Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Need some help with the black binding option. I'm intending to order a 4003 in the near future, to replace a '91 I just sold. I'm leaning to MG with the BT option, but...the bass I just parted with was white with the BT, and, while the body did have black binding, the neck was 'bound' with a black paint stripe down the edge and around the base of the fingerboard. The stripe, in fact, was not as wide as the fingerboard - there was rosewood exposed between the 'binding' and the white.

Now, my only other Rick experience was (briefly) with a 370-12 - a '98 - and its (white) binding was in fact real binding.

So, my question is...is BT binding ALWAYS just a paint stripe, or did I have something...unusual?

Also, are there any non-opaque colors available for the 4003 besides MG?

Thanks!

Ric discontinued the black trim option ...

Bob,
To answer your other question, Rick offers two other non-opaque colors, Fireglo and Montezuma Brown. At least they are non-opaque on most of the guitar! Beautiful finishes both, and I think Monty Brown has been added as a standard color...

BOB,

The black paint stripe on the neck IS binding, not paint. The binding is just not as tall ( wide ) as the fretboard is thick so the rosewood shows underneath the binding. At least that's the way it is on my black trimmed 620. I think that if it was paint, you would be able to see the ends of the fretwire. Can you?

Welcome aboard, Bob.
Bruce is right on.
With either black or white fingerboard bindings, the rosewood shows underneath.

Thanks for the welcome and the help - not much experience with Ricks, I'm predominantly a guitar player and have mostly used Hamers. But I've had the old 4003 since '91, and it's just so ergonomically...perfect.

Anyway, it is definitely black paint, as there are smudges under the clearcoat (you gotta really LOOK for them though). And it chips off...

...wonder what the 2004 color will be?

That's interesting, Bob.
The black fingerboard binding on my 4003 Shadow is indeed thinner than the white ones on my 4003 FG and 4001 MG when I look at them from the front. However, I'm quite sure the black ones are binding materials instead of paint. Maybe you did have something unusual...
Here's a side view of my Shadow:

For comparison, here's a shot of my '72 4001 FL MG. You can see the rosewood between the binding and neck on both basses:

Interesting observation Bob. I had a look at my 4003 black trim, and see what you mean. Under the varnish, the Black is not a straight edge in places and appears to be painted on! On my 4001 thewhite binding is a definate square, hard edge, wheras the black 4003 binding is smaller and yu cant really feel it as you play.

The black fingerboard binding on my '92 4003 looks to be the same width as the white binding on that '72 4001.

If it's paint, the ends of the fretwire will be visible and if the neck has shrunk ( every one does ), you will also feel the frets. If you don't see and feel frets, it is binding.

The fret ends are painted over. That was actually the giveaway, you could scrape the black off and there is fret out to the board edge.

My fret ends are covered by the binding on my 78 4001, it's got white binding however. There is supposed to be fret out to the edge.

All 4003's have binding on the fingerboard, whether its black or white. It's a fairly thin strip, so if you saw fret ends after scraping, you actually went through the binding plastic doing so.