Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've got an early 80's 4001 with a puzzling finish/truss rod cover/pickguard combo on it. Everything is black!

The finish is black, the picguard is black and the headstock's trussrod cover is black. The binding is white.

What's going on? Is this some weird combination from the factory, or did somebody switch pickguards and truss rod covers with a different color?

Usually I see black 4001s with white pickguards and white truss rod covers.

Anybody know what's going on?

Welcome to the forum! Post some pictures, that'll make it easier to tell. It is possible someone changed things out.

Most likely a user switch out. When BT (Black Trim) was available, it included black binding, black plastic (like yours) and blackened metal parts including the tuners, tailpiece, and pickup surrounds. "Reverse" trim like that cost an extra $50-$75 depending on the time. Yours just has the plastic, so likely was not factory issued that way. It's not rare, but unusual. Lots of Jetglo fans like to add more black when they can.

Welcome to the forum, Josh! We'd love to see pictures of your 4001.

Is the thread name based on the chorus to "Black No.1" by Type O Negative? What a good song.

I used to do that with my jetglo basses. Pickguard, TRC, were always switched to black.
But...somebody out there has my factory blacked out 1991 fretless. I regret selling that bass almost every day.

Here it is!

<a href="http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r217 ... 0_2824.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r217 ... 0_2824.jpg" border="0" alt="1981 4001 front?"></a>

<a href="http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r217 ... 0_2825.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r217 ... 0_2825.jpg" border="0" alt="1981 UD coded 4001, back."></a>

<a href="http://s145.photobucket.com/albums/r217 ... 0_2826.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r217 ... 0_2826.jpg" border="0" alt="rickenbacker 4001"></a>

****, let me try again.







UD date code on the "rick-o-sound" plate indicates 1981, yes?

Much better! I was just going to tell you it didn't work...

According to the RIC serial decoder, yes, April of 1981...

It looks like someone was into black.

Did it belong to Brian Crisman at any point?

I forgot to say when I first saw this thread - I think it looks great! I own a couple of stock black-trim/black-hardware basses myself, but I also like the way the cream binding sets off the body and neck.

bassduke49 wrote:Most likely a user switch out. When BT (Black Trim) was available, it included black binding, black plastic (like yours) and blackened metal parts including the tuners, tailpiece, and pickup surrounds. "Reverse" trim like that cost an extra $50-$75 depending on the time. Yours just has the plastic, so likely was not factory issued that way. It's not rare, but unusual. Lots of Jetglo fans like to add more black when they can.

and forgive me if I am incorrect here, but the BH option came about with the 4003, never on a 4001, yes?

Sweet looking bass Josh & welcome to the forum!

I think you're right, Sean, but there are probably some exceptions out there.