1958 Rickenbacker 4000 Bass On Ebay!

relayer · Post by **relayer** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:20 am

How did you guys come across this stuff??! I recall a few years ago (right after JE died?) that a chunk of his collection was supposed to go up for auction, I think. Does that mean I might've been able to get my hands on that Rick frogs foot headstock 8 string?!

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:27 am

Yes! I have a couple of the catalogs including all my notes. The auction was in March 2002 at Sothebys London. Met Jimmy Page there lot viewing. That was worth the price of admission right there! I actually won his Mapleglo 1966 4005 (Tommy can you hear me). They hammered me as the winner, then opened the bidding up again -- because they felt like it.

relayer · Post by **relayer** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:30 am

Well, as a *huge* Zeppelin fan as well, that's pretty darn cool.

What do you mean by they hammered you and reopened the bidding? They didn't accept that you'd won??

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:36 am

Mike - awesome!

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:39 am

Sothebys changes their rules whenever the feel like it. I was hammered the winner on the 4005, then several moments later they had a guy on the phone that decided he'd bid more, so they reopened the bidding. A very low blow!

Worse -- they reopened lots from the morning bidding! Supposed you were the winner of some of those lots and you left and went home only to find out much later that you were now not the winner?

relayer · Post by **relayer** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:42 am

Wow! The word I'm thinking of might be.....unethical? Can they legally do that? I mean, I guess they can and have, but it sure doesn't sound right. :-\

edit - by the way Mike - do you remember the 8 string being there? I'm assuming it must've been in the catalogues you're referring to - any scans?

If you wrote notes on that one, that'd be cool too.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:49 am

Chris, there was nothing I could do unless I had videotape, otherwise it's my word against theirs = I lose.

I'll get you a scan later in the fay from the catalog along with any note I might have made. That was a bass I was not after so there might not be much written.

relayer · Post by **relayer** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:58 am

[Chris, there was nothing I could do unless I had videotape, otherwise it's my word against theirs = I lose. ]

Yeah, I see what you're saying. It's mildly shocking, since Sothebys is a world renown name. Of course, it's way in the past, but I'd bet you weren't the only peeved bidder there. Class action!

[I'll get you a scan later in the day from the catalog along with any note I might have made. That was a bass I was not after so there might not be much written.]

That would be neat - I appreciate it.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:23 am

Here it is, Chris:

The description reads: A Rickenbacker 4001 8-string bass guitar, August 1973 - serial MH2553, cream finish with checquered binding, through-neck with rosewood fingerboard and dot markers, headstock with four-a-side machineheads, in Gibson flight case with spare strings.

I have no notes on this bass.

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 6:30 am

I was going to bid on the 8 string Chris. I intended to be back in the U.K. for that period but it didn't work out and I reluctantly passed it up. It fetched around 4500 pounds, about $7000 which was less than both of the 4005's but still way above the estimate of 1200-1800 pounds. Not too bad for a prototype with that provenance...There are a couple of guys here who have the pics etc..

Mike, I'm amazed at that Southebys procedure. I'd have been very p***ed off if that happened to me. Simon Mole who has a huge collection of 4005's bought one of the Entwistle basses. It's on Bjorn's site

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:14 am

Do you have that site address, wints?

philipharris · Post by **philipharris** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:56 am

Love that leather, Mike - does she play well?Here's the '59 EB2 - I put in a 'phone bid. It's in his book with the comment "boom boom boomty boom" - JE only made specific comments about some of the guitars, so I sort of think he might have quite liked it. There is a definite thumb-worn area just where the neck joins the body - whether it was his thumb or not, who can say.....

Will rattle furniture 20 miles away.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 8:27 am

Ah yes - lot #28 - early in the bidding! Damn thats nice!

If you don't mind, Phil - I want permission to steal/use your comment: "Will rattle furniture 20 miles away." I got a good laugh out of that!!

On the Wal bass, Entwistle remarks in his book Bass Culture "One of my first fretless basses. Never could work out the controls."

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 8:43 am

Mike, it's www.rickbeat.com. Take a look there at the galleries. Some good stuff...