Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

aceonbass wrote:Putting an Allparts or current 4003 tailpiece assembly on a vintage 4000/4001 that had a cast aluminum one will lower the bass's value by about as much as it would cost to find a correct replacement. Either modern replacement tailpieces will require drilling two additional holes in your bass to keep them from lifting.

The reason I mentioned the Allparts is that it has the two extra anti-lift screws, which the '72 one wouldn't.

Of course, were the time come to sell, the OP could put the original one back on it.

The original cast aluminum tailpiece doesn't lift with the three screws hidden under the bridge, and provides a slightly different tone than die cast zinc replacements. Usually when a vintage 4001 is missing its original tailpiece assembly, it's because it's been lost, not that the owner still has it and has replaced it with something else. Drilling those two holes in a bass probably worth $3000+ is not a great idea.

aceonbass wrote:The original cast aluminum tailpiece doesn't lift with the three screws hidden under the bridge, and provides a slightly different tone than die cast zinc replacements. Usually when a vintage 4001 is missing its original tailpiece assembly, it's because it's been lost, not that the owner still has it and has replaced it with something else. Drilling those two holes in a bass probably worth $3000+ is not a great idea.

+1 on all this.

If you're restoring something it's worth doing it right.

aceonbass wrote:The original cast aluminum tailpiece doesn't lift with the three screws hidden under the bridge, and provides a slightly different tone than die cast zinc replacements. Usually when a vintage 4001 is missing its original tailpiece assembly, it's because it's been lost, not that the owner still has it and has replaced it with something else. Drilling those two holes in a bass probably worth $3000+ is not a great idea.

Doesn't a '77 have the extra holes?

(Me, I'm a Philistine, because I've got a Hipshot on my '72; I do have the original tailpiece, but it's broken. It also had a Badass on it in the 80s.)

prowla wrote:...I do have the original tailpiece, but it's broken..

Where'd it break?

jps wrote:

prowla wrote:...I do have the original tailpiece, but it's broken..

Where'd it break?

Well, actually, I cut it in half with a junior hacksaw!

Back in the 80s, when I put the Badass on, I wanted to see if I could still get the damper assembly part onto the front of the Badass, so I could still have a pickup in there...

I know that folks will throw their hands up in horror, and with the benefit of hindsight it was pretty stupid, but it seemed to make sense at the time.

I may see if I can get it repaired (welded back together).

I really only want it so I have the ability to put it back to stock if I choose to, as the Hipshot is really good (shame they weren't around in the 80s!).

prowla wrote:

jps wrote:

prowla wrote:...the benefit of hindsight it was pretty stupid, but it seemed to make sense at the time.

Lots of folks did "Unfortunate things" in the old days. Don't sweat it. You penance is to pony up for the only that was more than you wanted to pay. You know that is the right thing to do, don't you?

jps wrote: Lots of folks did "Unfortunate things" in the old days. Don't sweat it. You penance is to pony up for the only that was more than you wanted to pay. You know that is the right thing to do, don't you?

The thing is the whole bass cost me less than that '72 bridge was up for on ebay!

prowla wrote:

jps wrote: Lots of folks did "Unfortunate things" in the old days. Don't sweat it. You penance is to pony up for the only that was more than you wanted to pay. You know that is the right thing to do, don't you?

The thing is the whole bass cost me less than that '72 bridge was up for on ebay!

Then, consider the whole thing to be a bargain.

jps wrote:

prowla wrote:

jps wrote: Lots of folks did "Unfortunate things" in the old days. Don't sweat it. You penance is to pony up for the only that was more than you wanted to pay. You know that is the right thing to do, don't you?

The thing is the whole bass cost me less than that '72 bridge was up for on ebay!

Then, consider the whole thing to be a bargain.

Haha - are you on a percentage?

prowla wrote: Haha - are you on a percentage?

Nope, just would like to see the right thing done for these fine old instruments.

jps wrote:

prowla wrote: Haha - are you on a percentage?

Nope, just would like to see the right thing done for these fine old instruments.

My '72 (I still have the original treble pickup, but I replaced it with the SD when it was just too noisy doing the club circuit in the 80s).

Mmm, well-aged Fireglo! I have a '72 that looks much the same (but with RIHS instead of the SD, and original tailpiece).

Is it an artifact of a low-res photo, or does your bass not have checker binding?

The CB is there; just, as you pointed out, it is the low resolution file and JPG artifacts that are obscuring it somewhat.

prowla wrote:
The thing is the whole bass cost me less than that '72 bridge was up for on ebay!

You do realise that if your bass was all original it would likely be worth in excess of 3000 dollars, right? (I'm in the UK so forgive me if that figure is a little out; in the UK it would be something like £3000, or going on $4000, and bear in mind the exchange rate has recently taken a hammering or it would be a lot more $-wise). I was asking £350 UK for the bridge & tailpiece, which at current conversion rate is what, 450 dollars? 2 years ago I bought an original aluminium tailpiece in an eBay auction - the one now residing on my '72 Azure - and it cost me approx 350 dollars, just for the tailpiece. It needed completely re-chroming, so I got Dane to route it for the later bridge unit prior to having the work done - and it had no bridge unit. I forget the exact figure but in the end the total for the tailpiece, a new bridge unit and the routing and rechroming was something like 600 dollars, and that's prior to the $150 or so I paid in duty, so I don't think my bridge was excessively priced. If you're not prepared to pay it, that's your call.

FWIW, the cost of a current, new 4003 tailpiece and bridge (no damper unit) in the UK is approx £260.