Commemoration - Your Guitar's Manufacture Anniversary

[JayRic]

Jay, that is significantly less than they were going for before the recent stock market, uh, realignment. $3k is not bad for one. I would try and talk them down for the no cert and signature guard, those are subtractions. Then it would be in line with condition and economic times. The guard more than the cert.

And welcome aboard. Serendipitous that it is the same exact same CS.

Thanks so much for the advice. Of course I didn't really have the 1k then or the 3k now. They did say they would hold it for me and I could make payments interest free. It plays great and I was told that the guy who sold it back to them may be able to locate the pickguard and cert. I am not holding my breath on that one. It is really wild that it's the exact same bass and that I still had the loan documents from back then. When I returned and that was sold the owner made me a great deal on a 1978 Bur 4001 and a Vintage RI '57 P-Bass in Surf Green that I still own today. Thanks again and I do appreciate the advice!

[walker]

Looks like this thread needs a big BUMP! No posts yet so far this year. Anyone who wishes to post on their guitar made in Jan-Feb-March or April feel free to do so now!

Here's a repeat of the premise for anyone new to this page:

"I've always been fascinated by the history behind some of the older Rick instruments - who owned them, and what shows they played with them, and so on. I thought it would be cool for anyone interested, to have a place to offer a personal presentation of his or her guitar's birthday, or birthMONTH in this case. So if I had a Rick guitar made this month, this would be my opportunity to say a few words about it - when & where I bought it, who I bought it from, any additional history of the bass' previous owners, how I've used the bass - gigs & recordings and so on. It's encouraged to offer any other tidbits of personal info that you think the public would find interesting - ie: it was your first Rick, you found it in your deceased uncle's attic, you stopped a bullet with it, whatever. The emphasis of this topic will hopefully be the story behind your guitar more than the actual pictures. So there you go. Have at it.

For those not in the know, every Rickenbacker guitar shows the month and year of production within the serial number digits which can be found on the jackplate, bridge, or neckplate. A common format is easily deciphered thusly:

AK 211: A = 1961, the first year of this lettering/numbering system, and K, the 11th letter in the alphabet, represents November, the 11th month. 211 is a production number.

Simple-stupid, right? But after 1986, this alphabet system was modified when they came to 'Z.' Beyond this, it can get a little confusing. For more information about Rickenbacker serial numbers, go here:"

RIC serial number decoder

[TheWonders]

This month marks the 33rd birth month of my 4001 MG, and although I have known this bass all it's life (so to speak) I've only owned it for around 14 years. Here's my (our) story:

In 1977 my long-time friend Mark joined a band as the bass player and decided to purchase a new 1976 Rickenbacker 4001 MG (for around $700!). From the first week he owned it he would lend it to me to play for gigs or to record with, and this went on for years until I moved to a different part of the California, 600 miles away from Mark and his bass. But (and to paraphrase Lord Of The Rings ) "something happened that the bass did not intend". Mark became interested in 5-string basses and bought a Warwick Thumb 5, then moved on to a Nathan East Yamaha, then an Alembic, and then some sort of fretless (and perhaps a few more that I don't even know about). And the 4001 sat in the back of his closet, unused, for years. Sometime around 1995 Mark noticed the 4001 in its dusty case in the back of the closet and realized that he would probably never play it again. So he called me up and said "I can't think of anyone else that I would want to have this bass" - and he gave it to me! So I've had it ever since, and I'll probably own it the rest of my life. And I definitely use it more than Mark did!

[johnallg]

Ruben, what a story and what a bass. Congrats and I bet it sounds really wonderful!

[ram]

Ruben, great looking bass and great story... the meant to be effect - I love it!

[cjj]

Nice '76! Great story! I'll have to wait until November for my '76 4001. It has a similar story, a friend gave it to me several years ago. I finally convinced him that he should take some money for it, so, I officially bought it this year, and for the same price your friend paid all those years ago, $700!

[jch]

Great story Ruben!

What a great friend!

[rick_ovic]

That's a really cool story, Ruben.

About five years ago, I was getting back into my life-long love of guitars and I'd set out to buy a vintage Rickenbacker 12 string. At that point I had owned just two Rickenbackers, a 360-12WB in 1992 (which I'd sold not long after) and a newish 24 fret 340-12. My knowledge of Rickenbackers was basic at best and I had not yet discovered the RickResource Forum.

I figured that I would trade up to a vintage Rickenbacker through buying and selling lower end pawnshop prizes, a hobby I had been fairly successful at since I was in my mid-teens. It had become easier to trade with the existence of eBay - more stuff to find and a worldwide market of prospective buyers.

I was literally in the middle of listing some Strat and Tele copies on Aussie eBay when I decided to check out the most recent guitar listings. There in front of me was a 1965 Rickenbacker, at a pretty keen Buy It Now price. I noticed that this particular guitar had an "f" hole, rather than the usual Rickenbacker 'slash' sound hole. I rolled my office chair backwards to my guitar reference library and took out the Smith book on Rickenbackers, which was a birthday present from my wife back in 1987. It didn't take me long to recognise that I was looking at an all original RM 1998, complete with the original badged silver case.

Hitting the Buy It Now button on that guitar totally tilted the axis my life was revolving around. I soon went on to fall completely in love with Rickenbackers, and I've purchased another 41 Rickenbackers since then. It fuelled my passion for all vintage guitars and basses, with another 44 Fenders, Gibsons, Gretsches etc acquired since that first RM 1998. The current collection stands at 47 guitars and basses.

It also led me to the RickResource Forum, which in turn opened up a whole international world of friends, fun and, of course, Rickenbackers.

With a serial number ED 503, my beloved 1998 turns 44 this year, a couple of months earlier than I do. It's not for sale, ever.

It's the same model and same year guitar Pete Townshend used during the recording of "My Generation". Keen trainspotters will note the Pete Townshend signature pick placed strategically between the strings.

[walker]

Great story, Darren! Always interesting to hear how one was bitten by the Rick bug. The 1998 looks to be in great shape, too. Nice way to start 'The Habit.'

[ozover50]

Nice stories, Ruben and Trotty!!

My first Rick was built in April 2004. It's the first in line in this pic:

Oddly enough, the entire trio was built in the same month and year.

I gave up playing in 1972..... work, other interests and eventually marriage taking my playing days away from me. For some strange reason I was tempted by a cheap Squier pack in 2004 and I fiddled around with that for a while eventually realising that I needed something more 'serious' as my passion had been rekindled. After a couple of mid range purchases that were totally unsatisying I was about to buy a Gretsch Duo Jet when I spied a Jetglo 340 hanging up in the shop. Back in the 60s a Rickenbacker was my dream guitar so I played it, thought about it and went home. When I decided to buy it the following Monday I was shattered to find it had been sold so the hunt began. I eventually found a 330FG in a store in Queensland and did the deal. A few days later it arrived and I was over the moon!! That's when the rot set in and within a few months I had four Ricks.

The rest is history....... overseas trips, meeting great people, making new friends and generally having a wow of a time!!

I now have a dozen Rickenbackers and at one stage I put the 330FG on the market as I wasn't playing it much. Thankfully it didn't sell because I realised that it was my first Rick and in fact the only one my beloved mum ever saw....... she was my number one supporter when I got back into playing and thought the 330 was the most beautiful guitar she'd ever seen.

Needless to say it won't be going anywhere until I do!!

[walker]

Nice! Congrats on your successful re-introduction.

[ram]

Darren and Howard, the theme seems to be getting back into IT. Darren that RM has some seriously pretty grain, what a beauty! Howard great ‘family shot’ – you mom had impeccable taste! BTW - I love the ‘down-under’ avatar….

Great stories both of you!

[walker]

This May marks a significant milestone for my 1979 4001V63: the BIG 3-0.

This was the first Rick bass I ever owned. Proud to say I still have it. It started out as a slightly modded 4001 JG, but I call it a 4001V63 now due to all the vintage reproduction I've done to it.

I bought it used in 1982 for $450 with money I made washing dishes at a seafood restaurant. There were a couple of used Ricks in the store that day, but this one had been customized with a chrome pickguard, which I thought was way cool when I was 17. It also had a brass Star Parts bridge/tailpiece.

When I first got the bass, it was only 3 years old, but already was in bad need of a re-fret and had a big patch of bare wood on the back of the body. Whoever owned the bass before me sure played the hell out of it! Chris at the 12th fret in Portland, OR. did the fret job for me in 1983ish. I don't know what kind of wire he used, but the frets are practically unscathed after 25+ years of significant playing time.

This bass has also gone through the most mods of any of my basses over the years. Inspired by the chrome PG, I had the TRC chrome plated as well in 1985. In 1990, I had Vintage RI pickups put in. In 1995ish I had the toaster pickup cavity rerouted to pre-1974 spacing, and had a new chrome PG made to match. In 1998 I had the Grover Titan tuners put in. In 2005 I had the pickups wired for series/parallel, phase reverse/normal, and low-cut cap bypass/in line. This last mod has GREATLY diversified the range of tones I get from the bass! Highly recommended. In 2006, I FINALLY replaced the Star Parts bridge/tailpiece with the stock RIC parts. The sustain and attack drastically improved immediately. Had I only thought of making the switch 20 years earlier! I also restrung and intoned the bass to B-E-A-D in 2006.

Here's a then & now photo:



*** The photo on the left is the only photo of me with this bass when I was 17. The photo on the right was taken earlier today. Notice that I'm wearing the SAME SHIRT in both pics. I couldn't believe that I still had that damn shirt sitting in the bottom of my drawer! *WHEW* I need to clean house more often & purge once in awhile it seems. ***

[johnallg]

Great story and great pics Mark! Congrats on the big 30. Oh, and if it were me, I would have been surprised that I could still FIT the same tee from when I was 17! But then you and I have different physiques.

My V63 is turning Sweet 16 this month, and my 4003S MGBT is turning 18 (legal age!) this month also. Pics were posted last year.

Huh, I just noticed I passes 10k posts a while ago. So many of inane content; so few of worth...

[walker]

Yeah John, I've always been on the lean side. Could be reflective of these lean years. HA!

Congrats on eclipsing the 10k post mark. ALL gems, my friend! Looking forward to the next 10k.

Congrats also on the anniversaries of the V63 & 4003S MGBT. Definitely a couple of significant milestones there! Favor - for those of us (namely me) too lazy to search backwards through this thread, could you post the pics again? Maybe that'll give you inspiration to take some new pics!