Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just got email confirmation from Dale that the work on my 1968 4001 is done!!!! I can't wait to get that bass into a gig! That bass has been in messed up condition for so long that it's impossible to express how frustrated I have been wanting to get that bass into playing condition again. This feels almost like the month before your 21st birthday when you can finally drink LEGALLY! Time just seems to draaaaaaaggggggg....

What a beauty! I may end up sending my '72 to Dale.

I wish I had the money to get a June 1973 4001. It's the month I was born...

That aged "ambered" MG looks spectacular. What a great looking bass with the original horseshoes and surround.

73's are nice, but nothing on that baby...

The '73 is more of a sentimental thing. This 1968 is definitely an heirloom. Belonged to my Dad and my 4 year old is already asking for it.

SWEET

Hey Javier, is this the color that it was "born" with? Forgive me for not knowing about other threads you have said all this before in, but can you point me to other "before" photos?

The reason I ask is that I bought a February 1968 4001 just like this recently. but in FG, and I am debating the value of keeping it FG (for the sake of authenticity) or doing a color change on it (for the sake of playability). Your experience, and the "before" and "during" photos, would help a lot!

According to the Smith book, there were 83 FG 4001 basses made in 1968, and 74 MG, 31 JG, and 11 other colors, for a total of only 199 4001 basses made in 1968. So, I am curious if it was always a MG, or if it was another color originally.

Elys - keep it fireglo

Javier - congrats, and please give Dale my shipping address

Sweet bass Javier! I wish I could buy an August '58 4000, that's when I was born!.

Elys, I agree with Mark, keep it fireglo. I'm sure Jim Glen will agree also.

Now why did I figure on you saying just that?

Actually, my numbers are off slightly, because Smith said that John Hall's invoices for all of 1967 and the first two months of 1968 were missing. Thus he did not get to count my bass and any others made during that 14 month gap.

Rickenbacker's actual production numbers for 1968 thus were undoubtedly well over 200 for the entire year, because of this, and one can most likely assume similar color distributions during those missing two months to the other 10 documented months.

So Marc, how do we know that my bass was not originally a special-order lambent transparent blue? A true one-of-a-kind? And some yahoo changed it one dark and blustery night in a forgotten guitar shop to a pedestrian FG, just like all the others. Snuffing its brave spirit of individuality beneath a bloody conformist color coat of aftermarket, second-hand nitro

And thus, wouldn't my (harebrained) mission be to restore it to its former glory??

Right, I know what you are thinking. No, I don't drink. I have never even smoked anything of any kind. I don't even drink coffee or tea. I take daily walks with my kids and wife and don't even use swear words.

But wouldn't that be GREAT if it were true

This bass was like this (well, except for the neck damage) when I got it. I first saw this bass when I was about 3 years old. My Dad bought it while in the Navy before shipping off to Vietnam around 1970 I saw it later when he started playing again after the service. When I started playing at the age of 12, that bass is all we had and couldn't afford anything else. I looked for years for someone qualified to do the job and was recently referred to Dale. I honestly think I will break down in tears watching my Father play this bass. These are some of the photos I sent Dale when inquiring about the work. If I were you, I'd leave it in the finish it's got now.

my 1973 4001 was a much better gigging bass than my 1968 4001 ... the 73 was decapped and had all 250k ohm pots and it was a real player ... but the 68 was a real looker ... if I still played 4 string basses I would have kept them both ...

Javiers Bass has all original finish and parts.. It needed the fingerboard put back together and other minor things...

Really nice work, Dale. Congrats on a great, sentimental restore, both of you. Javier, that baby has all the points most all here crave. What a beaut! Always adjust the rods correctly (move the neck, hold and tighten the nuts) and the neck will be fine forever. I remember when you showed up here and what it looked like.

Anxiously waiting....