Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Is this an incredible deal or is it just me?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1979-Ricken ... dZViewItem

It looks to be in great shape too

It must be you. Note in the description "Looks like it used to be blue" and look where the neck meets the body. It's probably a less than perfect refin.

An amateurishly stripped '79, which is the least attractive era: none of the vintage "features", baby headstock, fat horns, weaker neck construction, and the old folded-over truss rods - so many of those were adjusted incorrectly and have neck cracks and issues.

If it was still Azureglo, $1,500 was a good price. In its current condition, IMHO it's overpriced.

It's okay. But it would be an even better deal if it weren't stripped and re-sprayed in clear. The seller says that he thinks it used to be blue, but looking at the treble pickup cavity, I see red. Whatever color it was, the point is that the bass has been altered and you don't know how good or bad the job might have been until the bass is in your hands (and you've paid $1500.00 for it). It may have been sanded with 40 grit paper, and it may have been sprayed with cans bought from ACE. You can't tell from the photos or the description. You might pay $1500 for it to find out that it is sticky/tacky or that the laminations are separating from use of the wrong chemical stripper.

Also, read this from his text:

" All pick-ups and Rickenbacker tuning machines are original and are in great shape!! Ric-o-Sound Stereo splitter included!! All wiring and pots recently replaced! Spare parts included."

And note that: A) The tuning machines may have been made for Rickenbacker by Schaller, but they are NOT original to that bass. That bass would have the nickel-plated reverse tuners with the black plastic bushings; B) The included stereo splitter may have been made specifically to be used on Rickenbackers, but it is not a genuine Ric-O-Sound stereo splitter as advertised; and C) If all wiring and pots were recently replaced then you're probably talking about a whole new can of worms there as well. Inferior pots, poor soldering, and controls that don't do what they're supposed to should be expected.

One more clue to the competence of this seller: The E and the G string are wound backwards around the tuner, while the A and the D are wound correctly! That trick always boggles my mind!

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but since you asked and I had the time, I thought I'd give my opinion. I know I'm taking the Murphy's Law approach, but this is Ebay, after all!

Run away!!

It sold for $1026 (where did $1500 come from?).
Thats an awesome deal.

That pickguard "says" 1976/1977, not 1979. No?

vin*tone wrote:It sold for $1026 (where did $1500 come from?).
Thats an awesome deal.

$1500.00 was the "Buy it Now" price. $1026.00 is (obviously) a much better deal.

rickcrazy wrote:That pickguard "says" 1976/1977, not 1979. No?

Good eye as usual, Sergio.

rickaddict wrote:It's okay. But it would be an even better deal if it weren't stripped and re-sprayed in clear. The seller says that he thinks it used to be blue, but looking at the treble pickup cavity, I see red. Whatever color it was, the point is that the bass has been altered and you don't know how good or bad the job might have been until the bass is in your hands (and you've paid $1500.00 for it). It may have been sanded with 40 grit paper, and it may have been sprayed with cans bought from ACE. You can't tell from the photos or the description. You might pay $1500 for it to find out that it is sticky/tacky or that the laminations are separating from use of the wrong chemical stripper.

Also, read this from his text:

" All pick-ups and Rickenbacker tuning machines are original and are in great shape!! Ric-o-Sound Stereo splitter included!! All wiring and pots recently replaced! Spare parts included."

And note that: A) The tuning machines may have been made for Rickenbacker by Schaller, but they are NOT original to that bass. That bass would have the nickel-plated reverse tuners with the black plastic bushings; B) The included stereo splitter may have been made specifically to be used on Rickenbackers, but it is not a genuine Ric-O-Sound stereo splitter as advertised; and C) If all wiring and pots were recently replaced then you're probably talking about a whole new can of worms there as well. Inferior pots, poor soldering, and controls that don't do what they're supposed to should be expected.

One more clue to the competence of this seller: The E and the G string are wound backwards around the tuner, while the A and the D are wound correctly! That trick always boggles my mind!

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but since you asked and I had the time, I thought I'd give my opinion. I know I'm taking the Murphy's Law approach, but this is Ebay, after all!

100% agree.

I think it's been both red AND blue - there's clearly red paint in the pickup rout and blue around the neck joint, and if you look closely at the headstock face near the D tuner you can see both colors in the wood grain.

Worse - if you look at the back, there is seam separation on the bass side of the through neck with what may be blue paint in it. If that seam was tight there would be no visible line.

Who knows what this poor thing has been through... I'm not even sure it was a bargain at $1,000.


The 'Stereo-Rama' box - while not a RIC product - is at least a good quality unit though .

BlueAngel wrote: Who knows what this poor thing has been through... I'm not even sure it was a bargain at $1,000.

I agree. I wouldn't have bought it. I don't have the time to deal with all of the issues that it probably has. To each his own though. To the right buyer, it could be a good deal.

The $1000 selling price was much closer to a good deal than the $1500 BIN though.

I bought my last '79 and '75 4001's for $700 each inside of the last three years. I wouldn't go above $900 for this one, as that refin will eventually drive you insane and you'll be paying to have it redone.