Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Cool! Hmmm a maple skunk stripe, very interesting.

I remember Ted Staberow saying that he had found an early 4003 with a three-piece, maple strip neck. Really, a view under the TRC will solve the puzzle. Let's see it!

bassduke49 wrote:Really, a view under the TRC will solve the puzzle. Let's see it!

He did - three posts back. It's a 4001.

bassduke49 wrote:I remember Ted Staberow saying that he had found an early 4003 with a three-piece, maple strip neck. Really, a view under the TRC will solve the puzzle. Let's see it!

Here it is Paul:

(Aside to Paul: not quite as earth-shattering as the last time I peeked under a TRC!)

sloop_john_b wrote:

bassduke49 wrote:Really, a view under the TRC will solve the puzzle. Let's see it!

He did - three posts back. It's a 4001.

Interesting. Just when did the truss rods in the 4003 go back to the adjustment at the headstock end? I seem to recall that happened sometime late in 1984...

cjj wrote:

sloop_john_b wrote:

bassduke49 wrote:Really, a view under the TRC will solve the puzzle. Let's see it!

He did - three posts back. It's a 4001.

Interesting. Just when did the truss rods in the 4003 go back to the adjustment at the headstock end? I seem to recall that happened sometime late in 1984...

Middle of 1986. Sometime before my first birthday.

OK, I was well on my way to losing my memory by then...

sloop_john_b wrote:

bassduke49 wrote:Really, a view under the TRC will solve the puzzle. Let's see it!

He did - three posts back. It's a 4001.

AH, missed that. So those are the "hairpin" truss rods (no nuts visible at body end of slots) and that would indeed make it a 4001.

I've been under the impression that the change from the early-style 4003 (hairpin rods with adjusters at body end, split pick guard) to the late (current) style 4003 (new rods with adjusters at headstock, acorn nuts visible at body end of neck, one-piece pick guard) was in early 1986.

Thanks, all.