Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Yeah that is a nice one, I would have paid that, half the covers you re-installed are installed wrong and are new ones.

Does anyone know what was the first year for White finish?

1957 apparantly....though for a 4001 I'm not sure.

Check this page for a timeline of finishes:

http://www.the-music-connection.com/ricinfo.htm#fin

Jim, the amp behind the 4001FL is a 1969 Dual Showman Reverb with its original 2x15" JBL D-130F cabinet. BIG sound from that one!

Ilan, I think 69 was when Ric started white as a 4001 special finish. Maurice Gibb had an early 70's white bass and this may be the special order one mentioned in Smith's book with bound headstock and special pickguard.
There are very few pre 73 white finishes. This is still white too. Nice...

Anyone ever spotted a white 4005?

Uh... Actually, no. I've seen them (in photos and on the Web only) in FG, JG, MG and BG. I've never seen one in white or AG.

That one looks familiar. I think it was one on ebay not long ago that was refin'd/. This guy has a tendency to buy them on ebay hold them for a month or two and then turn around and sell them back on ebay. I will have to search to see if I am right but I think this was one of those.

Here's one though not white it is more unusual than the regular colours they normally show up in that Sergio mentions..

I asume it's Azureglo?

Looks like Azureglo to me.
Andrew there was a photo of Maurice Gibb in bassplayer a month or two after he died with a really nice early 70's (late 60's?) White 4001. I don't remember the details but I know it was an early one. I'll look to see if I still have it.

White, you say?

Haha! Looks great, anyhow.
Martin: a great-looking Azureglo 4005 to be sure. Er... Is it yours?

Sergio,
sure is a looker isn't it but sadly not mine

Any 4005 would be a joy to own, but I've never even seen one in the UK...they're quite a rarity over here and I would imagine even rarer in Portugal?

I found that pic on the web...here's a couple more nice ones... an eight stringer and a lightshow 4005...now we are talking rare..and big bucks I would say!

Well, I suppose 4005s to be virtually nonexistent in Portugal. Not many weeks back I run '4005 Wanted' ads in many local newspapers: no replies.
As for the 8-string and the Lightshow, I guess they exist only in one's wildest dreams...

Okay, it's here. It needs a LOT of work.

First impressions:

It's a bit more yellowed than the picture could lead me to believe, but not terribly.

The neck is a ski slope. It was strung with some medium gauge roundwounds, and tuned to pitch, the bass is unplayable. The action is mile-high. I'll have to correct that. Frets look OK though. Under the TRC (black plexi) it looks like the rods were never tweaked. At least no fretboard separation or broken bolts.

The pickguard is a Chandler replacement. It will go. I'll contact Don Adamek to make me a nicer one. I'm thinking of having a white pickguard made instead of the black one, and buying a white TRC off eBay, making it white-on-(yellowed) white with the chrome hardware and black binding.

The wiring is a mess. Amateur solder joints, no R-O-S, it will need to be re-done. I'll make a new harness. No biggie.

The front pickup is a newer 4003 pickup.

Strap buttons are black StrapLocks.

The case has one latch missing.

Pencil marks in the control cavity: "Ruby 4001-F **" - whatever that means.

I've taken the bass apart and started to clean it. If I can correct the neck bow, I'll be fine. All the rest is easy to do. Will update as I progress.