Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I ask because a very reputable guitar store in town told me today that they just received a MG from RIC. I asked how that was possible and they said it had been ordered approx 5 years ago but they just received it yesterday. I dont know if this guy is full of it or what. Something smells fishy...

The 4001 was completely phased out of production by '84. A last few may have come out of the factory that year. I'm sure the dealer meant 4003.

Or he meant it was a 4001C64..... And yes, it could have taken that long to fill the order.

There still are a LOT of people out there who connect the digits "4001" with "Rick bass" and don't understand that there have been at least 35+ different "Rick basses" over the years (model count by my own criteria). Some folks think that the 4001 is the only Rick bass, just like they think that the "Beatle bass" is the only bass that Höfner ever made. It has a lot to do with the iconic shape impressed in their minds and a lack of keeping up with their history homework.

bassduke49 wrote:There still are a LOT of people out there who connect the digits "4001" with "Rick bass" and don't understand that there have been at least 35+ different "Rick basses" over the years (model count by my own criteria). Some folks think that the 4001 is the only Rick bass, just like they think that the "Beatle bass" is the only bass that Höfner ever made. It has a lot to do with the iconic shape impressed in their minds and a lack of keeping up with their history homework.

One of the reasons I joined and value this forum.

whilst enjoying a "kokanee tallboy, eh ?"

johnallg wrote:Or he meant it was a 4001C64..... And yes, it could have taken that long to fill the order.

Yes you are correct. A quick Hop over to the RIC website reveals that a MG 4001C64 was shipped to the store. Any idea what this should be worth?

Well, I had to figure a Rick dealer would know the model of what he was selling. As to current new prices for a C64, not a clue.

The most recent RIC price list I have is the Dec. 13, 2007 which shows the 4001C64 retailing at $3599 and the C64S at $3839. I assume this was the ultimate list price of these models, good through 2008, then RIC stopped taking orders for them in January 2009. "Street" prices from major RIC dealers was probably 20% off list. You might just check dealers to see if they have inventory and "write for price" to find out what they're asking.

bartyclue wrote:

johnallg wrote:Or he meant it was a 4001C64..... And yes, it could have taken that long to fill the order.

Yes you are correct. A quick Hop over to the RIC website reveals that a MG 4001C64 was shipped to the store. Any idea what this should be worth?

The low figures I've seen/know they have sold for are $2625-$2699 delivered.

There are lots of VERY HIGH numbers out there that one need not pay.

And for what's it's worth - they are worth the price - fantastic instruments.

And I rather like the sound of the bridge pick up (played all by its self) with the 0.047 cap in place.

Not to derail the thread, but why exactly was the 4001 discontinued?

The model was updated to the point of giving it a new designation; keeping the 4001 in the model lineup would have been redundant.

rickenbrother wrote:The 4001 was completely phased out of production by '84. A last few may have come out of the factory that year. I'm sure the dealer meant 4003.

They continued with the 4001V63 in that same year. Albeit being an s model, technically, 4001's have been in production until they ended the C series.

Now I think about it, is there actually any difference between an early 80s 4001 and a 4003 from the same year, except for truss rod and name?
My guess is there is none.

Well, along with the truss rods being reversed, early 4003s didn't have the "skunk stripe" while 4001s did.

true, I forgot about that.