Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Was there ever a left handed 4001/4003 model that didn't have the reversed headstock or the upside down fret inlays? Thanks in advance.

Bassically, The 75 4001 LH that I've got has got the same neck as that which would be on a right handed bass. So it's pretty much an upside down neck.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2013-RICKENBACK ... 4d194be65c

Here's one.

Snowblind884 wrote:...The 75 4001 LH that I've got has got the same neck as that which would be on a right handed bass. So it's pretty much an upside down neck.

You have it backwards! The body is what's upside down.

Snowblind884 wrote:Was there ever a left handed 4001/4003 model that didn't have the reversed headstock or the upside down fret inlays? Thanks in advance.

Bassically, The 75 4001 LH that I've got has got the same neck as that which would be on a right handed bass. So it's pretty much an upside down neck.

Clyde, all the lefty basses from the 60s and 70s had the stock (right handed, if you will) neck and headstock. This resulted in the "upside down" appearance to lefties. Specially produced "smiley" truss-rod covers were made with the lettering reading right-side up on the upside down headstock. These were fashioned by back-painting clear acrylic material. When RIC switched to the raised-letter, injection-molded truss-rod covers in the mid-1970s, the lefties continued with the clear acrylic -- as they are even today. RIC never made a mold for a lefty TRC.

I think it was sometime in the 1980s that RIC started making "mirror image" lefty headstocks, but the fingerboards on the deluxe 4003 basses still had the shark-fin position markers all pointing the same way -- which would be "up" on a lefty. But within the last decade, the computer cutting methods and new inlay material have allowed RIC to reverse the shark fins, so now lefties are truly mirror image all the way -- except for the truss-rod covers.

IMO, the upside-down lefty necks and pegheads look awesome!

Welcome, Clyde.

teeder wrote:IMO, the upside-down lefty necks and pegheads look awesome!

Welcome, Clyde.

I agree.....LOVE them on mine!!!!!!

Welcome to the club, Clyde.

bassduke49 wrote:

Snowblind884 wrote:Was there ever a left handed 4001/4003 model that didn't have the reversed headstock or the upside down fret inlays? Thanks in advance.

Bassically, The 75 4001 LH that I've got has got the same neck as that which would be on a right handed bass. So it's pretty much an upside down neck.

Clyde, all the lefty basses from the 60s and 70s had the stock (right handed, if you will) neck and headstock. This resulted in the "upside down" appearance to lefties. Specially produced "smiley" truss-rod covers were made with the lettering reading right-side up on the upside down headstock. These were fashioned by back-painting clear acrylic material. When RIC switched to the raised-letter, injection-molded truss-rod covers in the mid-1970s, the lefties continued with the clear acrylic -- as they are even today. RIC never made a mold for a lefty TRC.

I think it was sometime in the 1980s that RIC started making "mirror image" lefty headstocks, but the fingerboards on the deluxe 4003 basses still had the shark-fin position markers all pointing the same way -- which would be "up" on a lefty. But within the last decade, the computer cutting methods and new inlay material have allowed RIC to reverse the shark fins, so now lefties are truly mirror image all the way -- except for the truss-rod covers.

Generally, 1988 and up had a 'mirror image' peghead. Lefty inlays didn't appear until the last decade.

Awesome. Thanks for the info and welcoming guys!

Lefty4003S8 wrote:

teeder wrote:IMO, the upside-down lefty necks and pegheads look awesome!

Welcome, Clyde.

I agree.....LOVE them on mine!!!!!!

Welcome to the club, Clyde.

Me three. I always liked them on the guitars too. Would still like to find one and flip it for playing righty, as that's what I do (is play righty).

Ah yes, the rare LH RHS option! (Seriously, that was a thing, right? I remember it being on price lists)

jdogric12 wrote:Ah yes, the rare LH RHS option! (Seriously, that was a thing, right? I remember it being on price lists)

That's the way ALL my basses are.