Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I know folks on here are typically a little wary of Guitar Center, but the one in Atlanta has a great guitar tech I use. I recently took in my 4001 for a set up, and picked up my 480.

As you may know, they make you open the case and log in the serial number when you walk in.

My 4001 is a custom checkerboard painted by Pat Wilkins in California. I know some of you will cringe, but it looks really trick... And I resurrected it from the dead so I didn't ruin a good one, OK? (Thanks to Kenny Howes for sourcing the pickups, pickguards, knobs and switches and putting it back together for me).

Anyway, I open the case and guys were literally circling the bass and foaming at the mouth. Dropped it off, hung out with the guitar tech for a bit. Kenny, he said hello.

Then, picked up the 480 and headed out. Same procedure. Open the case and hold it up so they could log the serial number. Same result. Guys were standing around, going "... cool."

(I realize the 480 is kind of the red headed step child, and I mainly play 360/12's, but I like this little guitar).

Anyways, it felt kinda cool to walk in there with guitars that folks are really impressed with. Imagine if I had shown up with a FireGlo 360!

Came home, popped open a beer, plugged the 480 into my Mesa Heartbreaker and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Thought you guys would appreciate the story.

JKC

PS Kenny, I need that set of knobs for the 480. Let's hook up on that and I'll order up some strings and stuff too. Hope you are doing well and give me a ring soon.

Whenever I've taken my humble 330 MG to local shops to try amps, I've always gotten sales-dude drool on them. You have to be careful.

i get the same with my 80. both of my guitarists work for GC and they get googoo eyed at every practice.

Yeah,

I kinda dig that guitar. Some folks here think it sounds too thin... I play through a Mesa Heartbreaker with two 12's and I get plenty of chunk... I guess I prefer my sound a little thin anyways... But, neat little guitar. Wish the neck was radius'd though. I may have that done to mine, or I may have a duplicate neck made that is radius'd.

Funny, also, because toasters are often preferred by us Rick guys... And I agree, they sound awesome in my 360's... But I like the HiGains in the 480.

Take it easy,

JKC

PS Sean, tell me about your 480. Humbuckers or HiGains? Slant Frets or straight? Color? Mine is a straight JetGlo with HiGains and a Pickguardian PickGuard.

I believe Sean was referring to his '80 4001/4003....not a 480.

(since that was a crossover year IIRC I don't know which model he has.....4003 I think)

I brought my Monty Brown 4003 into the the same Guitar Center in Atlanta (just to try out an Ampeg B100R, so I could make sure I wanted it before buying it somewhere else).

When I took my bass out of the case a crowd formed...all the "oohs & ahhs" that you'd expect. Then while I was playing through the amp another customer came up & said "What wall did you get that off of?"

To which I replied "They don't sell these here."

That put a little smirk on my face...

Correct Brian. I don't know nothin' 'bout them 6-stringers.

My current one is a '80 JG 4003 and I sold my '80 white 4001.