Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi!

After only looking at it for for the past 20 years instead of playing it i'm trying to sell my 1973 4001 (MA010). I bought it 2nd hand in the early 80's and it was terrrrible refreted; the binding on the neck is broken on several places. But it played and sounded(and still does) great on my trace elliot 1110 combo.




At that time I played a Sunn Beta Bass 115 Combo and i split the stereo output over the two channels.
Finding myself pretty clever in those years, now i could eat my hat for it, i replaced the stereo output jack for an xlr!



On top of that (it gets even worse) i tried to experiment with some other pickups, so i needed a bit more space in the compartment under the toaster. I made it about 10mm wider.......



Okay, I'll pop the question: reading here about vintage basses, the checkered binding, the toaster, one of the latest full width inlays, what do these "alterations" to the marketprice?




Regards,

Alex.

Paging Mark Gilbert (our resident 1973 fanatic)...

The action seems a little high, but it's got all of the sought after features.
Did you drill out the ROS jack area for the XLR jack, or is it still the standard size? A simple fix if it's unmolested.

The routing was done neatly, & it wouldn't bother me much at all, but I'm not a collector.
At least there are no other visible mods.

Probably the biggest setbacks are the extra routing and the drilled out jackplate, but there are tremendous plusses here - the MOP inlays (RARE on '73's) which couldn't be replaced to exact specs if they WERE missing or damaged, original pickups, checkerboard body binding still intact, good looking hardware. I think the neck binding is fixable (see Dale or Paul.) If I was a devious opportunist, I'd try to talk it out of you for $1200.00. But in good conscience I'd recommend you don't let it go for anything under $3000.00.

Also notice, it doesn't seem to have tailpiece lift at all!

Ok- I had to finish sobbing before I could post but....In good unaltered condition this was at least a $3000 bass, now maybe $1200-$1500. The neck binding is repairable, the routing easily hidden, I'd be concerned about the neck and the high action, could be trussrod issues, fretboard separation issues. Are the original Grover tuners still there? You could always put it on Ebay and see if a feeding frenzy develops, those are always fun to watch. No use crying over your self inflicted mods(spilt milk), I've been known to drill holes in perfectly good ricks, also.

The mods there are no big deal. All issues are fixable and the rout looks almost stock.

Easily a $2K bass, possibly plenty more...

When you put in the XLR connector did you make it a true low-Z output (including transformer) or is it just the connector?

nah-I'd save ya the trouble for $1200...

Wow, thanks guys for your replies.

The original grovers are indeed still in place and yes i had to drill out the ROS jack area. Not that i even thought of a low-z output, the stereo-jack just kept humming and, hey, it looked pretty cool too (being 21 years and playing in a schoolband).

Ha, Mark, i was stunned even having MOP inlays too!???!??!?!? But can you show me my MOP-inlays? It sounds to me like something a dentist can do to you

Kevin, the action indeed a bit high. Before the photo-shoot i cleaned all the hardware and during that i accidentaly turned the adjustment screws on the bridge. So it is actually lower.

Anyway, i have her for sale on marktplaats.nl, the dutch daughter of e-bay. I allready have a bid for 1200 euro's but now i surely wait for a better one. I might even try to sell on e-bay to get an international audiance.

On the other hand, when you're around in the netherlands, come and get it! It would be nice to hear about her now and then in this forum being in good hands....

Grtz,

Alex.

Alex,

With a very low MA serial number you have a very early 73 bass, and possibly the body could have been made in very late 72 like my Dec 72 4001...


MOP is the Mother of Pearl triangular inlays that are the most sought after by the majority of collectors when buying a 73 and earlier bass. You usually only see them on the first couple of months in that year and then they change.

"... and the rout looks almost stock."

No, it's too clean to be stock. The straight lines and neat work are a dead giveaway.

Here's my Feb. 73, soon after this the MOP was replaced with acrylic, then a couple of months after that they got smaller, like today's inlays.

Here's the transition- Feb,April,May 1973 from top to bottom.

Hmm, very interesting Alex, especially as I'll soon be in Amsterdam...still, I'm currently saving for a 4 to 8 conversion so probably couldn't go for it anyway (he says, trying to convince himself...). Just out of interest, do you have any shots of the headstock? BTW,that lower horn is a very different shape from my 72 4001...