Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

American Musical Supply still has them for $1000.00 only the big three colors though.

The price on musicians friend goes up and down about $150 depending on the market ...

What is a bass worth? It is worth what somebody will pay for it ...

hey .. have you priced a Gibson Les Paul lately ...

Musicians Friend has been at that price ($1150.00)consistently for at least 6 months and so has GC. I think a lot longer actually, and AMS has been at a thousand for a long time now, over a year anyway. They didn't go up when MF did. That is not very friendly now is it?
As far as the headstocks go, my 72 has the smallest, my 78, 79, and 96 are medium and my 98 and 2000 have the big ones. And the difference is definitely noticable, I noticed that before I read this thread, and the new cutaways are slimmer on the 98, and 2000, they are the same as my 72, the 78, 79 and 96 are larger and the same. I leave them all out on the stands and compare them often.
One other thing I have observed about 4001's maybe Sergio has noticed this, my early 4001 caps (72 and a 75 I sold) cut out a lot more mid than do my late 70's 4001's (78 and 79) and both basses are identical in sound, 78 and 79 versus 72 and 75. Anyone else notice this? This results in the earlier ones sounding much more crisp with the caps in than the later ones.

Yeah insane!

Some Les Pauls cost more than my car is worth.

Landon-- I'm guessing it's the old supply-and-demand market force at work. It can be somewhat unsettling if you're looking to purchase a new Ric. My Nov., '92 4003MG cost me $770 brand new when I bought it from Atlanta Rhythm City, and that included shipping. The careful shopper who wants one factory new should still be able to find it at what I consider to be a reasonable price. Your suggestion of locating a used one in excellent to near mint condition is the way to go. However, that's easy for me to say considering that my 4003 was bought new. It really all depends on what the prospective buyer wants. It's highly unlikely that I'll ever purchase another Ric that is totally brand new, but never say never.

And Jeff Rath is absolutely right: the price of a brand new Gibson Les Paul is financial insanity for the buyer.

Just an information for European buyers.
Brand new 4003's here now sell at insane prices : 1700-1900 EUR. I just got a used but mint 4003 (made Feb 03) from Guitar Den in Florida, and the total cost (bass + shipping + insurance + VAT + custom fees + Western Union fees) was only 1300 EUR.
This bass is like new, except that the previous owner had changed the strings and removed the treble PU cover (which I prefer). I can say I got a new 4003 with 28 p. cent off.
All the best,
JL

I just purchased a 2003 4003 from Music 123 for $985.00 shipping included. Jetglo, Fireglo, Mapleglo, Turquoise and Midnight blue are all the same price. Montezuma brown is $1,025.99. Fretless is the same price in all the above finishes.

They also have the 4004L in all the above finishes, except Montezuma unfortunately, for $1,127.99. They also have the 4001C64 for $1,949.99. All with a 45 day price guarantee, all with shipping included, a much better deal than anywhere else I was able to find when I was shopping around. Here's the web address.

www.music123.com

I just ordered an acoustic 6 string (Ibanez AW200VV) from Music 123 for much cheaper than I could find it anywhere else.

I just tried to order a 4003FL FireGlo from Music123.com. Nice price : $ 986.99.
Unfortunately, when I was about to checkout the order, an error message told me that manufacturer restrictions prevent Music123 from shipping this instrument outside US or Canada...
Too bad...

Ya .. I tried to order a 4003s5 from a far east Ric dealer .. they can't sell back to the USA ...

... and Rickenbacker-Asia don't ship to Europe either...

Music123.com has always been a good competitor to the other big box music retailers. Sam Ash is another good place for discounts. Musician's Friend is good about matching prices though. I have had luck with them on that. But with prices going up on some guitars (especially gibsons), and inflation, I will still stick with the used marked most likely. BTW If Gibson is so proud to price their USA Instruments as much as a nice used or in some cases maybe new cars, they are only contributing to the, problem flood, of import overseas guitars. Because, at the rate of price increases, those will soon be the only affordable guitars. I do not see why a good quailty guitar can be MADE in the USA or even some brands in Europe can still be made to the high quailty standards expected, and still be reasonably priced...and not be ****. I think in some cases they are making some stuff in Asia and then putting thier brand name on it, misleading you to think its still made in it's respective domestic country. Profits and greed can ruin quality. That happened to me with my Hartke bass head. I bought it, thinking they were still made in the USA, only to find a MADE IN KOREA sticker on it. Whats with that??? And now that amp does not work, it only could last 4 years of regular gigging and then **** out....I have now fixed and switched back to my old marshall bass head, and it is 20years old and still pumping..

Hi Landon,
What's the model of your Marshall bass head?
Mine is a 1983 Super Bass 100W MK II with 4X12 cab. I love the Marshall colour added to a RIC bass's sound.