Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Anybody got a clue how many 4000's were made in 73? Or if it's worth restoring one?

hey, are you the guy who bought that mutilated blue with wooden bits 4000 of ebay?

YES RESTORE IT!!!!

Yes, I am. I just back to the US from Egypt, and have finally gotten down to checking it out. It plays really well, but it's going to need some work to make it nice again. I've got all the parts with the exception of a bridge to put it back together.

well my take is this: if you have the parts (incuding the hard to get nameplate) then you wont have too much trouble as a 4000 has so much less to put back on it. theres no complex wiring or binding, or anything. If you can get it nicely refinished, then your pretty much there.

I'm not worried about the refin, I've been doing them for years, I just wanted to make sure it's worth the effort and time involved.

thats cool - yes i think definatly worth it.....what colour were you thinking of and what pickup you gonna put in there?

I'm either going back with the factory jetglo or white with a new horseshoe. The original pu was a trans hi gain with the aluminum base, but I thought the horshoe would sound great. I have all black plastic to go back with so I'm still trying to decide which color would be best.

A black on black 4000?

Oooooh, suh-weet!

That's what I was sort of thinking, even though the pu wouldn't be original it should have tone for days!

I vote for black on black. I always thought the white pickguard on 4000's looked rather large and empty without th neck pickup. It'll blend in better being black. The horseshoe will have no trouble holding it's own on that bass. I would suggest a deviation from stock though. Wire it like a 3001 with separate bass and treble controls. It'll give you the added option of rolling off some of the ear bleeding treble a horseshoe can produce without losing any bass. Vintage black knobs with a clear acrylic guard painted black from the back would complete the period look that fits a horseshoe. Just my two pounds worth.

I agree - totally black with chrome parts. Horseshoe or hi - gain......both are good....if you actually have a horseshoe then definatly go with that.

I agree with Dane, a white picjguard will look really big and empty.

I bought a horseshoe a couple of months back for this project thinking it would be perfect. I'll see what Don can do with the pickguard, In my opinion his pickguards are the best you can get.
Next, the elusive bridge, it was fitted with a schaller roller bridge, but I need to find a original Ric part.

just order one from [url=http://www.ricpage.com....the]www.ricpage.com....the[/url] tailpiece that is....i hear the bridge saddle plate is on back order

there is one for sale on e-bay ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2551214698&category=4713

...or just go to the "Rickenbackers For Sale" section of the board, and look up Eddied's posting under the "Wavy Key" 4001 thread!