Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What about this sort of scenario?

The bridge/tailpiece sits right there on that finish. It's screwed down tight. The littlest movement, then, from adjustments and setups and changing strings and going in and out of warm to cold temps and cold to warm temps, humidity fluctuations and all that, it's conceivable that the bridge/tailpiece moving against the body and finish those teeny amounts could cause that area to chip up a little. I've also noticed that this sort of chipping effect can happen near the nut, another place that encounters movements from adjustments and other similar stresses.
I dunno, it just seems to make sense to me.
In the case of the thread starter, it seems that someone's done something to both of his basses before he purchased them and my speculation may not apply whatsoever. But I think that someone did something involving that bridge to make the finish chip out that way. Why there and not just some random spot?

EVERY Ric I've ever purchased from Ebay ends up going to my luthier for SOME kind of un-mentioned problem. I figure it into the cost of the bass. BEFORE I bid, I ask myself, is it WORTH the asking price PLUS a probable AVERAGE $300.00+ repair bill.

I've seen that blister a couple times before. I attributed it to wear and tear, but maybe that's not the case.

I had this same problem with my 4003 but not NEARLY as bad--just a small chip... I fixed mine with a little paint...and it was good as new.... I think maybe extra screws at the base of the bridge would solve this (lift??) problem that could cause chipping or cracks on a hard high polish finish. I have seen on some early 80's 4001/4003 basses extra screws at the base of the tailpiece to keep from lift...Maybe RIC should bring that back....??

It could be that because of the natural expansion and contraction of the instrument that this area could be a slightly more vulnerable spot than anywhere else on the bass. If this is so, perhaps it could be that someone, before the current owner had the bass, sprayed it with an inappropriate cleaner which got into some small fissure in the finish and caused the finish to separate from the wood.
Just a thought. I'm going through sleep deprivation so I think I should shut up now.

My CS has that chip there as well...

ooops;

Thanks to all for the various opinions on this issue. My mind is more at ease as I see I'm not the only case like this...

I'll do a small paint touch up & it'll be fine...

Robert, yes I'm kind of unlucky with the 2 Rics I own...I'll be carefull in the shopping for the 3rd one...

When I look at my 04 4003 JG, I see that I have that in three small places, all on the top/E side of the bridge/tailpiece (Pretty much the same area as yours, Marc). One, at the corner to the inside of the bass, has exposed wood, but not more than half a grain of rice or less. Two more farther toward the middle of the same size, but only as "bubbles" that haven't turned into chips yet.
Personally, this bass is my main player and I change the strings a lot more than once a year; at least four times a year. The way I look at mine is that wear and tear are inevitable. Look at some classic Fenders, like George Porter Jr's P bass. Is there any finish left at all? It just seems to fly off those things, and now they build them like that on purpose (not that there's anything wrong with that).

But in your case, Marc, I can surely see why you're concerned because it's so new and it's such an odd and disappointing thing to happen to a pretty much new bass. I think you'll find a satisfactory solution, though.

Marc,

If it's any consolation I have had two experiences very similar to yours when buying off ebay. As you know Rickenbacker instruments are tough to find in Canada.

My supposedly "mirror finish" 350 arrived with all sorts of issues to the finish including finish checking. My 360v64 arrived with a twisted neck.

I can thank Dale for patiently assisting me to re-adjust the truss rods to take the twist out. That's the beauty of this forum. There are people here who give of themselves freely to assist others. The bass with the neck issue I am sure can be fixed. The chip in the paint can be repaired. Neither problem is insurmountable. I wish you good luck with both.

Hey Marc, sorry about the bad luck. I had a 4001CS that did the very same thing, just like Jared's. It was over 10 years old at the time.

It's a butt bite at first, but it really doesn't affect the use. I've come to realize that a modern bass is still alive chemically for years, reacting to the various tortures we put them through. To make them bulletproof would leave you with an innate, dead piece of steel.

You know, you have to pay extra to get a Fender with a battle scar.

Good luck with both those rascals. They are like kids, gotta show them a little love,(cash), on occasion to keep them healthy.

Marc Boisclair (Kidvett)
I have an '89 4003 in Burgundy which I picked up used for a friend of mine and it has the same problem to a "T" It was like that when I purchased it form him. He purchased it NEW in '89
and said that this happened to him about 2years before he sold it to me. Very Odd to say the least. I've given up trying figure out how & why this happened. I'll probably change the stock bridge to the newer HipShot model in brass.

Dale just worked on my 1968 4001. The neck is great and it plays better than I could've hoped for! Give him a call!

Dale plays a mean guitar, too.

"Dale plays a mean guitar, too."

No, he plays a Fortune model!