Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Here's another peek at the book. I posted this over in the Vintage department in the conversation about whether the 4003SB was on a price list and for how much.


For those just tuning in, I'm writing a reference book on Rick basses, something that has long been needed. In the caption to the advertisement, I explain that the bass in the picture is a stand-in and not representative of the SB instrument. SBs apparently were very short lived, likely just early 1984. Forumite Ken Earnest was kind enough to shoot photos of his SB and I've used them on the second page. Just two pages for this model as there really isn't much more to say!

Great work, Paul. Those hi-res photos you've been searching out really make a difference in the presentation. This is going to be a great book. I suppose I've missed some of your earlier discussion of the whole process; do you have a publisher for this?

Nice! I can hardly wait until I can get my copy!

This will (at first) be self published, probably through LuLu and on disc. It's also been suggested to produce it as an ap, but all of this is going to have to wait until I get the book finished. Right now, I've got about 30 pages done ("done" is a relative term, it doesn't mean "finalized"). Oh, and "Fretless Only," there will NOT be a chapter dedicated to fretless. Unlike RIC, I don't consider the FL to be a separate model, but an optional feature as it has turned up on models that were never designated as fretless. Examples, I have or have seen photos of 4000, 4001S, and 4002 models with factory fretless fingerboards. Fear not, fretless Ricks will be featured, but within the chapters on their standard models.

At the rate I'm going, I should have the book finished by the end of 2011. There will always be certain points that I think should be included in the book that may forever remain unknowable, and I may have to press on without them.

I can't wait for this to come out! Good Job! Paul

Are you sure Ken's bass is a B series?

It just looks like your standard 4003S fitted with a toaster and vintage knobs to me.

Not to dis the bass. As I'm sure you're all aware by now, the 4003S is my favorite Rick bass.

I'm just sayin'...I see your typical early 4003S.

Ken and I believe that it is. Supposedly, the detail compromises made in the development of the B series prompted the then new (?) CEO John Hall to scrap the line (and possibly roll some heads) and start producing the much more accurate (looking) V series. So, the SB differences were the Toaster, vintage knobs, "old" tuners (Grovers) and strangely, dual outlets, but in all other details, it was an S. And that was the problem. I have no way of knowing how many SBs were made, but probably it was very few. If you know of others that can be documented so carefully as Ken has done, please let me know!

I think this will be a good book not just for Ric bassists but for curious outsiders. Good work Paul.

I bout a book through Lulu.com once... really well bound and printed, and I'm glad the site exists because I doubt that book would have been print published any other way. Your book probably has potential to go a little further, but Lulu.com is still great.

First-rate quality work.

Self-publishing, eh. You are a man of conviction.

Based on the serial number, I would say this is probably a "B" bass, But it is indeed hard to tell sometimes, especially if there have been modifications along the line.

Good stuff. A B-series of any kind is very, very hard to come by, and they're often misidentified.

Isn't the 4003SB in the B series photo actually a 4001S set neck with a toaster neck pick-up? You can see the shedua strip on the neck and not on the body, or do I need to get my eyes checked??!!



My 4001S

Very nice! I can't wait to be able to buy the book when it comes out.

Sam, yes it is. And I say so in the caption and in one of my messages above.

Thanks!

Paul

I will buy this book!