Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Helpful info, Jim. The ones from the 60's and 80's will be most helpful. Just one from the 70's I think. From the available catalogs, it looks like the 4003S took over in 1984, so 1983 may have been the last year for the 4001S.

Go to the Ric website home page, then:

History --> Literature Archive --> etc.

David,
I've a couple of digitised Hagstrom catalouges from 64 and 66 drop me an email if you're interested.

Thanks, everyone. Information from the official RIC catalogs that are accessible on the company website, and the "models" reference section at this site have been included in my list at the head of the thread.

Marc, the "B" series is on my list; 4003SB made '82-83. Ted tells me that the photo used for the advertisement of this "B" series shows a leftie 4001S (skunk stripe in neck only), but the production "B" basses were 4003S (no stripe).

You're right, Marc, I have left out the 4001SGP and the 4000MS.

Paul, if you really want to be accurate, you need to know the date of the first Rath 4-2-5 conversion. Then the history of the Sergio pickup. I guess that stuff's for the forum book, but it's still Ric history.

Interesting note - in a 4003MB auction the seller states 138 made. How the heck would he know?

Anyone else find this page of the supposed 1975 catalog interesting? Page 14

Actually that 1975 catalog looks like th 1981 from the RIC site archive.

Yeah, it's not 1975. Vintage Guitars has it wrong.

Paul,
I just read the other thread about the 4000 and I have an interesting letter from John Hall regarding my old 4001s #DA24.
The old bass had a few rattles with the truss rods and this was pr-internet 1988 so it was all enquire by letter and wait for the reply.
Anyway in the reply Mr.Hall states that DA24 was made in Jan 1961!
Also that it should have been a single pickup instrument.I can tell you that it was definitely a two pickup from new as I had the guitar in pieces to clean it up.
I unfortunately sold the bass and then found out that it was the next serial number to Maccas famous Beatle Rick!
If the letter was correct then maybe the 4000 transition bass is more likely to be 1960.
I also notice you have the CS series as 1991.However my CS #H36407 is actually dated from August 1990.I suppose its from when the guitars appeared in the shops?
I thought the worst thing I did was selling the Maurice Gibb bass in 1980 until I found out that DA24 was so significant.

Oh,
By the way thats the one on the inside cover of The Bass book.
I picked up a copy not long after I sold DA24 and I would recognise it anywhere.

If I can believe the Rickenbacker dating chart on the Rickenbacker Page (Music Connection, www.the-music-connection.com/ricinfo.htm), DA codes out to January of 64, not 61. The bass you've pictured is an S model (S for "Special") as in the Rose-Morris RM1999 export instruments. Paul's was (of course) a leftie S model. I'm not sure when they started making the S model, but most likely some time in late 1963 (hence the "V63" vintage model, and now the "C64" Vintage model). If you have a letter from JH saying DA24 is from 61, that would be interesting. He could have been mistaken, or the rest of have been mistaken for some time, and code charts like the one on Rickenbacker's own website would have to be redone.

Ive got the letter right here.........
I will just scan the bit in question.

Pete, I hope whoever you sold to and has that bass now knows of its significance. When I think of all the home style "improvements" done to Ricks......

If the decoders put the date to Jan. 64 and not Jan. 61, and with John's statement of double pickup basses not available till sometime in 63, that would add support to the later date. Add to that Macca getting his bass presented in 66 after Rickenbacker trying in 64 (implying it was made in 1964?).

It would be interesting to know with the 'Net today whether the current owner knows all about DA24, and it's history. I hope so...

Pete's old bass is probably the first "proper" RM1999 with two pick ups from the get go. Only Macca has an earlier serial number from what I have seen.

Actually Pete sent me a letter from RIC that has my white RM1999 bass with a DH serial number as a '63 model.

That is a typo I believe, because the serial number ends in 63, and is directly above the sentence that addresses the year date. The typist looked at the 63 above and probably duplicated it.

Serial numbers can be very interesting. Hopefully, we will all find out here in the next few days with a very special case.