Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Some time ago I encountered a Rick 4001S with a glued-in neck at the local Guitar Center. It had a terrible respray and an ugly tourtise-shell pickguard. Sensing a possible steal I looked at the tag. $1799. I spoke to the salesman who assured that Macca and Chris Squire played set necks and that they were rare and preferred. Smelling a rat, I spoke to Chris form Pick of the Ricks, who told me that the set neck was a late 70's early 80's thing. He assured me this was a cost-cutting measure buy Rickenbacker and to pay no more than $900. When I offered $850 the salesman laughed and I left. I was in the area about a month ago and I asked "whatever happened with that Rick?" He (a different salesman0 replied, "we sold it about a week ago for $750." He said "it turns out it wasn't as valuable as we thought." I wanted to strangle someone, but a cooler head prevailed. So can anyone tell me more about these glue in necks? Anyone own one? And also how many of you guys feel guilty about the one or more Guitars you missed out on? It was a while before I had a good nights sleep after that situation.

I haven't nailed down the years of production, but it appears that for a time, RIC was making what could be considered "convertibles" -- set-neck basses without binding that could be finished either as 4000 single-pickup or 4001S twin-pickup basses. Certainly, the original 4000 basses were neck-through, and when the 4003 came into production in the early 1980s, they, and the sibling 4003S, were neck-through. It looks as though the last of the 4000s and 4001Ss were set-neck (more than just glue, I think). I agree with Chris that under a thou would be a fair price for one in good condition. That said, I have never heard of any set-neck owner being dissatisfied, and any loss of tone or sustain would likely only be measured by sensitive instruments. In other words, they sound like Ricks!

Richard Burke who worked for Rickenbacker from 1958 to around 2000, told me that the set necks were an experiment to cut cost and simplify construction. He could not remember if it actually accomplished either. He said the customers did not seem to like set neck basses so the practice was discontinued. I don't know if it was only the basses that got this treatment or if the neck-through guitars were made that way too.

Ted , Did you get me e-mails ? They keep coming back to me

Yes, I got one today. Our spam filtering has been stopping a lot of servers from major ISPs lately. I am not sure why.

Guitar Center, eh? Figures...

Richard, anytime you make an offer like that to any salesman, they may laugh - But leave them your card with the offer on it. You never know. You might have gotten that bass for $850. I'm sure GC would have rather sold it to you for $850, than to someone else for a hundred bucks less.

Of my 3 Ric basses, the one that gets constant use, every show, is an '82 set-neck 4001SLH.

The 4001S that I have definitely sounds like a Rick. Even before you plug it in, you can tell that it will have the Rick tone. It is a great playing bass with low action and a very comfortable neck.

Guitar Center!

Say no more! You will find them to be a never-ending source of frustration in matters such as this.

You'll find another set-neck 4001S, Richard. How about this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/1983-Rickenbacker-4003S-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ140025121967QQihZ004QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Re: eBay post - first he gets the model wrong (it's a 4001s not a 4003s) then he claims it's Midnight Blue when it's obviously not -- unless the photos are dramatically off. Did Ric darken MB over the years or am I just colourblind!

The color is Azureglo which is consistent with the year of manufacture. RIC stopped making the set-neck "convertible" 4000/4001S in the early '80s, and Midnight Blue didn't replace Azureglo until 1985 (some overlap may have occurred). So if his is indeed an '82, then it must be Azureglo.

I wonder where that one is gonna top out at.

Ended at $1085.