4002 alert....

[loendmaestro]

http://cgi.ebay.com/4002-Rickenbacker-B ... dZViewItem

[incubus2432]

...if only that were a BIN price!

[bassduke49]

He says something about "part of the tailpiece" missing, but . . . ? Fretboard looks beat or very dirty. But, how many of these do we see . . . .

[marc61]

I have my eye on it...are those tuners correct? anything else look replaced?

Depending on how the auction goes..I should be goin' for it

[aceonbass]

Those are the correct Schaller M4 tuners as are currently used on 4004's.

[cheyenne]

I think the rubber string mute is missing. He could have taken better pictures.

For a 4002 this one isnt very figured is it?

I like your avatar Brian!

[marc61]

Agree it's not very figured Scott...Problem is, do I wait for another one? At this point I'm just more concerned about the fingerboard...

[rickcrazy]

Hmm... That fingerboard looks merely dirty to me, but you can't be too careful. Also, notice the corroded saddle block height adjustment screws. A well-used 4002, to be sure.

[jingle_jangle]

Those adjustment screws (not sure if they are factory pieces; could be hardware store replacements) were originally black-oxide finish, which rusts in a few months depending upon climate, if it's not kept oiled, even were the bass not used. But I do agree: from the fretboard crud, it's been heavily played.

[rikk]

It still looks pretty nice. The fingerboard is either really dirty or CV is coming up. But I though there was no CV on the 4002. Maybe someone applied a finish to it and it's coming up.
Are those original pickups?

[loendmaestro]

You would think with this being the "holy grail" of Rickenbackers, he'd have cleaned it up a bit & taken some better pictures.

Especially considering a $5K opening bid....


That being said, I'd love to have one of those.


(Sigh....I need to start playing the lottery more...)

[marc61]

I promise if I get it to clean it up. I do hope it doesn't need new frets though...

btw - IMO when a bass is well used, usually means it's a great player. Conversely, I've tried vintage basses that are like NOS that played like ****. Especially Fenders. Instruments like children need love and to be played with

[jingle_jangle]

I promise if I get it to clean it up. I do hope it doesn't need new frets though...

btw - IMO when a bass is well used, usually means it's a great player. Conversely, I've tried vintage basses that are like NOS that played like ****. Especially Fenders. Instruments like children need love and to be played with

+1 on that, good buddy...

But new frets shouldn't scare you--it's a few hundred bucks and an easy job for any luthier, as there's no finish on the board. And it gives one a chance to properly clean, sand, surface, and re-oil that gorgeous ebony.

[marc61]

as luck would have it...I found a very local luthier who loves doing fret work, AND has experience with Rickenbackers. Let's see if I can win this one, and if it's playable, I'll probably just give it a good cleaning and keep it unmolested.

gut tells me this bass is going in $7000-7500 range.

[gray]

IMO when a bass is well used, usually means it's a great player. Conversely, I've tried vintage basses that are like NOS that played like ****. Especially Fenders. Instruments like children need love and to be played with

Absolutely!! There's probably a reason it's been played so much! My 4001 looks beat enough that most people would retire it, but it plays and sounds so good, to retire it would be a crime. That 4002 looks like a player to me. Might take some elbow grease and what-not to shine it up, but I'll bet it'd be worth it.