Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This guard looks exactly like other guards I have on other 70's basses I own. I do not know how to tell the difference. I am posting a couple more pictures.

Well, Kirk, I'm sure your 4001 was made circa mid-1973. The smaller fretboard inlays simply are not there for anyone to make a mistake over. As for the '72 jackplate, it simply can not be original to that Rick. The pickguard looks like a (well made) repro to me. Was the instrument refinished? Definitely. How about a picture of the top of the treble pickup?

Was there the dual routing on 72's? Seems to me that would have had to appear later. I've never looked, but I suppose that my Feb 75 4001 has it. It has 1/2" spacing for the neck PU, towards the very last of 4001's to have it. Did any earlier 4001' have 1" spacing?

The binding being checkered seems like something hard to reproduce, that from what folks say around here disappeared in 73 or so? That seems to be the defining feature to me so far.

however, the pot codes (Mexican) are dated March 1973.

Ahhhh, Mexican. Fine stuff back in the 70's. Are we sure they were using consistent serial numbers back then? My bud has a Les Paul, guy he bought it from has pictures that say "May 1970" along the side, but the pots say "73". This LP has a retaining wire in the bridge assembly, a feature of LP's from about 61-71. That seems to prove that the "date" from the pots means little.

Hey, thanks, Kirk. Aluminum baseplate, large magnet, and "new-style", or "final version" high-gain pickup with drive screws for polepieces. Looks "1973" to me all right.
"... the pot date codes mean little." Indeed. Those on my two 1970 21 fretters read early 1967.

Is that treble pickup mounting plate made out of aluminum?

Hi Kirk, and welcome.

Your treble pickup is consistant with mid 1973 production; the high-gain treble pickups had slotted-screw pole pieces as late as October 1972 and probably a bit later before changing to the type you have in your bass. My own 1972 4001 LH has CTS pots of Mexican build as well, all original.

I'd say that with the exclusion of the finish(maybe), the jackplate and possibly the pickguard, your bass is a mid '73 4001. It has all the hallmarks, and is very cool BTW!

Yes Mark, aluminum.

"Hey, thanks, Kirk. Aluminum baseplate, large magnet,"

Haha, propagation delay

What were the horsehoe plates made of?

"Propagation delay"??

Cobalt Steel that was chrome plated and magnetized

""Propagation delay"??"

He asked his question before he saw your post from 2 minutes before he asked, but he evidently hadn't refreshed his browser before posting.

It's all in the timing.