Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

A good friend has decided to sell his '73 Mapleglow 4001. Original owner, good shape. No CB binding, but all original. He's asking me what he should ask for it. $2000? Any input is appreciated.

- Tim

Does it have any of the other vintage features? Grover tuners? Toaster pickup? Gap tooth bridge?

Most likely, not gap tooth tailpiece given no CB.

Should also have poured inlays...wavy Grovers if original, naturally.

If he has pics, post 'em here.

There's a decent price differential between early and late '73 4001s, with price dropping as features were discontinued. IMHO a late '73 with no CB, no FWI, Klusons (rather than Grovers) and neck higain will be worth around $1200-$1500 for a standard colour like MG (AZG and BG basses will attract a premium). Add in Grovers and the price goes up around $150. Add in an original toaster and you'll add another $100-150. If the maple is nicely figured, there is more room on the upside.

FYI an early '73 with all the fruit should be around $2-2.5k in original condition. Dealers are asking around $3-$3.5k (up to $4k for BG, AZG). My rule of thumb is to discount dealer asking prices by 30%.

Please note that your friend's bass is not an early '73....

All '73's 4001's should have a Toaster originally.

If it's late in '73, it's possible to have a neck higain pickup. The vintage features it should have are the 1/2" neck pickup spacing, plexi TRC and wavy Grover tuners.

teeder wrote:All '73's 4001's should have a Toaster originally.

toasters stopped in mid '73 thus entering the higain. my geddy oct. '73 was higain with grovers. i think grovers went into '74.

You guys are right! It was the 1/2 inch spacing that stayed. My bad!

and the 1/2" was out by mid '75 along with the plexi.

When were wavy Grovers introduced? My friend's '72 has flat Grovers.

ken_j wrote:When were wavy Grovers introduced? My friend's '72 has flat Grovers.

Given that I have seen '72s with wavy Grovers, I believe '72 is the year. As with many Rickenbacker features, there is probably some overlap as the flat Grover stock was run down. Of the couple of '71s I have seen, all have had flat Grovers.

My July '74 has wavy Grovers, Plexi.

BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS wrote:and the 1/2" was out by mid '75 along with the plexi.

My late '75 has 1" spacing but a plexi TRC.

johnallg wrote:My late '75 had 1" spacing but a plexi TRC.

My condolences, John.