Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I believe you are correct, Ted.

bassduke49 wrote:I believe you are correct, Ted.

So that would make it a somewhere from the 60's to '71 for sure.

rickfan60 wrote:

BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS wrote:i would say late '70 to '72. tug bar and short headstock, small pickguard on the upper fotos at the top of the page. the pics that precede this post look like another rick as the two top pegs seem to line up, where as the one at the top of the page are slanted and has walnut wings ? one seems to be a 1/2" the other a 1".

I thought they dropped walnut wings (ears) when they changed to the small headstock.

It might appear that way, but a close examination of basses of that era reveal that
the short headstock with walnut ears first appeared in 69 on a 21 fretter.
The last short headstock with walnut ears was March of 72. (that's the latest in the register).
All have a single piece maple neck through ..
This applies to the 4000, 4001.

+1

An interesting anomaly-
There's a 4001JG on CL with a long headstock and a mid '70 sn.
Nice price.

As ever, no absolutes, but generally speaking, The Chef has that down pretty close. Always nice when an anomaly pops up though!