Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just acquired this case. Supposedly it is a late 60s/early 70s Rickenbacker 4000 series case.
What can anyone tell me about it? I put my '89 4003S in it for comparison. It fits nice. Obviously it has had a Rick bass in it for some time but I am curious if it is indeed a real Rickenbacker case and what year it is.
Notice how the handle is attached.

Looks like my 1979 case.

Steve: Well done, I am glad you are on the case. It looks like the genuine article to me.

Yep - they came in several interior colors and that was one of them. Latches look right for the period too, as does the inside flap.

The handle attachment is the same on maybe four of my cases, and only appeared for a short time until the vendor was changed out yet again. The U-pin was not very durable, IMHO, as two of my four have a damaged handle on at least one side from the U-pin cutting into the handle end during side-load. Your handle looks perfect, though!

Any idea what year it might be?

Elys: I see you've latched on to a few of these cases. They are cool looking but I find that the instrument bounces around inside them more that I want. The newer SKB cases seem to provide more protection.

You are right, Peter! For the guitars that came in these cases, I always have to stuff a wadded-up cloth between the upper strap peg and the side of the compartment to stop the movement. Unfortunately, since about four-fifths of my Ricks are in those original old-style open cases, I use a lot of rolled-up cotton diaper cloth!

Remember if you are transporting or shipping a 4001 with close back Grovers, and the bass can move around inside the case, there is a chance the side loading of the key posts could cause the backs to pop off. Wrapping a towel or diaper around the headstock will minimize this.

Yep - there is a diaper just for that

Steve's case reminds me of the Gibson case that my brother's '66 Firebird rests in, with that bright orange-yellow lining.

Fender cases had that color too. I have an all-original B-neck Precision from 72 with that exact case lining color, and the chrome metal "Fender" on the outside.

John Hall has said often that his cases from various vendors came in a large array of colors, not just blue or purple-blue. A lot apparently came in gold, and black, I have seen a couple of red, and I once saw a green one in the 1970s.

elysrand wrote: I have seen a couple of red, and I once saw a green one in the 1970s.

I have a 78 Rick fitted case that is brown inside.

The F*nd*r case that came with the '76 Precision I used to have, had a reddish-orange lining in it.

The case that came with my '73 4001 has a red lining in it and Rickenbacker screened on the lid of the case. I've seen very few like that.

Cool! I never saw a brown, so yours is a first, Steve None of my cases have screening on them like yours, Joey, but I am sure the factory could have done it for awhile, or maybe bought them screened like that from the case vendor for awhile.

Here's the Ben_Brown lined case...