Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Yes that is one UGLY bass, that is about the worst paint job I've ever seen. Someone also put that one up in the dudepit as an example of what a 4003 BBR will look like, I doubt it very much.

Aussie Mark is registered here too.

I'd hardly say that's the worst paint job I've seen, but it isn't what BBR will look like either.

Hmm...
A 21 fret 4001 in Purpleburst... Now there's one terrific idea.
You know, last tuesday I got a line on a (brace yourselves, and I'm not making any of this up!) 1970/1971 21 fret 4001. It belongs to a well-known local bass player in his early sixties, who's owned it for 34 years. Actually, I have a 1971 45er of said guy's group, with b & w shots of the individual members on the cover. The 4001 is a Fireglo just like my November 1970 one, and from what somebody told me, the owner might be willing to let it go. I'm told that it's not likely that he'll be asking a king's ransom for the bass, and that he may even consider a trade. (I know what I'm gonna do with my recently-acquired 1988 MusicMan StingRay, haha!).
I'm still to be filled in on the condition of the 4001, but if a refinish should be in order, then Purpleburst it will be!!
Tune in next week, when Rickcrazy will go and check the ultimate Rickenbacker bass...

Sergio, you don't really need two early 70's 4001's !!!

Whereas I need one !!! ()

Give it a chance guys, we've only seen a few pics.

Damn right - I don't need two, I need as many as I can find, haha!

Here's a scan of the record cover.
That's right, the guy was (is) a southpaw, but as far as I know he has always played righty basses.
Yeah, those guys sang in English, and although their brand of rock sounds a bit obvious now, they were top musicians all and pretty successful in the early '70s. If my informations are correct, one of the guitarists was an Englishman, and the keyboard player was an American. The drummer, the second guitarist and the bassplayer were Portuguese.

Go get that 21 fret baby, Sérgio!!!
Bonne Chance!

If you want a purple burst or purpleglo 4001 or 4003, or whatever, why not just have one refinished? That's what I'm going to do with my 1980 4001.....but first an explanation. I bought it used in 1983 for $425 (if I remember correctly) but wasn't too fond of the burgundy(!) finish, so I decided to do a repaint job. Believe me, if I had known then about the rarity of that finish and what it would be worth today, I would have left it alone. But being an artist with the airbrush I thought I would give it a wild custom paint job...but I could never decide exactly WHAT I wanted to paint on it, so it remained primer white for nearly 20 years. Then after finally getting into a working blues/old rock band last May, I had to finish it prior to our band playing at the Bayfront Blues Fest here in Duluth in Aug. of 2004....so I painted it irridescent blue with a chameleon topcoat that changes from red to green, so the bass can appear blue, reddish violet, or teal depending on the viewing angle. Then I added a large white Crack the Sky logo on the back with lightning bolts that wrap around to the front. (for those of you who've never heard of them, Crack the Sky was an extremely talented prog rock band from the late 70's, great rhythm section--excellent bass player who primarily played a Ric and was a HUGE influence on me) Now originally I was going to paint it purple, and after reading on this forum how many people want a bass in that color....I'm going to repaint it again--purple! This isn't going to be done until later this spring or summer....first I have to deal with getting my kidney transplant next month and recovering from that. In the meantime I'll see if I can get hold of a digital camera and take some pics of my 4001 as it is now...and then more after the refinish job.

Sorry Aussie Mark, I guess it isn't so bad, hmmm....