Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

One of my favorite Jeff Foxworthy Redneck jokes: "If you had a relative or close friend who's last words were: 'Hey, ya'll, watch THIS!', you could be a redneck.

But let's talk about one of three 4003SPC models introduced around 1987 and produced to about 1990 (the others, topics a next couple of weeks from now, were the Blackstar and Tuxedo). The Redneck might be the rarest of the three specials. Basically following the 4003S pattern, the differences are the maple fretboard painted Red with all the rest of the wood. Black hardware and plastic and tiny "microdot" position markers ignite this fire engine. As far as I can tell, the Redneck was the only one of the three specials to be produced for sale also as an eight string. The famous shot of Mike Campbell and Tom Petty with matching eight- and four-string Rednecks is a personal fave.

So let's discuss and post pictures of Rednecks (the Rickenbacker kind). Below is Ted Staberow's minty '88 Redneck, courtesy of Marc Seligman.

Wow , Awesome bass !

Redneck 8 string! I'd forgotten.

I had NOT forgotten...it's one of those basses that really burned into my memory!

That is some colour!

I think this thread is going to be a bit short on Rednecks in various poses, so I offer the "Triumvirate":
Sorry for the small pic; I snagged it from somewhere (an avatar?) and it's the only one I have.

Here is my Red Neck. According to the certificate there are supposed to be 125 of them. WHERE ARE THEY!

Yes, Marc Seligman scored this Red Neck and then graciously offered it to me for what he paid. I would have been a fool to say no.

libratune wrote:I think this thread is going to be a bit short on Rednecks in various poses, so I offer the "Triumvirate":

Triumvirateweb1.jpg

Sorry for the small pic; I snagged it from somewhere (an avatar?) and it's the only one I have.

I think those are my basses as photographed by Paul Boyer at the Milwaukee Confluence back in 2006.

Well, there are only two on the Register, and only one with photos. Here's the one (and it's a big photo):
I do believe I recognize those boxes!

My memory of that Redneck was that....not only was it a stunner..it sounded and played amazing.

rickfan60 wrote:Here is my Red Neck. According to the certificate there are supposed to be 125 of them. WHERE ARE THEY!

Ted - does the certificate have a number on it that designates the bass out of the 125 run? Is it a low or high number? I'm just wondering, if its a low number do you think there's a possibility that the run was not completed?

The Rednecks are certainly unique and a bit of a rarity too. So far we have only two in the Register. I am hoping those who have not registered theirs will take the time to do so. So we have only 123 to go.

86kubicki wrote:

rickfan60 wrote:Here is my Red Neck. According to the certificate there are supposed to be 125 of them. WHERE ARE THEY!

Ted - does the certificate have a number on it that designates the bass out of the 125 run? Is it a low or high number? I'm just wondering, if its a low number do you think there's a possibility that the run was not completed?

Mine is #34 f 125 from February 16, 1988. A former forum member insisted that only 38 were made. He never said how he knew that though. I asked John Hall about it during the 75th. He says as far as he knows the run was completed.

marc61 wrote:My memory of that Redneck was that....not only was it a stunner..it sounded and played amazing.

That is correct. The action can be set quite low with no rattles and it has the slightly brighter tone of the Blackstar and Tuxedo. I don't play it much mostly because it is rare and perfect and I want to keep it that way.

rickfan60 wrote: A former forum member insisted that only 38 were made. He never said how he knew that though. I asked John Hall about it during the 75th. He says as far as he knows the run was completed.

What I find interesting is that while we've only seen a small number of Rednecks, by contrast we've seen many Shadows (either owned by forum members or seen on Ebay), from what was a run half that of the Rednecks. This is why I'm a bit skeptical that the full run of Rednecks was produced, (unless someone gobbled them up and hid them in their basement ).