Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

A few years ago Ric discontinued the "S" models because they just weren't selling even though they cost less. But due to a brilliant marketing scheme and collector mentality we pay about twice as much for the "S" basses in the form of v63, 4001cs, and the c64.

I have one "S" bass ... a 4003s5 that has been sanded down and rounded a little more than standard and refinished with tung oil and given a v63 look.

Just a quick note here to remind everyone that the "deluxe" versions of the 4001/4003 are RIC basses as Zeus intended them and these lesser "S" models are blaspheming abominations.

Or something.

jwr2 wrote:I have one "S" bass ... a 4003s5 that has been sanded down and rounded a little more than standard and refinished with tung oil and given a v63 look.

And you LOVE it, don't you?! It just has that "special something, doesn't it?"...That ..."sweetness," that "slick shape," that...that..."slippery-smooth, slithery, sophisticated silhouette."

I think they're just flat out sexy!

alanz wrote:Just a quick note here to remind everyone that the "deluxe" versions of the 4001/4003 are RIC basses as Zeus intended them and these lesser "S" models are blaspheming abominations.

Or something.

No No No! Saint Paul the Great but Inconsistent, Saint John the Shredding Entwhistler and Saint Chris the Mighty Squire all used the unbound dot-inlay Ric. The fully-bound shark-fin model is the work of the beast! "Shark fin" says it all, really....

johnallg wrote:Having 6 basses and not actively playing anywhere but the practice room, I can't justify it.

John, it's time to find yourself a band!!

rickenbrother wrote:

johnallg wrote:Having 6 basses and not actively playing anywhere but the practice room, I can't justify it.

John, it's time to find yourself a band!!

Way past time, Joey. It is really depressing that I can't find 50-somethings around here that want to get together once a week to jam and eventually play on stage. Doesn't anyone in the Zoo play drums?!?!

johnallg wrote:...It is really depressing that I can't find 50-somethings around here that want to get together once a week to jam and eventually play on stage.

Move to Cleveland!

jps wrote:

johnallg wrote:...It is really depressing that I can't find 50-somethings around here that want to get together once a week to jam and eventually play on stage.

Move to Cleveland!

That would put me between my daughters, but very far from my son. Besides, Lake Michigan would be more than an hour drive. Summer weekends we live there.

Funny, but there was a dearth of drummers here back in the late 60s-early 70s also.

rickaddict wrote:And you LOVE it, don't you?! It just has that "special something, doesn't it?"...That ..."sweetness," that "slick shape," that...that..."slippery-smooth, slithery, sophisticated silhouette."
I think they're just flat out sexy!

+1

antipodean wrote:

alanz wrote:Just a quick note here to remind everyone that the "deluxe" versions of the 4001/4003 are RIC basses as Zeus intended them and these lesser "S" models are blaspheming abominations.

Or something.

No No No! Saint Paul the Great but Inconsistent, Saint John the Shredding Entwhistler and Saint Chris the Mighty Squire all used the unbound dot-inlay Ric. The fully-bound shark-fin model is the work of the beast! "Shark fin" says it all, really....

You beat me Evan! Your post is better than mine probably would have been. I went on a tear (for me) with 3 used Ric bass purchases in the past 21 months, so I'm going to lie low for a bit.

I believe that other owners of the original Rose Morris imports with dot inlay (other than Bass God Paul and Bass God Chris, etc.) were:

Donovan (BTW, his bio is in the remaindered discount books at Barnes & Noble in the U.S.)
Roger Waters
Pete Quaife (The Kinks - nice 4001S image at this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Quaife)

Any other well known "S" types after that?

teeder wrote:Did anyone here get this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... T.m240.lVI

Me Im the 'insane' guy that dropped the cash for the v63 and it is sweeeeeeeeeeet. Not a mark on her and she sounds great.

I also have a jet glo 4003s and its sweet also.

I've always liked the no bind dot inlay models (my first was purchased in 78 with a white 4001s)

Cheers,
Droog

jwr2 wrote:to me paying $2469 for a v63 bass seems obscene. For that price I would want 2 of them.

It just amazes me how the s models used to be the lower priced less desireable model and now people pay through the nose for them. For my money I'll take a 4003 any day.

Actually, on sold in England for 1470 pounds and another listed on gbase.com is going for $3200 USD
Also there is one really crazy guy outside London asking 2200 pounds.

I think I got a pretty good deal.

Then again there is some italian guy selling a 4001cs for over 5000 usd

Cheers,
Droog

From checking prior completed auctions on ebay in the recent past, what you paid looks to be about right (around $2500). Congrats. I too like the dot inlay.

rickboy88 wrote:From checking prior completed auctions on ebay in the recent past, what you paid looks to be about right (around $2500). Congrats. I too like the dot inlay.

Thanks, the bass is absolutely flawless and not a scratch, scuff or ding on her.
and the Horseshoe really rips!

I almost gave up on these because of the over inflated prices I've come across.

Congrats, Andrew!