Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I bought this off of Ebay, hit a BIN quickly. It arrived today but even before it did I had a feeling it was off of a fake...seller said it was taken off of a '73 4001, and "totally original". They used a similar design on early 70's basses, but it looks a little thin metal-wise.

Some of the original surrounds on the early 70's basses looked pretty rough-cut and unrefined IMHO, and this one does fit that description. Tell me what you all think.

well, the screw hole positions look correct - to me...

I agree...I will match up the holes on a known-good example later this evening.

From 1968 until sometime in 1973, there seemed to have been some slight variations on these...some with more rounded edges, some with sharp, square edges....some with metal removed under the string area, some straight across like the one pictured. I'm just trying to make some sense of what was used when...

The corners of the raised up bit look a little too square and clean cut (rather than the rounded off look that we all know) but when it comes to the 73-74 transition it's fair to say that anything goes....
Just a footnote, notice how on the 60s basses the hardware is not very accurate (I'm refering mainly to the horse and its surround) and a bit crude but the routing in the bodies seems to be nicely done. Now to the first half of the 70s where the hardware started to get some level of accuracy but it seems that the pickup routes were done freehand (no templates) and with their eyes shut.
emac.

John,

That looks very similar to my old 72 surround. Correct hole placing, and the "thin" metal. Was this was the one from "The Hyn"?


Where's Sergio?

John, here is my '71 and err, the '72 that I recently aquired ...

Andy, 'tis the same one.

Peter, it looks more like the one on your 21-fretter than on that 'other' one, I notice that the surround on the 21-fretter has the cut-outs under the strings as well.

Here's the surround on my Aug 73... And the surround on my Dec 73... John yours, with the lower section being as big as it is, almost looks like a vintage surround that never got scaloped or is it possible it came from a vintage steel guitar? Is it made of brass or steel? Check it with a magnet.

I'm right here. Sorry, but the pickup ring at issue is not a Rickenbacker part. Hmphhh...

But Yoda, HOW do you KNOW? It amazes me, Sergio's knowledge. Wise, he is.

atomic_punk wrote:But Yoda, HOW do you KNOW? It amazes me, Sergio's knowledge. Wise, he is.

Well, I tend to agree with Sergio; After clicking the BIN button, I got to thinking about it more myself. The height of the part as it sits on the bass looks a little stunted to me and the the flats where the adjustment screws are seem a little too square.

So, I'm leaning more toward it being a non-Rickenbacker part.....not totally convinced though. There was some funky stuff being done back then.

wints wrote:John,

That looks very similar to my old 72 surround. Correct hole placing, and the "thin" metal. Was this was the one from "The Hyn"?


Where's Sergio?

I bought a '71 surround from THE HYN, any known problems with the seller Adny?

That surround screams "Fake!" Ignore my advice at your own peril!

ajish4 wrote:

wints wrote:John,

That looks very similar to my old 72 surround. Correct hole placing, and the "thin" metal. Was this was the one from "The Hyn"?


Where's Sergio?

I bought a '71 surround from THE HYN, any known problems with the seller Adny?

Tony, I've bought stuff from him and it's always been legit.