Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This is my Ric from a '74 gig. The bass was stolen in the early 80s and I have often wondered what the model number and probable year was.
I bought it used for $250 from a newspaper ad. Did not really pay much attention to those things back then.
What do you guys think?

the model is 4001,probably 1972 or earlier,did your bass have a horseshoe pickup.

glking14 wrote:the model is 4001,probably 1972 or earlier,did your bass have a horseshoe pickup.

Too bad that mic stand is in the way - but judging by where you're picking I'd say it was not a horseshoe, and you had removed the bridge pickup cover.

No skunk stripe, so it was probably before November '72 (which is when mine was made, and it has the skunk stripe).

The length of the pickguard and presence of the tug bar are further clues limiting the earliest date, someone with more knowledge of those details will surely be along shortly....

Great photo...

I can't see a skunk stripe on that bass, but that may just my poor eyes and monitor.. Anyone? Edit~ Thanks Bill.
Looking at the finish and headstock wings, quite possibly a late 60's bass. As previously mentioned, did it have the horseshoe pick up?

The nut appears white as well, reminding me of my old '71, which also had a white nut and no stripe.

Yeah, most likely a 4001 from between 1968 and early 1972 (when they went to the "skunk stripe"). Those were the days, eh?

I found a couple more photos that give a few different angles. I think the one shows that there is not skunk stripe.
It did not have a horseshoe as I removed the cover. I seem to also remember it had checkerboard binding that was yellowish in spots.

i would say late '70 to '72. tug bar and short headstock, small pickguard on the upper fotos at the top of the page. the pics that precede this post look like another rick as the two top pegs seem to line up, where as the one at the top of the page are slanted and has walnut wings ? one seems to be a 1/2" the other a 1".

Same bass just different gigs...maybe difference in the lighting????
But it was the only Ric I owned back then as my other 2 basses were a Dan Armstrong plexi and a Fender Jazz.

71 or 72 , it has a white plastic on end of fret board

The latest "no skunk" 4001 in the register is LCxxx.
That's March of 72.
Your first pic shows a green bobbin treble pup( somewhat obscured by the mic stand).
If this is the case, then it is mid '71 or earlier.
The truss rod cover looks like the longer style, which
was changed to the short style in late 71-early 72.
The head stock looks like the short style which first appeared
in late '69, but that was on a 21 fretter.
My guess is mid 70 to early 71.
Darn, I want it!

Was the pick guard replaced at some point?
In the later pictures the neck pup looks like it is
at 1" spacing ; the first picture it looks like its at 7/16"....
Could be my monitor....

glking14 wrote:71 or 72 , it has a white plastic on end of fret board

'71, IMO.

teeder wrote:

glking14 wrote:71 or 72 , it has a white plastic on end of fret board

'71, IMO.

Okay, now let's pin it down to the month!

As far as I know there were no changes from any of the pics.
I did send it back in to the factory because of neck issues but if memory serves me correctly I did that as soon as I got it so all of those pics would be of the same bass w/o change.
The factory did refinish it while they had it since it had some scratches, etc and fixed the neck.....and I swear that they did it all at no charge
(I really don't remember having to pay anything when I got it back from the music store).

I keep trying to count the frets cause I swear it looks like there are 22. Would that even be possible in this time frame?

The information so far has been amazing. You guys are unbelievable in your knowledge.

I count 20 frets and 1/2" spacing on that bass.

BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS wrote:i would say late '70 to '72. tug bar and short headstock, small pickguard on the upper fotos at the top of the page. the pics that precede this post look like another rick as the two top pegs seem to line up, where as the one at the top of the page are slanted and has walnut wings ? one seems to be a 1/2" the other a 1".

I thought they dropped walnut wings (ears) when they changed to the small headstock.