Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just got this "Bloodstar" Red Rickenbacker and it's a lefty, the only one I've ever seen. Does any one else own one of these -lefthanded- and how many were made?

Welcome JOE!

Wow, that is the first one I've seen, but give it a few minutes....there will be others here that will chime in.

There can't be more than a few, IF any others!

Nice snag!

Welcome again to the forum!

Thanks, it's the first Ric I've owned, it's from 1990 and sounds fantastic.

DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

Found this pic in my little collection, I don't recall the PROPER name of the "small dot" member of the red family...but here is a pic just for giggles....was it a Bloodstar?

ajish4 wrote:Found this pic in my little collection, I don't recall the PROPER name of the "small dot" member of the red family...but here is a pic just for giggles....was it a Bloodstar?

That's a photo of a Redneck, Tony. The red fretboard is the clincher. Joe's bass is a Red/BT.

I've always differentiated between the "Bloodstar" and the "Redneck" as the Redneck being the special edition with the red fretboard and the Bloodstar having a normal fretboard. Is the Bloodstar even an official name? Sounds good either way so that's what I call mine because it's not a Redneck.

Rednecks don't have a black trim which I think is a loss because the BT looks real nice against the red. I prefer having the normal fretboard too, it looks better.

I dont like Red, but I do like this Bass! Congratulations and welcome!

deargdoom wrote:Is the Bloodstar even an official name? Sounds good either way so that's what I call mine because it's not a Redneck.

Bloodstar is not an official name and I don't think i've ever heard it before, but don't let me stop you from calling it that!

I've tried to contact Rickenbacker by email many times about how many of these lefties were made but it's just an ocean of silence.

Why do some of these basses have 2 screws on top the black bridge section and some don't, I've seen it on both the blue version of the 4003 and the red? Mine doesn't have them.

I doubt RIC has those sort of production figures readily available, and even if they did, they rarely comment on their production.
RIC did add two screws to the back of their bridges (to prevent the oft-discussed "tail-lift), for several years in the 80's I believe, before stopping the practice.

deargdoom wrote:I've always differentiated between the "Bloodstar" and the "Redneck" as the Redneck being the special edition with the red fretboard and the Bloodstar having a normal fretboard. Is the Bloodstar even an official name? Sounds good either way so that's what I call mine because it's not a Redneck.

Rednecks don't have a black trim which I think is a loss because the BT looks real nice against the red. I prefer having the normal fretboard too, it looks better.

Rednecks don't have black binding but they are considered to have black trim. All of the otherwise chrome hardware is painted black. I have both a red with BT and a Redneck. My red 4003 is an early one that even has a black jackplate. "Bloodstar" was the work of either a dealer or an Ebay seller who was familiar with the SPC Blackstar but did not know what the red version was called. Similarly, I have seen Tuxedos listed as Whitestars.

That is the first left handed 4003 I have ever seen in red w/BT.

What year was your bass made, Joe?

Ted - do you have any pics that show the Redneck's neck/fingerboard? I'm curious about the paint transition (if there is one) between the neck and the fingerboard. Also, are the fretboard dots black?

sloop_john_b wrote:What year was your bass made, Joe?

1990