Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I recently posted a thread in the appraisal forum and JohnWilli kindly posted some pics for me.I thought I'd bring it to the attention of the wider community who might like to see some pics of this rare, and well-used bass. It belongs to a friend who bought it in 1967 and has played it ever since.

Full details are there in the posting It had a neck repair which is almost invisible, a refret,the horseshoe has been relaced with an early high gain, an extra thumbrest has been added.

What I would like to ask the great and knowledgable is
(1) do the other aspects look authentic (apart from the screws in the machine heads !). Theres a very pronounced flatness to the heel
(2) Does anybody know how many of these basses were made that year ?
(3) Controversial ! Do you think that the early high gain may have ben the original fitting ? I notice that 1964 was the changeover period for the US made 4001 from a horseshoe to high gain.
(4)Any other info which may shed light on this instrument would be much appreciated.

Best wishes and thanks

Colin

Colin, I'll try and help here with some answers...
The hi-gain pick up is not original to this bass. They should have a black plastic bobbin to them. This one is a late 60's bobbin like I have in my 68 4001.
The neck heel is very flat, but they were hand made back then and they vary.
My two 64 RM1999,s/4001S have very different heel profiles. One very flat like yours, while the other has a volute.
The official number made in 1964 is 101, maybe a few more, maybe a few less. Today they are very rare with less than 20 known genuine examples left.
I'll E mail you if you wish, and send you my pictures so you can compare. Maybe Gerry will contribute his knowledge and pictures to you too. Hope this helps!

From my knowledge (?), 1964 was not the changeover year for the horseshoe, didn't it come much later, like '72? A '64 should definitely have a horseshoe in it.

Late'69 was the changover for the horseshoe as far as i know .

Late 68 in the case of my 4001.

Yes, Andy may have one of the first 4001 basses to have an under-string high-gain pickup in the bridge position. A fabulous bass.

Colin, hi, you have a ridgy didge RM 1999 there in all respects. I love the finish, it's so shiny. Andy & I are lucky enough to own two of these each. Yours exhibits all the traits of most, it has the shorter pickup surround that earlier 1999's had, big guard, square heel & a thin, thin neck & headstock.
Of the 101 Andy mentions (& I would argue is 126) I've counted 16 possibly 17 that have come to light. Not that many have the horseshoe left. Most seem to have had headstock issues because of the lack of wood around the nut area compared to later models. This makes them rarer still, the Strad of basses.
Thanks for the pics(& J Dub)it's a beauty.

Yup, that Fireglo is still a great looking finish. Wish my green one was original somedays...

Andy and Gerry: I may have asked you this before, pardon me if I have...do you guys count Paul Day's bass as 1 of the 17? It is really decent from what pics I've seen of it...

You'd have to ask Gerry about that one John. It does look real nice on the inside cover of "The Bass Book". That, along with Dave Brewis's old Feb 64 RM1999 (last seen in Japan) which is on page 164 of " The Ultimate Guitar Book" are two of the best examples around.

Hmm.. I wonder if Dave's old 1999 is the one in the Rittor book?? It's the one with the white paint over the crack in the pickguard, just over the bass pickup...

That's the one John. You can see the paint clearly in "TUGB"

Yeah, you can clearly see the location of the back dings are in exact same locations in both books! The UGB sure has a great front shot of the bass. That FG finish is absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for reminding me to look thru those 2 books again John and Andrew.

Now there you go, there's one I haven't got plus another from ebay I think I missed which should make about 18. John, I don't count DA23 because it's not 1 of the 126.

And I shouldn't forget the 3 '67 4001S's, Ken's, Andy's & Ed Tomlinson's. They certainly fit with the Smith figures at least. Which were 25 in '67 plus another 7 IIRC in the bass section.