Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

A local guy is selling me his old mapleglo 72' 4001 and I am getting close to paying for it all and taking it home (the wait is killing me).

today I got a better look at it (last time I was overwhelmed by the rest of his vintage bass collection).

-Made in June of 72'
-split bridge tailpiece
-checkerboard binding
-dot and line (I think) knobs with silver top
-toaster neck pickup
-bridge pickup has pole pieces that look like slot head screw tops (typical?)
-black thumbrest on pickguard
-full length MOP inlays
-white nut
-grover tuners ("patent pending")
-skunk stripe

Everything is original except that one of the tuners was replaced with a different type. Knobs are in great shape and look spec. The binding is also in great shape although there is 1/2 and inch of neck binding missing by the 1st fret on the G side (probably dropped). The chrome pickup cover is long gone. The bridge is missing the mute and mute screws (I will take them from the strap positions and replace with schaller) and has some chips in the chrome.

The neck and action are amazing (that is what sold me on it) and it has held up fine to roundwounds over the years. The finish is dinged and scratched in places, but nothing major and it is not worn through, even in the back. This bass was played a lot... not a "museum ric" that was bought and then never gigged. But it looks like it was never mistreated... just plenty of character.

I plan to pull out the cap and play this baby until there is nothing left but a toothpick.

I am in the market for a foam mute, a bridge pickup cover, and a grover tuner.

I will probably get a new chrome cover (an do a relic job) and a new foam mute. Do they still produce similar looking grover tuners?

Congrats.John,sounds great post pics when you can.Look on the Ric,website they have the cover and the mute assemly...

Sounds nice, but the black thumbrest is not original. It should be clear lucite.

I figured that might be the case Jps.

Sounds like a great bass John, welcome to the club!

Hey, John, congrats on the new 'babe'. You mentioned a missing Grover tuner. I can spare an original, '1st version' (= non-'wavy' button)Grover tuner, if the one missing on your 4001 is for the E or the A string that is. It is in perfect working condition.

Get yours hands on it John, and post a few pics when you do...
I think this bass has the wavy Grovers Sergio...Anyone?

Congrats, on the 72 John, it sounds real nice.
You can get a clear finger rest from Pickguardian, and the foam mute from Mike Parks.

Congrats on the find! I have a May 1973 that I love. It has all the features yours has except for the thumbrest. Mine has the wavy tuners. It's also one of my better-sounding basses.

I think it is wavy tuners, but then I am not 100% sure of the difference between the wavy and non-wavy. I would have to see them. Email sent sergio, thanks!

I am looking into tuner options. Someone advised me that it might be best to use modern ric tuners since the old grovers were problematic (one of mine was replaced... I assume due to slipping). As I plan to gig this bass a lot I want tuners that will hold up 100%.

Anyway, I may get a new set from rhoads music, but if anyone here has a used set of post 80's modern ric tuners I would be interested in buying them. Used is better in my mind since I want something that won't look too new on an old bass.

What ever you do I would make sure I had a complete set of correct tuners in case you ever wanted to sell it.

If I could get a period correct single grover I would 100% take it. I am still weighing my options. I don't have the bass yet..haha

John, the biggest problem with the Grovers was the back popped off and the tuner fell apart. To fix them they had to be re-swaged. Basically put back together and then pound on the pins with a punch or something so the back stays on. It's actually an easy fix that people couldn'nt figure out how to do. In any case I have 2 sets of grovers that I was going put on evilbay. I have a used set of non-wavy tuners w/ferruls but no screws. The backs are on tight, 3 of the 4 have a tad bit of play. The other set is NOS, complete set, wavy, ferruls, screw but are 4 inline, not 2x2. They can be taken apart and reversed. Anyway drop me a line if you are interested.