Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a kid in one of my music classes who inherited a 1973 MapleGlo 4001 from his grandfather (who is Bob Raymond from Sugarloaf), and I noticed that -- underneath the still-intact "hand-rest" -- that the treble pickup has a chrome cover on it. It looks just like a pre-adjustable-pole-piece Hi-Gain one would see in the neck position of a more modern RIC bass.

Granted, I have not seen any other RIC basses of this age with the "hand-rest" still installed, but is it normal for a treble pickup from this period to have a close-fitting cover? I would think that RIC would save themselves the material and labor involved with installing a close-fitting cover because it's all hidden beneath the "hand rest," but this instrument definitely has one.

I'll have to get a flashlight and have a better look under there, because it looks like someone just installed a neck hi-gain where the usual treble pickup goes...

(If it matters: there's a toaster in the neck position; I thought toasters were phased-out in at the beginning of the 1970's, so that's a possible indicator that this instrument had some electrical work done...)

Toasters were phased out in 73. If this bass has full width inlays and an aluminum tailpiece, the toaster is correct..

Eden.

No full-width inlays and no gap-tooth/aluminum tail.

Very likely, the bridge pickup was replaced with a hi-gain. Easy to do, I did so with my former '04 4003FL but with a toaster instead of a hi-gain (I just didn't put the cover back on), along with a few other mods.

Folks, DUH!!! - Ask the kid to ask his Grandpa Bob what he had done to the bass over the years....
(Unless I missed a fact somewhere that this would not be possible)

I did ask, and he swears it's all original.
I'll suggest that it's had some electrical work done and see what comes from that.

Pictures would help.

I'd love to take some photos; the whole instrument is in really amazing shape.
Class is Friday, so we'll see what happens then...