Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It states that it is a '63/'64 bass (which it's NOT) but I am doubting that it is real to begin with.....If it is a Rickenbacker, maybe post 1973??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=859502142

Could it be something from the lawsuit era?? The tuners look a little funky, the inlays seem to be of the wrong material,and even though it is neck-thru, only one truss rod????? Comments???

LeftyBass,

While not completely positive, I would say it looks very much like a mid 70's Univox neck- through-body RIC copy. These had only one truss rod, with a skunk stripe running the full length.

They also had two output jacks, one was labled "standard" the other "stereo-sound".

The bass pick up was a "toaster top" replica. Although the pu's in this model look like later button tops.

The screw spacing on the scratchplate (pickguard)looks similar to the Univox, although some models were deadringers in that detail.

I owned a Univox RIC(a generous gift from a non-musician) with the afore mentioned characteristics, and found it to be a well made & very well playing.

Compared to a real RIC 4001 (& even my new 4003) the Univox was not as "refined feeling" & did not have the sustain and growl, even when I replaced the PU with real RIC PU's. The finish was not quite as nice as on the real RIC either.
However, it was a well made copy & much better then most real F*****'s.

BTW they are worth about $120.00 -$160.00 US

So to reiterate Leftybass' question, were the early 4001's actually produced with only a single truss rod? The seller of this guitar claims that they were until mid-1965.

I THINK that they were made with a single trussrod in the 50s, definitely not as late as '65. The answer to your question is in the Smith book. The BS is so deep in this listing that I don't even know where to start. This looks like a major hatchet job to me and no way was this a '63-64 era Rick unless it was TOTALLY redone. The sunglasses on the seller and the fact that so much is unexplained would make me leary of offering $100 for this "Frankenstein". I would bet Arnquist could find the words to properly describe this one...

I emailed Rickenbacker with a question about the single truss rod, and also gave them the ebay lot number. Mr. John Hall forwarded to me a copy of the email he sent to the seller of this bass. The first line reads "The particulars of this instrument do not correspond to any product we've produced, i.e. single truss rod and Maple fingerboard." He gave the seller 48 hours to provide additional photos and information before the listing was deleted, but I see that the seller ended the auction early himself. So now we know for sure, 4001s gotta have 2 truss rods and can't have a maple fingerboard.