I didn't pay full retail for mine. The 4001's at the time (1981) were listed in the Rickenbacker price list at $880.00.jingle_jangle wrote:Wow. I kept trying to remember the name of that place! I watched the store (a mega-store for its day) being built in the early '60s, as I took the Belmont Avenue bus home from my classes at St. Patrick High School. I was amazed at its size and modernity. When a typical Biasco sales insert came floating in with the Sun-Times one day a year or two later, I went there with my folks (I wasn't 18 yet) who signed for payments on my first Fender and first new amp--a '65 Oly White Mustang, and a Thomas Organ VOX Berkeley II solid state. I was baited-and-switched on the amp (I wanted a BF Bandmaster, and of course should have held out). I sold them both on about a year later. The Mustang was cool (I have another now), but of course known for its anemic pickups. Did anyone advise me that the Berkeley was a dreadfully-underpowered amp compared to its tube brother? I had the most underpowered rig on the planet.
I remember getting a really shafted feeling when I realized that I'd paid full retail, and friends were getting deals on similar instruments. Biasco was high-power, push hard, work the customer. I was 17 and very green.
Biasco are gone now, I understand. Good riddance...
I payed $230.12 less than the list price. There was no pushy sales pitch. I went in there knowing exactly what I wanted and they ordered it for me. I remember the salesman asking if I was at all interested in Fenders, and he pointed out a Jazz Bass, to which I replyed that "I'll be getting one of those someday too!".
