Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Can anyone tell me if the bridge saddles for a 1981 4001 are the same as a current 4003? Likewise with the nut?

If I ordered these parts from RIC, are the current parts usable in a 4001?

Thanks!

Both parts are the same. You may have to shape the nut a little though.

Thanks Ted.

Much appreciated.

I have a sweet 81 4001 ATG/Walnut (I'm not sure WHAT it is) that was a case queen.

As soon as I went to play it, the "G" string slips off the side of the neck. I had Jdog verify it when he was here. He thinks the saddle & nut were cut wrong. Probably a reason it had so little play time.

One more question if I may, have you ever seen an original RIC with BLACK & WHITE BINDING on it? The body binding, pickguard and TRC are black, but the neck binding is white.

The bass was purchased from the original owner and he swears it never had any work done to it.

What do you think?

Gloss = Walnut
Matte = Autumnglo

My '80 AG had a near-edge G string just like that. The string passed outside of the pole pieces on both pickups so I replaced the saddle and cut the notch to hold the string more inboard - no problems since.

I can't say that I have ever seen a 4001 with black neck binding. Maybe I have and just don't remember. The first Rick I ever saw with black neck binding was my 4002. It appears on the 4003s with BT and the Shadow but is otherwise pretty rare.

Thanks Ted,

It's more gloss than matte. It just isn't as glossy as all of my other RICS. Strange.

The binding had me going. So what you are saying is that it was NORMAL or COMMON for a 4001 to have black binding on the body and white on the neck?

At first I thought that somewhere down the line it was changed. It looks kind of strange to have both black and white binding on it. This bass has so little ware on it, it has to be original.

I'll take some pictures of it tomorrow and get them posted. If you wouldn't mind taking a peek at it and let me know what you think.

Did you change the nut when you made your repair?

Thanks again for your help.

Autumglo rubs out to a high gloss over time. The best places to check are under the guard, trc, tailpiece, and jackplate. The original lustre usually survives in those areas.

No, I did not have to change the nut.

Ted,

I just ordered 4 new saddles & a nut from the RIC site.

Let me know what you think in regards to the string spacing and the strange combo of black & white bindings.

Thanks in advance....

I GIVE UP, I can't get these pictures uploaded...!@*%(#)@_#@!

Lets try it this way....AHHA! GOT IT!

Tony, how what did you do to post all the pictures.

LOL,

I basically used one program to re-size the pictures from 2200K to 1000K, then used Potoshop and re-sized them again by using the SAVE TO WEB option. That did it for about 80% of the pics.

Dale, any ideas on the two colored bindings on my 81 4001? I've not seen another like it. There is so little play wear on her, I can't see it being changed. The original owner swears it was a case queen and has had no work done to it, however, I notice the Truss Rod nuts have been messed with. Something I'll probably have to change down the road....

I would say since the neck and body halves are made and bound individually, it was maybe a special order or it just got glued up that way, not a mistake but something that just happened and couldn't be undone or cut up. It is quite unique..

I don't know when it was, but the RIC bass saddles and bridges changed at sometime in the past. The change seemed to have something to do with the exact hole locations in the bridge for the saddle screws being lowered a half a millimeter or so. This makes it so new saddles sit high in an old bridge and wobble back and forth. I don't know when this was though. Also, the earlier nuts were slightly narrower than the current ones, requiring narrowing each side slightly with a file.

Thanks for the response Dale, much appreciated.

I love insignificant tidbits like this. My first thoughts were to have the white binding changed out to black, that is, if I could find it.

But being the bass is in such good condition, I thought better of spending much needed project capitol on such a small fix. As you have said, it just makes it a bit more unique.

The original owner swears he bought it new in 1984, but she is dated 1981. So, either him memory is off, or this 'ol girl just sat in a store room somewhere for a long time.

Dane,

Thanks for the heads up, if the new saddles present a problem, I'll know the cause. That would have made me CRAZY!!!

The nut, if it needs to be replaced, will be done by a professional. I wouldn't chance messing up this bass!

Tony, my 1977 4000FL BG was bought new in 1981 by its original owner, so it's quite possible that yours was bought three years after its manufacture.

Thanks Gary,

A 1977 4000FL? I don't think I've ever seen one of those!
And in BG no less! That must be one rare bird!

I find it AMAZING that a RIC could actually sit on a shelf for all those years! I haven't walked into a music store and seen a RIC on the sales floor since 1995!

Thank you for the information, I guess it WAS possible!