Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

At least these ARE rare and special. Look how much vintage Gibsons go for, and those are just stock models.
I'd have loved to have bought one, but I already have two Ricks that are each as good as any other, and I didn't have the available funds. Someday I will have a special edition, COY or something like that. It's just a matter of time. As a matter of fact, I'm saving up for a couple 100th Anniversary models right now!

It's up to $3450.00, 1 Day, 21 hours to go.....

This could get VERY INTERESTING.....

It's already very interesting Tony!

All are established bidders....

Ken S is still having a hard time selling his 4003DCM. Didn't get above the reserve value this time. It did get to $3850 though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=002&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=120108727525&rd=1&rd=1

I bid on it at $3800, and there was no interest until the last few hours, when one other person bid $3850.

It seems that, much to the dismay of those of you hoping to sell these for a quick markup, that the realistic market for this bass does not exceed $3850 at the present time.

I am still offering to buy one for $3750, and in light of Ken's results, I can offer $3850 plus shipping to anyone who does wish to sell.

That includes Ken - he only lives 30 miles away and I could drive up there and pay cash today for his, if he would ever return my emails

I live in Maryland as well. Where abouts do you live Elys?

Hi Ben! I have two places in MD. One near Annapolis and one in Ocean City

I spend so much time in DC that I could almost say I live there too

I wouldn't get your hopes up, Elys!

Too many re-listings, poor auction strategy and maybe even a 95% rating are keeping people away.

I offered $3750 for the second one at Annie's Guitars but apparently did not get it as it is now sold (not to me to the best of my knowledge).

Rumor has it that the first one she had sold for $4200.

I could just kick myself for missing the chance to order one when they first came out.....

I honestly adore capitalism. More power to you, Ken.

Well, I am not sure. Despite an initial sale or two, I believe the price will settle out at $3800 or so for a long time to come. No offense to those who now own these, but it is just a custom paint job and user-swappable plastic pieces on a stock 4003. Nice plastic, by our own Extreme Artisan Paul Wilczynski, granted. But a stock 4003. Now imagine if RIC had actually put CB and FW pearl sparkley inlays, one-of-a-kind pickups, and other higher-end goodies on this one! The 75th certainly deserved that treatment but didn't get it

I think it's too early to predict just where prices will stabilize on these, Elys. Basing the prediction on one sale or two would be a fallacy of sampling.

If RIC had done all that stuff, it would have cost them far more to do it than they could charge reasonably, due to the complications of those deluxe features and lost production on bread-and-butter models.

Inlays I understand since it would require resetting the CNC machines that currently make the inlay patterns in the fretboard.

I'd have thought that the Binding wouldn't have been too much extra cost to install, labour would have been close to same as installing standard binding.

I am glad that RIC had the wisdom to make the compromises they did in order to maximize production for everyone

It is true that I only have seven samples for priced sales so far. The trend is there, and after all, this is not presented as fact or even juried speculation. And is not intended to offend anyone. It is just my own speculation from my own uniquely-diseased 60s-veteran brain

But just ask Cole about the predictions I have made in the past...

Elys, What's a Tux? A redneck? A blackstar etc...just 4003's dressed up different. The DCM is anniversary model dressed up in not just a different but, unique color which will never be used again, as well as the guards and trc's which are awesome.

I can give you examples of dozens and dozens of collectibles which have tremendous value only because of it being a unique variation of a standard item.

The truth is there are probably tons of hardcore Rickenbacker collectors worldwide who never had the chance to order the piece. We'll see what happens, but I doubt a price on such a rare piece will ever be "settled" as there just were not enough to go around.