Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello,

I´m playing a 76`4001 and would like to know more about the history
of this other lefty 4003 RIC (see attached pic).

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/1464 ... 003lh7.jpg

Someone sawed out pieces from the body & headstock.

Does anyone know if this happened during a show on stage or something
like that ?

Thank You for infos !

Greetings, TOM

We've seen the bass before. I don't think the real story was ever told.

Just looks like the sad work of a frustrated no-talent to me.

Welcome, Tom. Yes, when this one was up on the bay, there was a lot of smirking and consternation among the Forumites as to how this otherwise fine instrument had met such an ignominious fate. We figured that the instrument might be good for parts and the fretboard looks undamaged. If you can live with it, excellent! It probably plays fine, but it looks like something a great white shark spit out. Please let us know more as you discover more about it.

Thank You Jeff, Thank You Paul

I was wondering, because a lefty RIC is something very very
special and not easy to find next door. So I thought it was a
part of a show or event.

Have a nice day,

Tom

I think someone on Gbase has a new 4003 MG lefty available. Teeth marks and shark wax not included.

Uhhh,, when that was on Ebay wasnt it a righty?

Looks like a real bad photoshop to me..

Shark attack.......welcome Tom

Hello,

as seen on the pics the sawed out areas have been marked
before with black coloured marker.

A furiously ex-wife or madman wouldn`t do that. Looks like
a "wannabe artist" had the idea and did the marks, while
someone else who cannot work with a saw, did it. Remarkable
is, that the person took care to keep the intrument playable
(Must be a Musician ???)

The current seller calls it "Rickenbacker 4003 chain saw model"
and asks about 1000.-- Dollars for it.

I know this is too much, but I´m interested in the story of this
bass.

No Photoshop here, unless it was to flip the righty to a lefty. My conclusion as well was that this was Murder One (pre-planned), not Bass slaughter (random violence)...Looking again at the photos, it seems to have been done with a hand saw, not a power tool--even a hand-held jigsaw is unlikely to leave such random tooth marks and cause so much chipping, whereas a hand saw with an aggressive set to its teeth would certainly damage the MID finish as seen.

I was tempted to bid on it last time, but there are not enough hours in one of my days to do this one justice.

Well, the question of leftie/rightie is settled. Leftie for sure. Note the proper reading "Volume" and "Tone" on the knobs, and the plexi leftie TRC.

But it should play just fine -- if you close your eyes.

bassduke49 wrote:Well, the question of leftie/rightie is settled. Leftie for sure. Note the proper reading "Volume" and "Tone" on the knobs, and the plexi leftie TRC.

Definitely! And the upside-down shark fins too.

bassduke49 wrote: But it should play just fine -- if you close your eyes.

...and plug your nose!

Really...somebody please buy that thing for $500.00 and part it out! Or have Paul W remove the body wings and turn it into a Ricken-Bird or something!

rickaddict wrote: Really...somebody please buy that thing for $500.00 and part it out! Or have Paul W remove the body wings and turn it into a Ricken-Bird or something!

I offered about 850, but the current (german) seller doesn`t want to sell for this.

I already have a jetglo 76` 4001 and don`t play left handed, but have to think of
this lefty since the moment I saw it, don`t know why...

TOM

He won't take $850.00? This should be parted out, I think. Let's see...it's worth about that or a bit less in parts...

As I recall, it went for around $500-600 ($561 comes to mind) the first time it was on the bay. The second time, in Germany, I think it was listed for something around $800-900, but I didn't watch it so I don't know if it sold...

Wasn't this a prop in the movie Chain Saw Massacre??