1958 Rickenbacker 4000 Bass On Ebay!

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:04 pm

Good call, Dale! Still...don't you think this kind of headstock repair would/could change the sound of the bass?

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:08 pm

Also if you look at the enlarged picture it's quite easy to tell the repair is done by a very highly experienced Luthier, but the seller is misleading when he says: original finish is intact. Sorry, but even an untrained eye could see the difference in the wood grain, especially behind the G tuner. Look at the straight line accross the peg head behind the G and E tuning machines, this indicates a total peg head graft. Still I must say it was done by a pro and it looks top notch but this will keep the price of this Rare Bird on the low end.

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:11 pm

No, the tonal quality will be retained because the repair person made all the right choices, type of Mahogany and matching the grain very closely. If I had the extra bucks I would buy this in a heart beat.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:13 pm

Dale - where do you think this could go for? I am after a friend of mine's 1963 4001 fireglo which he values at $10,000.

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:31 pm

Buy the 63 FG 4001, but I must ask, are they going for 10K? Better be mint condition if I were to make that kind of investment. As for the 58 4000 Bass, I'd think somewhere under 4K would be a fair price if it were all intact and original as the seller quotes. No soldering issues or Pick-up or control mods. 1 thing I've noticed about the
Mahogony and Walnut neck 4000 models from the 50's is that most of them have a neck bow that leaves the string action on the high side. This is a leading factor that brought about the all Maple Bass and dual truss rods. Ratso. who is Larry you are speaking of?

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:46 pm

My '63 cost significantly less than 10K a year and a half ago. 10K is a bit high IMHO. Mine came from an honest dealer who is not afraid to charge for his wares.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:56 pm

Gary!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:00 pm

Jay ... ya that episode where Spock sang ...

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:33 pm

Hi Guys, I know I'll regret this but ..

The show you are thinking about is in fact number 8 of the original series, called Charlie X played by Robert Walker, about the kid who has superhuman powers.

It's set at Thanksgiving time, and during the show Charlie boy falls big time for Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee) This was the one and only time Grace Lee had a major role in an episode.

It was in fact Uhura who sung (in Swahili no less) , not Spock, but he did indeed play a 1968 vintage Firerglo Vulcan Lyre, with a horseshoe and chequed binding ... oh, and it was wired in Ric-O-Sound !!!!

dale_fortune · Post by **dale_fortune** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:38 pm

An interesting thing about this Bass that maybe John could evaluate on is the type of wood used.
It looks like Marupa a South American Mahogany or possibly Korina an African type Mahogany. Honduras
Mahogany has a nice Redish hue to it, while this 58 Rick has a warm golden hue to this wood. Anyone have any info on the type of wood it might be?

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:23 pm

You guys are waaaay more knowledgeable and experienced than myself in these matters, but it looks to me that most of the neck and the headstock are original, only the middle section (behind the lower 3 frets) was replaced, in what looks like a very professional and clean job. The seller says that "The original finish around the repair has been kept intact" - I think he means the headstock and the rest of the neck. I'm feeling weak just looking at this bass... maybe a last chance to own a 58 at a "reasonable" price. 6 days left to sell a kidney - any offers?

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:31 pm

live long and prosper...

philipharris · Post by **philipharris** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 5:34 am

Could it just be a graft from just below the G M/H to behind the third fret, with original headstock, like Ilan says? There is a distinct line across the headstock at the base.

I'll have to raid the piggy bank I think. And the wife's jewellery box. VERY tempted, even if like every vintage guitar I've ever owned, it turns out to play like a cow.

Anyone know how many more of these there are lurking around?

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:32 am

Spock did sing in an episode of the original Star Trek series. It was the one where the enterprise responds to a medical emergency on a planet inhabited by the decendents of Plato, all but one of whom have telekinetic powers. They force Kirk, Uhura, Spock, and Nurse Chapel to act out a "play' of sorts during which Spock is made to sing ("...bitter dregs ..." is the sound bite I recall), and the famous Kirk-Uhura kiss takes place.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:42 am

Despite the apologies it's still a great piece. The cover over the bridge is the gold type used on the modern re-issue electric mandolins. The case is really cool too. I'll bet it sounds pretty neat.