Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The third and last of the SPC triumvirate is the Blackstar. Once again, basically a 4003S with a maple fretboard, and all the wood painted Jetglo. Mono output as usual, and the black fretboard accented by white microdot position markers. Black hardware and plastic, but this time, a chrome-plated treble pickup cover is standard. The certified limited edition is supposed to be 200, and they were made in the 1987-89 timeframe. At least two five-string "Blackstars" have turned up, and I've heard tell that an eight-string was made for a special customer. So let's take this week to salute the mighty Blackstar! Here's mine, bought from Mike Carr last year, blocking the retreat of my Jetglo CR-V with special messages:

The Blackstar was my first LE Rickenbacker. I bought it second hand back in 1991 for about $600. It is in great shape except for some heavy-duty tail piece lift that actually damaged the finish on either side of the tail piece. Despite that, it looks and sounds great. The pickups from that era were hotter than the 70's and early 80's pickups. It was my first Rickenbacker without a bass-cut capacitor. The low-end stones really knocked me out back then.

Mine is #104 of 200 and was made in May of 1989.
The Blackstar features a special TRC. The only one of the LE basses that does. The letters are painted in a pearlescent paint.

mmmmmm daddy want

These and all white Ricks have always been my favorite colors, I do lean more toward the all white Ricks though.

I've been remiss (due to the trauma of the move) in posting pics of my basses .. but here are the 'real' and the 'quasi' Blackstars:

What's the story behind the "quasi-Blackstar"? Was it a 4003S/5 JG BT that was modded with a black enameled fretboard?

Ilan, basically that's it. We (Gary and I) were under the impression that there may have been a "handful" of 5ers made to Blackstar finish, and that they were not part of the certified limited edition. However, there's a Blackstar 5 on eBay over in Spain recently that comes with a certificate, sooo . . . .

I'm just curious how all of these painted fingerboard basses sound...

Being a lover of all things S (and of all things JG, and of late 80's Rick bass necks), I have a serious soft spot for the Blackstar.

I see them and I hear purring sounds in my brain.



Anyone wanna trade theirs for a nice Cheyenne?!

http://rickresource.com/register/user_i ... llsize.jpg

cassius987 wrote:I'm just curious how all of these painted fingerboard basses sound...

The fingerboard is maple. To my ear, the sound is a bit brighter. When you jack up the tone with rounds it has more piano-like bass than my standard rosewood models.

Mine was kind of abused before I got it, so no close ups.

It's my #1 player though, here's just another day at the office...

Its always nice when your bass matches your cape....

Looks like the right tool for the job to me!

86kubicki wrote:Its always nice when your bass matches your cape....

And eye makeup.

Ilan, to clarify: mine is from the factory original, not a modified JG/BT bass.