Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi,
Last year I sold my WHT 4003 :



Now the guy wants to sell it, and from what he told me, he experienced a neck problem. I didn't exactly understand what happened, but it looks like the truss rod cracked the fretboard, and both had to be replaced. Here's the result :



He wants to get rid of this bass since he doesn't like the feeling of that new fretboard.

Please could some expert here (I know there are quite a few) tell me if that new fretboard is a genuine RIC one or not ?

Thanks in advance,

Cheers,
JL

I'm certainly no expert but unless the factory did the work (and he has the papers to prove it) I doubt very much it's a Rickenbacker fretboard.

Sounds like your buyer/seller doesn't know the ways of Rickenbacker truss rods, huh? It does look good though with the dot inlays.

I had to replace a fretboard on a '76 4001 with a Brazilian rosewood board with dot inlays once, because Ric would not sell fretboards or inlay materials. My guess also,is that unless documented, the work is not factory Ric.

I'm only an expert in my own opinions.

Ditto above-RIC doesn't sell replacement parts.

But that darker fretboard does look cool.

Thanks for your replies.

Actually, I had myself experienced small neck problems (not as serious as this one). The neck was curving by itself, despite of all the care I took for this bass (temperature, humidity, etc.).

When I sold this bass, I had changed nothing from the setup made by the customer service. And my buyer just tried to make a tiny adjustment because the neck was curving. Given this history, it would seem there was something wrong with the truss rod.

Thanks again for your replies.

Cheers,
JL

If I had a new fingerboard put on my bass, I would have had the guy make the board extend past the neck enough to make it a 21 fret neck. As long as it was being modified that would have been a good thing to do IMO.

That's not a Ric fretboard.

It now looks like my 64 RM1999, which has a darker fretboard. The dot inlays suit it better I think, but unless you can find out proof wise that it is a Ric fretboard, assume otherwise....

So Jean, do you know if the neck problem has finally been solved ? Other than the fact that he doesn't like the feel, I mean.

Randy, from what he told me, yes the neck problem has been fixed. Just before I sold it, the neck had been checked by French customer service, and they stated it was OK. But as you know, sometimes you lose trust in an instrument, and that's the main reason why I sold it.

From the latest news, the fretboard is not a Rickenbacker one, but the job has been done quite well. The neck is steady, but there's just that new feeling the buyer does not like that much. He actually prefers the varnished triangle inlay fretboard.

BTW, I'd like to know whether the fact that the fretboard has been replaced by a non-factory one makes the bass lose some value or not. And if it does, how much down ?

Cheers,
JL

It's definitely worth less. I'd say $100-$150.

Yes, it would lose value, unless RIC shipped an identical fretboard to its French authorized service center and they installed it. Wherever this board originated, it's obviously not identical.

In any case you should be very careful. RIC fretboards are thicker than average, and if a thinner aftermarket board was installed, it is very likely to affect the long term stability of the neck, if it hasn't already.

Dave is right, check that neck. Rickenbacker necks seem thin to me near the heel to begin with. Anything that reduced the strength of the neck in that area might cause too much relief in the neck between the 12th fret and the heel like what happened to my 4004. Higher than normal action is the result. It can't be totally removed by the truss rod without causing a backbow up near the nut. Then you have the infamous S-curve neck.

Myself, I wouldn't worry much about the origin of the fretboard as long as it was as good and strong as the original and the work was done right, provided it was going to be a player and not a collectible.

Well, I can't check that neck, since the buyer is hundreds miles away. In doubt, I abandon.

Thanks to all for your advices,

Cheers,
JL