Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Dave, I forgot to add that the guitar shows a date inside of the body of 03-18-84

Bob's bass is the one in the color photo section and I think the one Ken is refering to is the b&w photo above Macca,, right Ken?

The horeseshoe in Bob's looks like it has 4003 style pole pieces in the bobbin, which are not magnets themselves so something has to provide the magnetism. I can't imagine that this pickup has a bar magnet under it AND horseshoes, so my assumption is that the horseshoes are magnetized. Now given it's age the magnetism is probably weaker now but should pass the paperclip test. Not only that but the magnetized shoes are thinner than the current non-magnetized shoes. Haven't we gone through all this in the past?

Magnetized shoes:



Later V63 shoes:

March 85 V63 HS

For what its worth Bob, I think its a beaut. If I had some cash, I'd be all over it. I hope you get good $$$$ out of it. I know what its like to have to make sacrifices for the greater good.

Dave, I forgot to add that the guitar shows a date inside of the body of 03-18-84

Bob, I certainly don't doubt you, but a date in the body cavity is not the production date of the bass. Unless the serial number begins with XC, then the date of manufacture is not March 1984. http://homer.netmar.com/~muscon2/ricinfo.htm#ser

And with all due respect, even if the serial number starts with XC, that wouldn't make it a prototype, just a very early production model. Prototypes typically do not have serial numbers because they aren't intended to be sold.

The serial number relates to a 6 string guitar, which would also fit in with it being a 1 off and not a modified production instrument.

I don't understand what you mean. There aren't different serial number series for guitars and basses.

It's a beautiful bass but I don't see any evidence that it's a one-off or prototype.

" can't imagine that this pickup has a bar magnet under it AND horseshoes," why not Jeff its a high gain somebody added shoes and a vintage surround sort of like what you did with your fretless. Guard ,toaster and trc.wha la instant v63.without walnut wings, longer headstock, square heal,pickup like andy O'Connor's which is also not a prototype,every proto ive seen looks exactly like a v63 with an added dot and real horsey.And for everyones info the b model also had vintage stuff on it before the v63.

I have a 1984 Vintage Series brochure. It's dated on the back page 1984. So who cares?

Well I just noticed that the photo used in the 1984 Vintage Series brochure is of the same 4001v63 pictured in the Smith book on pg 115! It's a slightly different angle but definately from the same photo session. No question about it.

Plus there's a full size photo of a 4001v63 inside the 84 Vintage Series brochure, and the head wings are very light coloured on that particular bass. It doesn't have dark walnut wings like every other 4001v63 made.

I've looked at the photos of the 4001v63 on Ebay and compared them to the photos in the 1984 Vintage Series brochure. After comparing the location and counting a number of wood grain rings at certain locations on the body, I'm almost positive the 4001v63 bass in the Vintage Series brochure IS the same bass that's for sale on Ebay in the UK.

This would mean the bass was indeed made in 1983 or 1984. Probably one of, if not the first one made. Possibly a prototype.

If anyone else has a copy of the Smith book and the 84 Vintage Series brochure, look for yourselves.

Isay just let the man do as he pleases. Its his bass after all, and I'm sure the person buying really won't care that much. They'll probably pop it out of the case, say something like "wow what a gear bass, so much better than the picture did justice." and probably not "this thing wasn't made on the fourth day, of the nineth month, during the off season, and this pickup doesn't have the same metallurgical properties the old ones did, and the case . . . it doesn't smell right, it doesn't have that smell I should be smelling." Man sell your bass with the knowledge you have on it. My 4003S bass has some weird things about it, but it wasn't the first thing I cared about, or even noticed within the first month of actually owning it. Thats my $.1/2

" can't imagine that this pickup has a bar magnet under it AND horseshoes," why not Jeff"

Because the physical construction wouldn't really permit this. If there was the standard bar magnet that RIC uses and the horseshoes there would probably be no room for the strings to pass between the exposed part of the horseshoes and the tops of the pole pieces because the magnet and bobbin would fill up all the space within the shoes. The magnet would have to be between the lower part of the horseshoes and the bobbin, not under the shoes.

Ken,

With a great deal of satisfaction I have pleasure in posting this photograph of my MAGNETIC HORSESHOE. Thanks for the tip about trying paper clips on it. Just in case you can’t believe your eyes I will send you a high resolution file of it. Perhaps now I can get on and sell my V63 prototype. Needless to say my description on Ebay will be changed to the original ‘magnetic, one.

The serial number is XE 0523, and it was John Hall who told me that this number related to a guitar and not a bass.

Bob

PS: an apology would go a long way

Bob, can I have it if I send you an "I.O.U>" ?

whaddaya say?? =)

Ken, not sure if you are saying that I made a claim that my V is a prototype.

If so I never have – only that it’s an early 85, from what I recall when I bought it back then - that it was one of the first two seen on 48th St in NYC (the other a FG that I passed on – sorry Jim) and that it originally came with this thing which is magnetized and appears to be the real deal.

You certainly are passionate about this topic!

Cheers!

Bob,
Is that what they mean by "prepared" bass?

Using paperclips to alter the sound of the instrument!

Its gives it one of those wooshing sounds Jeff, and if you angle the paperclips just right it'll sound like a helicopter . . . so I'm told