Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Matthew:

There are lots of pics of 1974 4001 basses in the register.

Check this link out

http://www.rickresource.com/register/ga ... 74&month=0

The TRC in 74 was clear plexi with a stenciled Rickenbacker logo

Big question is was this bass White Trim or Black Trim?

The back of the Black pickguard has no pieces of white masking tape between the pots and the plastic...This suggests to me that the black pickguard was added after it left the factory. This is not definitive but it does perhaps suggest it was added later. Perhaps when the black finish was added. Black on black is a cool combination.

MG basses were more commonly White Trim in this era... Yes there are examples in Black trim but they are rarer.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/ga ... 74&month=0

White basses were almost always black trim... But then the binding would be back too if it was a white BT bass before it was stripped to maple

I would say that your bass was more likely to be White Trim as well by the white binding on the neck...

Good luck with restoring it back to original - sounds like a great project!

Matthew

I am not affiliated with this auction - but this is the correct era TRC.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rickenbacker-40 ... 4ad5d5e403

One final thought for tonight...

It could be that the raised letter TRC is original to the bass...

That would make it circa 1978 to 1982.

Perhaps the circa 74-75 wiring harness was added with the replacement pickup!

That could be what happened...

I would restore it to the era of the replacement jackplate...

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:One final thought for tonight...

It could be that the raised letter TRC is original to the bass...

That would make it circa 1978 to 1982.

Perhaps the circa 74-75 wiring harness was added with the replacement pickup!

That could be what happened...

I would restore it to the era of the replacement jackplate...

The binding is all white (neck and body.) I believe that the bass originally had a white pickguard and that the TRC is original. I've read in the "Anatomy" series that the raised letter TRCs were introduced in '75, and that this is also the last year for 1/2" spacing on the neck pickup. The black guard has 1" spacing but there are additional routs in the body that aren't original, it was probably routed out when the new guard was fitted. The pots are from nearer the end of '74 (35th week for tone pots, 14th week for volume) so '75 makes sense to me.

Here's my best guesses, based on what I've been able to find out with the excellent resources here:

Neck, body, truss rod cover, neck pickup, bridge, and tailpiece are original - all early 1975, prior to the 1" spacing being introduced, just after the introduction of the raised-letter TRC.

Bridge pickup is a replacement, but is earlier ('69 - '71?)

Pickguard is a replacement. Could be aftermarket, could be genuine. The neck pickup spacing is 1", but the body routing was originally for 1/2".

I'm going to try to restore it to '75 specs, but I'll probably leave the green-top pickup because it sounds amazing. I'm not bothered if the whole bass isn't original, and a pickup swap can happen at any time if I decide to sell. I really just need to find a '75 jack plate, fix the binding, replace the tailpiece and mutes, and re-finish. Not too bad.

Ebay is about your only way to score a correct era jackplate..

This one was from Sept 1975 - sadly sold already...

Oi6289

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161277871882?ru ... 26_rdc%3D1

Set up an Ebay search for Rickenbacker and jackplate and one will pop up...

Found a plate. OD 2036, April of '75. And meeting with a local guy to see about refinishing + rebinding the body.

Now I just need a white pickguard, bridge, and tailpiece. Those at least aren't hard to come by.

Pickguardian is your best choice for Rick (and other) pickguards. He has made quite a few for me and many other forum members, some in standard classic shapes and some custom shaped ones.

BTW - anybody know where I can find a recipe / formula for Burgundyglo? I'm considering either Mapleglo or Burgundyglo (Lemmy vs. Cliff Burton.)

If I go with the Mapleglo, the black guard will make the bass look quite a bit more like Lemmy's old stage bass. Not that I want a copy, mind you, but it's a great look.

Disasterarea wrote:BTW - anybody know where I can find a recipe / formula for Burgundyglo? I'm considering either Mapleglo or Burgundyglo (Lemmy vs. Cliff Burton.)

I played around with TransTint last year when doing fireglo.
http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.c ... nsTint.htm
http://www.veneersupplies.com/categorie ... 6__Stains/
I think #6010 Red Mahogany will be a good start for burgundy. It’s a dark cherryish red and I think it might be good as it is. Maybe mix in a little #6021 Bright Red to make it more saturated and bring it in the red direction if needed, or #6027 Bordeaux. Or maybe a little #6003 Reddish Brown to tune it down in the brownish direction.

(TransTint is sold by StewMac under the label ‘ColorTone Liquid Stains’, they use different names for the colors. TransTint Red Mahogany is not found in ColorTone series. The ColorTone Red Mahogany is the same as TransTint Reddish Brown.)

Wiker wrote:

Disasterarea wrote:BTW - anybody know where I can find a recipe / formula for Burgundyglo? I'm considering either Mapleglo or Burgundyglo (Lemmy vs. Cliff Burton.)

I played around with TransTint last year when doing fireglo.
http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.c ... nsTint.htm
http://www.veneersupplies.com/categorie ... 6__Stains/
I think #6010 Red Mahogany will be a good start for burgundy. It’s a dark cherryish red and I think it might be good as it is. Maybe mix in a little #6021 Bright Red to make it more saturated and bring it in the red direction if needed, or #6027 Bordeaux. Or maybe a little #6003 Reddish Brown to tune it down in the brownish direction.

(TransTint is sold by StewMac under the label ‘ColorTone Liquid Stains’, they use different names for the colors. TransTint Red Mahogany is not found in ColorTone series. The ColorTone Red Mahogany is the same as TransTint Reddish Brown.)

Thanks for the pointer! I've dropped off the bass with a local luthier who has built guitars for John Oates and Nancy Wilson. It also looks like the bass may be featured in Vintage Guitar magazine, the luthier writes a monthly repair column and he asked my permission to use the bass as a subject for the mag.

I've scored a jackplate, now I just need a pickguard (going to go with Tony at Pickguardian) and a new tailpiece. The bridge is in OK shape but the mute section of the TP has been cut away and the mute bar + foam are long gone.

Disasterarea wrote:The bridge is in OK shape but the mute section of the TP has been cut away and the mute bar + foam are long gone.

There are probably folks on (and off) the forum who would buy that from you.

Disasterarea wrote:I've dropped off the bass with a local luthier who has built guitars for John Oates and Nancy Wilson. It also looks like the bass may be featured in Vintage Guitar magazine, the luthier writes a monthly repair column and he asked my permission to use the bass as a subject for the mag.

Will Kelly?

jps wrote:

Disasterarea wrote:I've dropped off the bass with a local luthier who has built guitars for John Oates and Nancy Wilson. It also looks like the bass may be featured in Vintage Guitar magazine, the luthier writes a monthly repair column and he asked my permission to use the bass as a subject for the mag.

Will Kelly?

Yup, he's here local to me (Raleigh, NC.)

Progress.

Fingerboard delamination fixed.



Holes in the back plugged.



Body stripped and sanded to 320, almost ready for paint.



The binding on the body is iffy. We may have to re-bind it, I'm going down to the shop this week to look and decide.

I have a bridge and tailpiece on the way, the only things I need now are knobs, nut, and pickguard. I'll order them all next week, and when the body is out of paint in 6 weeks or so I'll be ready to go.

I have some RIC knobs if you're looking. Good shape too.