Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi there-
I used to be a regular around here but haven't been around much since I started my own 12-string bass site a couple of years ago. Anyway, I'm thinking about selling my 1987 fretless 5-string 4003 bass. It's a completely factory custom bass. You can find pics and a more complete description of it on my website at http://www.12stringbass.net/Rick5.htm

Anybody around here have an idea of what it might be worth? Or would you care to make an offer? Rick has made a handful of fretless 5's, this bass is the only one with body and neck binding and the Rick-O-Sound electronics.

Thanks!
Mark Rowe
Kalispell, MT

That be nice, nice, NICE.

I want it.

I'd say between $1800-$2000.

Whoever gets it, I want photos for the book. Mark, are your photos hard (film) or electronic? I'm stocking up on quality shots for a book I'm planning on Rickenbacker basses. This one should be in the book.

Please get in touch.

WOW....Nice!!

Hen's teeth come to mind....

Welcome again, Mark!!

$2000+

Mark, welcome back, I have been a regular visitor to your site (as well as the other one..) since I started playing 12 string bass. That's a beauty! Do you have an s8 as well?

Too bad about the RW's on the bass, with flatwounds the neck finish would have lasted forever and you probably can't get the correct stuff which will probably change the sound.

Thanks for the appreciation everyone. Paul, I'll get you some pics and sent you an email. Steve, yes I have an 8, it's here: http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/coveringthebasses40038fl.html.

As to the roundwounds, sure I could have used flatwounds to save some neck wear but that wouldn't have given me the sound I wanted. I had this built so I could play it, not as a collectors item. Besides, I had the neck on my 4001 redone after many years of roundwound use. My luthier couldn't get the exact same stuff but what he used looks and sounds just like the original finish. So it was worth a couple hundred bucks in maintenance to have the sound I wanted for all those years.

flats are for hofner's and p-basses ... if I played a fretless I would do an oil finished neck and use rounds ...

I use rounds on mine...some are apalled, but it's goin' on my chest at the cremation so it's strictly my concern.

If you get too worried about fingerboard wear, you might as well hang it on the wall and tell everyone "Don't even point..."

If you have a concern about wear you may want to look into this site.
http://www.woodwiz.com/guitarlab/epoxy.html
The work seems to be pretty nice.

Hello Mark. Thanks for coming back and posting here. I really like your site.

What I've been looking for. A cool Alembic alternative. It would certainly need a refinish though for me...
What are you asking Mark??

If you use RW's on an oiled neck it will last about an hour as my 68 P bass did, I ruined two necks with RW's in my life, one was a 68 P bass, the second was an early 80's 4001. The 4001 never sounded the same with the new epoxy finish on it, I passed on a 4003 fL because of that same reason, the original finish on their fretlesses is the best sounding finish I have ever heard on a fretless bass but needs flats. They sound fantastic with flats BTW, much more presence than with Rounds, but each to his own. Once you refinish them they sound dull or at least the two I played did. RW's on FL's sound very thin to me.

"flats are for hofner's and p-basses ..."

And Rickenbacker basses are only for trebley progressive rock.