Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Went out on lunch, visited 2 guitar shops, played 3 4001s. Report: #1 75 FG. All there, hsc (don't know if it's original) buckle rash on back to the wood. 1 ding in the back of the neck (around 14th fret maybe) This was a very nice playing bass Price: $2500.
#2 79 white with BT. Lots of yellowing, a little beaten up, but all there with original case. Plays OK. Price: $2395
#3 73 FG. It's led a hard life. Beaten up on lower edges, deep scratches on front, pickguard cracked by the control knobs, missing tip on selecter switch, missing mute & screws, no indication about p/u cover, tuners replaced with Sperzels, no indication of type of case (just says 'Case', but if the condition of the guitar is an inicator, the original case did not survive). Full width inlays & checkerboard binding. Worst player of the bunch. High action & lots of fretwear. No structural damage that I could see. Price: $2500
# 1 is at Capsule (www.capsulemusic.com) 2&3 are at Songbird (www.songbirdmusic.com) but #3 hasn't been put on the website.

Greg, did #3 have a toaster? If so, and if a refret and setup would return it to playable condition, it might make a great player's bass. Besides the tuners, the other parts aren't too difficult to get (non-vintage) replacements for. Might be a nice pickup for someone here. I'll have to look at what the exchange rate is like nowadays.

I don't think so. Would the bridge p/u also be a toaster? That was definitely not, because I made a mental note of the wear on that pickup, which was right through the top and showing something green underneath, underneath the string spaces.
Refret & setup would go a long way on this bass. It looks like the frets have been dressed, but there's not a lot of metal above the finish. This is probably why the action is set a little high, too.

Toasters were never standard fit for the bridge pickup on 4001/3 at any point. Toasters were standard neck pickup on 4001 until sometime in '73-74 in the half-inch position. The first high-gains in the neck position were in half-inch position until sometime in '75 when the change was made to 1" position.

Even with the Canadian dollar exchange rate considered, these prices seem steep. You might have better luck checking here or on the 'Bay.

I could really use that 73, if it has the FWMOP inlays and checkered binding.

Those prices, are they Canadian?

I have officially inquired about the 73. If they can negotiate a little, I'll take it because for the project i want to do, it would require refret and refinish anyway.

v68 ?

Can't tell ya Jim, cuz then I'd have to kill ya...

Like I've said before, if I leak this project, then people will try and talk me out of it.

Not to worry, it's not FG....

Marc - I have a 73 4001 refin/project with the full width "transitional" inlays that I was going to put up on Ebay in the next week or two. Drop me a line off board if you're interested.

e-mail sent

Marc, a 4080 with a '73 4001 body as the bass half? Maybe a 4 and 5 string doubleneck?

Thanks for posting the information Greg.

It's like having a WORLDWIDE network of friends keeping an eye out for that special Ric.

Very cool!

No John, not a doubleneck...Songbird music still has not got back to me on the 73. Hope it exists.

Eh, the guess was worth a shot. Guess you'll post pics when you have what you want.

If I had the bass today, we;re probably looking at a year from now...so....