1958 Rickenbacker 4000 Bass On Ebay!

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:06 am

Ken, I'd have liked to have known who did the refin too. Now with Mo gone, unless Dick Ashby their old tour/equipment manager can remember I'll never know.
It was refinished late 67 just before their early 68 tour of the States, probably in London. I have footage of it before that in Fireglo, but then it appears on the "Smothers Brothers" show in Feb 68 as is it today.
As I've said before, it was a job well done and apart from the upper horn where previously I used to rest my chin while practicing, has not faded over the years.

henny · Post by **henny** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:08 am

But, these things were produced in far greater numbers, though.

I do think that the Rm1999 is the ultimate Rickenbacker, especially in Fireglo. That vintage finish is something else...

Beatiful FG

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:16 am

mark are you crazy you said fireglo, he must be sleeping we would have heard something by now

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:21 am

wints ,give us a history lesson here where did you find it did they know what they had ....when did Gibb, let it go and why....

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:57 am

Wints - can't wait to hear! Must be a great story.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 7:16 am

I bought it back in '81. It was just an old Ric bass and I had been told to buy an old one...
There was no real vintage market hype then or the celebrity thing that has sprung up today and I bought the first one that came up for sale in the Melody Maker. "1964 Rickenbacker 4001 bass "

That was that for 20 years until I found this forum and the previous but one owner had posted here. (Pete, you still read here?) He had been told when he bought it that it came from a named band but it just wasn't a big deal back then. He sent me the original ad and I called the owner who still has the shop and he just said the same.

Looking at the old photo's here and then elsewhere for the first time it looked instantly the same. Brilliant "Dulux" white that is a paint brand in the U.K. and what I suspect was used for the refinishing and the long taper for the horseshoe surround.

Over the last few years I've tried to get a positive documentation but to no avail. The Bee Gees fan club forwarded an e-mail of mine to Dick Ashby who wrote back describing his 70,s white bass and that he gave that to a D.J. in the U.K. a long time ago. On asking him about the RM he said roughly the same. Mo was crazy about buying and selling cars, gear and all sorts of stuff all the time and that he was only 20, when this bass leaves the scene in 1969/70.

I,m going to try and get some real good close up pics of the bass in my next U.K. visit in the hope that a couple of tell tale points can confirm what I've thought all along...

ratso · Post by **ratso** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:39 am

Andrew, Great story and a very cool and interesting bass. Thanks for sharing it.

henny · Post by **henny** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:45 am

We should have a get together. So I can play it.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:12 am

Very cool, Wints!I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. I sense your hunch is on the right track.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 12:19 pm

I,d be surprised now if it wasn't Mo's old bass. There was a white RM on E bay about 3-4 years ago, however, this still had the wings showing like Squire's and a short taper to the horseshoe, neither of which the Gibb bass had/has...

This was the last genuine RM I have seen for sale, although one was found recently down under.

Henny, you would have to rack up the air miles to see the white bass. However, the green monster is just a couple of hours away. I'll bring it to a U.K. confluence in the summer when I return. Maybe Phil can bring his F/G 65 4001, you can bring the new red baby and we'll all have a day somewhere chillin'

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 5:53 pm

that thing cant hold a candle to yours

henny · Post by **henny** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 7:52 pm

That'd be cool, Wints!

Say, do you happen to remember how much that old RM went for?

philipharris · Post by **philipharris** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:49 pm

Good idea, wints. I'll get the beers in ! I might even bring along my ex-John Entwistle EB2 for a spot of boomy contrast.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 2:19 am

Phil, I have Entwistle's 1978 Wal fretless.

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 2:51 am

Wow! the leather pickguard! How about a body close-up?