Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Yeah, I paid a lot for it, but wanted it bad. Scored a Fireglo V63 last week (private sale), so I'm eatin' balogna sammies for a few months.

I'm still confused on the different electronics and trim on the 20x0 models. Why the changes? Time reference? Hmm.

Nice looking piece Paul!

"I'm still confused on the different electronics and trim on the 20x0 models"

Let's see...

2020: 2 controls, no binding, pickguard, maple fretboard
2060: essentially a bound-body 2020. 2 controls, bound body, pickguard, maple board
2030 "Hamburg": 4 controls, no binding on body, no pickguard, bound rosewood board
2050 "Eldorado": like a 2030 with double binding. 4 controls, bound body and fretboard, no pickguard, rosewood board, gold hardware
203GF Glen Frey LE bass: 2 controls, no binding, signature pickguard, rosewood board (reference)

Ilan, where did you get this info? Also, does the Glen Frey bass qualify as a 2020? And is there a 2040?

I also wonder why they made the different arrangements in electronics. The four control models have circuit boards and I think one semi-active pickup, the other not. Weird. Did some come into being after the others. Was the 2060 considered the top of the line? or was it the 2050? I found the model description in the RickResource "models" area to be not quite accurate. They describe the Glen Frey as having four controls, but the ones I've seen have the two-knob layout.

Paul - first from looking at pics of forumites' 200 Series basses;

And the Smith book (page 214) has models 2030 and 2050;

Also this scan of the 200 Series from the RIC corporate website, and this scan of the Glen Frey LE manual, and this catalog scan of the 2050 Eldorado.

The Glen Frey Limited Edition bass is model 203GF. It's like a 2020 body with a 2030 neck. In the manual pic it looks like the fretboard is enameled, like a Blackstar's board.

I edited my previous post to correct some details and add the Glen Frey bass.

Paul, very,very cool bass. Good score

Nie bass Paul! Now you have to do the BC treatment to it.

Hey Paul ... that bass is a tone monster ... you will want to gig with it ... and then you won't need your 4003 4004 basses ...

OK, here's some clarification. Thanks, Ilan. It looks as though the 2020 "Hamburg" and 2060 "Eldorado" (or "El Dorado") replaced the earlier 2030 "Hamburg" and 2050 "Eldorado" basses. According to the info on the RIC website (go "History" then "Literature" then "1980s" then "1984 200 series") to see the earlier style with the four knobs and microswitch style with no pickguard and rosewood fingerboards. Then, if you check the 1990s "1995 200 series," you see the later style. I'm betting the changes accompanied the initial 4004 series as the controls, tuners, and maple fretboard were similar to the Cheyenne and Laredo of that time (they started in 1993, I believe). Interesting.

JPS, "BC treatment" ?

Oh, Brian Crisman treatment. Well, the Glen Frey bass (pretty rare) is mostly that. Here's a shot of one I took in my back yard last year. A guy in Milwaukee owns it and I borrowed it for the shot. Yes, Ilan, you are right, the fretboard is painted gloss black like the rest of the instrument.

Frey
203GF-Siegelweb (34.0 k)

Trying this again:

Nice score Paul. I'm curious about the weight of the 20x0 series vs. the 3000 series. My 3001 is in the 13lb neighborhood...