Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

No John, not like guitar sniffed. I mean the felt inside of the older cases. I remember my 79 4001 had orange felt.

Does anyone remember the years that were orange? Blue? Were there other colors?

Good question

I never could peg this down Marc. I am never 100% sure when I get a late 60's to a late 70's case with a bass, if it is correct or not.

Yeah, Let's just hope that JWilli, and Lefty don't start feeling cases like they sniff guitars.

I do think the orange was before the blue. It could also be random.

When I bought my '72 4001MG used in '75, it came with a black tolex case with orange fuzz (I wouldn't call it felt). The hinges and latches were not great, and I ended up discarding it when I appropriated a current form-fit fiberglas case for it.

This material is called "Whore House Plush" by the industry. No, really!

Red, black, orange, blue, royal purple, gold- we had cases in all these interiors and sometime two colors at the same time. It was just a matter of the various case suppliers and their material suppliers as to what was in production at a given time.

However, the most common color was blue, followed by red, and in more recent years, black.

Great band name there.

Motorhead has a song called Whorehouse Blues.

My 68 has it's original case and it's that burnt orange.



The purple is killer. I want one of those and a bass to match.

Sean, Do you think that Lemmy was singing about a shortage of material to line the cases?

Those 4001 cases like Andy's are like Fender P-Bass cases w/o the badge on the outside, a Jazz Bass won't fit in them. Both of my '72s have cases like that, although the accy. pocket is to the right 'cause they are left-handed basses.

I have had cases from 1967 that have had both red and blue linings...black tolex was something phased in ca. early-mid 1968 from what I've observed.

Wait, I didn't think about that. So all the 4001 cases are not form fitting?

It's funny cuz on the 73 I just got, it has a form fitting case, but no way it's a real Ric case. Must have been from a faker.

In 1978 I bought a used Telecaster('72 or '73) and it came in a case that looks exactly like Andrew Winter's Ric case w/ that orange/red interior but w/ a Fender Badge on the outside. The Tele always bounced around too much - making me think that the case was purchased separately. I usually shove a rolled up guitar strap to create a better fit for the guitar. [If I was home now I'd upload a picture.)

I like my 2005 /Ric 4003 a whole lot more than my twanging Tele. I just prefer bass over treble.