Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It's a beauty! Feels very different than all of my older ones.

It's odd, and this was discussed in another thread, but the tailpiece has the 2 added screws and as best as I can tell they are original to the bass, although it doesn't make sense on a 2004.

Bass:
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i27/acacia70/bass/DSCN0817.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i27/acacia70/bass/DSCN0816.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i27/acacia70/bass/DSCN0815.jpg

Tailpiece:
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i27/acacia70/bass/DSCN0819.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i27/acacia70/bass/DSCN0818.jpg

"although it doesn't make sense on a 2004."

Probably a late-80's BT tailpiece. These had the 2 extra screws. My '86 Shadow has them. It's a good thing: BT tailpieces are more prone to tail-lift because the powdercoating process weakens them.

The pickguard is also older stock.

Great looking bass, congrats!

How can you tell about the pickguard? Odd that someone would switch the stuff out on such a new bass.

man, that bass is bad ***!

nice score.

Thanky Thanky.

"How can you tell about the pickguard?"

The knobs are not parallel. a '04 guard has parallel knobs. The change was in '98 or '99. Your pickguard is probably a late 90's. But RIC sometimes use older parts. If you follow "Ric outlet" auctions on eBay, you'll notice they still have some BT parts left.

Nice one Sean.

It's like half shadow bass and half black-star.

Strange days indeed.

Hey Dave, yeah...half and half and all mine! haha

Now I need to start sniffing out one of each of those again. I probably should have bought Skiffington's when I had the chance.

Think the differences have anything to do with it once being in Japan? Maybe used some old stock items for export?

Sean does it have shark tooth or dot inlays?

SHarktooth. I forgot to photo them!

I just noticed that it also has the Japanese owners manual in the case.

I would replace the knobs with the all black vintage knobs ...

That's a real dark beauty you got there Sean!

Congrats.

Ditto on the vintage knobs, the darker the better!

Congrats!! I have always had a great luck with my basses I found in Japan. This is where my CS came from too. And they come so quick.I think I got all mine in 4 days.