance, that was it was listed by someone who is also a member here? Please feel free to let me know. Thanks.

[Tache3]

According to my diary notes, it seems it was one year ago today that I started the search for my old Rickenbacker 4001, serial number PL7996, which I was daft enough to let out of my sight for a while back in the 1990s and as a result ended up being sold without my permission. Still no sign of it popping up yet, despite numerous appeals on forums and various socials and alerts set on all the usual selling sites. There have been a few near misses- PL7986, PL7998 and PL8021 have all turned up online but I’m still no nearing tracing the real thing.
I have found a few more pics though, mostly from a UK gig at the Manchester Boardwalk in October 1991, which nicely show it as it was after my modifications (black scratchplate added and Jazz Bass pickup in the bridge position). I have no idea, obviously, if it still looks like this, wherever it is now.
I’m still searching though and not giving up…

[henry5]

I really hope you find it, just as I hope mine turns up one day. Fingers crossed on both counts.

[Isaac]

Good luck to you both, and to anyone else on a similar quest.

I have no need for such a quest. My old 4001 MG that I let go I know had the finish sanded off of the back of the neck, and later had the neck broken, so there is no chance of ever getting that one back again!

Fortunately, several years ago I picked up a 1979 4001 MG That satisfied me. Took it to band practice a few weeks ago. Still plays and sounds great.

[Tache3]

Good luck to you both, and to anyone else on a similar quest.

Many thanks, much appreciated.