Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

His whole story sounds like a lie.

This one came unfinished from the factory to a friend of mine way back in 1970 ish as a 4001 Rick bass in factory brown / autumnglo?....The over all condition looks like a Rickenbacker that has been well used? even though it never has had a sound resinate through its body!!

I'd be willing to bet a shiny new nickel that that puppy actually has had a sound resonate through its body, and didn't come from the factory unassembled and in that totally awesome fecal-burst!

A 4008 would have had a MUCH larger headstock. Looks like someone took a 4001, plugged the holes, drilled 8 new ones for guitar tuners, Painted the headstock flat black to cover his handiwork, then hated it and took it all apart. Also, a 4008 would not have inlay in the fretboard like that.

I don't think the guy is passing this off as a 4008, but something does look fishy. Is it even a real RIC?

rikk wrote:I don't think the guy is passing this off as a 4008, but something does look fishy. Is it even a real RIC?

Yes, I think so - it has the proper double truss rods and looks correct in all other structural respects too. But the finish doesn't...


I could be wrong but I don't think those Schaller heads were even available in the early 70s, and as far as I know RIC didn't start using Schaller parts at all until much later.

It would be easy to tell if it's never been assembled - look in the pickguard screw holes for any sign of threading. If it's truly never been put together, they will be clean drill holes. The other 'proofs' - uncut nut and bridge saddles - could easily be replaced parts, so you can't go on those.


Actually I just noticed that there are no screw holes for the jack plate... which DOES imply that it's never been fully assembled.

atomic_punk wrote:...Looks like someone took a 4001, plugged the holes, drilled 8 new ones for guitar tuners...

He states that is what happened in the text.

BlueAngel wrote:Actually I just noticed that there are no screw holes for the jack plate... which DOES imply that it's never been fully assembled.

Interesting. Can't really tell much about the body with regards to holes/screws. There seem to be some where the tailpiece should go. But for the jack plate, you're right, there doesn't appear to even be drilled pilot holes. I wonder if they drill those to specifically fit the individual jack plate?

Then, the big question, how does one get an unfinished guitar straight from the RIC factory? I know *WAY* back, they had some kit guitars, but never a 4001.

-cj

cjj wrote:

BlueAngel wrote:Then, the big question, how does one get an unfinished guitar straight from the RIC factory? I know *WAY* back, they had some kit guitars, but never a 4001.

-cj

Out the back door....

Is that a crack at the heel?

Chuck L.

Looks like a transition '73 with those inlays. Also, it does NOT look like a factory finish to me - it looks like a paintbrush was used to put on whatever clearcoat it has on.