Page 2 of 3

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:32 am
by leftybass
How early in '73, Sergio?

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:45 am
by rickcrazy
Up to at least May.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:02 pm
by markbass99
That sounds right, my May 73 has screws, my June 73 has buttons. I would guess that the May,June,July time frame was when there were probably a lot of variations.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:04 pm
by ben_brown
My December '73 has a plastic plate.
Here's a pic of my August '73 pup....and it do sound good!
Image

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:46 pm
by Lost Coyotes
May '73: button top, aluminum plate...

Image

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:43 pm
by rictified
Your's have the bigger magnet too, mine has a small one like the bass pickup.
Does your May 73 screw top have a small magnet or a big one Mark?

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:46 pm
by jps
Here is my March '73 pickup.


Image

The green wire is a replacement ground wire that I need to get a lug for and attach properly, one of several things that need to be done on the bass. At the moment it is just sitting under the surround to make contact.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:13 pm
by johnallg
Nice birdseye maple, Jeff.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:17 pm
by heinpete
Is the sharp edged chrome surround original?
In my memory the '73 had more softer edges.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:21 pm
by heinpete
double post!

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:49 am
by jps
I don't really know, but I see no evidence in the finish of another shape which usually can be seen in an old instrument.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:34 am
by ben_brown
I remember seeing a 73 on Ebay Germany last year with the sharp edges...Here it is...
Image
Image

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:27 am
by markbass99
Steve- I believe that one was a March also. That must have been a good month for sharp corners.

Bob Young- I have five 1973 4001's and four of them(Jan,Feb,Apr,May) have alum plates, screw tops, and small magnets. My June 73 has alum plate, button tops, larger magnet. Did anyone notice what month is missing in that line up?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:09 am
by rictified
I also think someone replaced the pickup in your bass Jeffrey, it doesn't make sense that Rickenbacker would only use the button tops for one month and then go back to screw tops.
Mark, do all your 73's have all old features, is there a mix or do they have new features? You know what I mean, Grovers, small headstock, flat neck, 1/2" spacing etc. If so, is the June 73 the same as the others or does it have other changes also?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:38 am
by markbass99
Bob- They all have checkered binding, small headstocks with grovers, 1/2" spacing, skunk stripes, and plexi TRC's. Where they start to differ is the inlays, tailpieces, and nuts. Jan and Feb have MOP wide inlays, April has acrylic wide inlays(like the two MG March's) and all three have split tailpieces with white nuts. My May and June have small inlays, non-split tailpieces and black nuts. Oh, and they all have toaster pickups and the infamous .0047 cap(this has been bypassed on most of them for more bass response).