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Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:26 pm
by farnoodi
Hi everybody
Today i found a Rickenbacker which the dealer claims it's a vintage 481 model. Here is its pic. Is this real?
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:35 pm
by scotty
Best if you decide
Click top right on Register
click on Rickenbacker Gallery
punch in the 481 from the drop down menu, then submit and tell us what you think?
EDIT this might be my prosilver theme wait a min
click on the rickenbacker register
then Rick Menu
Then Gallery
Then punch in the 481 from the drop down menu, then submit and tell us what you think?
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 7:10 pm
by deaconblues
Fake.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 8:46 pm
by Grey
I don't know what that is but it isn't a 481.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:18 pm
by jps
Welcome, Hossein.
Definitely a fake, stay away from that!
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:09 am
by farnoodi
Thanks a lot dear friends. But can you please tell me how i can recognize a fake from a real one? I wanna tell that salesman that he's selling a fake instrument, but i should prove it to him.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:36 am
by collin
Most of the time, sellers don't want to hear that is fake and assume you don't know what you're talking about.
My advice is to just move on...
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:48 am
by edski
The switch on the upper bout looks like a bad sign. If it is real, it's been cut up pretty bad.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:04 am
by jps
farnoodi wrote:Thanks a lot dear friends. But can you please tell me how i can recognize a fake from a real one? I wanna tell that salesman that he's selling a fake instrument, but i should prove it to him.
The shape of just about every element is wrong, the body, headstock, the pickguard, etc. Wrong kind of wood for the fingerboard, wrong pickups, wrong tailpiece and bridge, wrong TRC, wrong pickup selector switch and location, etc.
As suggested above, go look at photographs of the real deal in the registry and you will easily see the differences.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:11 pm
by Ric5150
The single biggest difference that stands out to me is that the 'nub' which makes the headstock longer on the top (bass side) of the headstock is enormous compared to what it should be. Lots of other problems, as mentioned. Also, I think a 481 would have triangle inlays and binding.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:12 pm
by Grey
farnoodi wrote:Thanks a lot dear friends. But can you please tell me how i can recognize a fake from a real one? I wanna tell that salesman that he's selling a fake instrument, but i should prove it to him.
The headstock is the wrong shape, the TRC is wrong, the neck is
all wrong and has no binding, no trapezoid inlays, and the frets arn't slanted like they're supposed to be on the 481.
The pickguard is wrong, the knobs are wrong, the pickups are wrong, the bridge is wrong, the switch is in the wrong place, and it has a bigsby. This is what a real 481 looks like;
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:28 pm
by doctorwho
Grey wrote:farnoodi wrote:Thanks a lot dear friends. But can you please tell me how i can recognize a fake from a real one? I wanna tell that salesman that he's selling a fake instrument, but i should prove it to him.
The headstock is the wrong shape, the TRC is wrong, the neck is
all wrong and has no binding, no trapezoid inlays, and the frets arn't slanted like they're supposed to be on the 481.
The pickguard is wrong, the knobs are wrong, the pickups are wrong, the bridge is wrong, the switch is in the wrong place, and it has a bigsby. This is what a real 481 looks like;
+1
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:50 pm
by farnoodi
Grey wrote:farnoodi wrote:Thanks a lot dear friends. But can you please tell me how i can recognize a fake from a real one? I wanna tell that salesman that he's selling a fake instrument, but i should prove it to him.
The headstock is the wrong shape, the TRC is wrong, the neck is
all wrong and has no binding, no trapezoid inlays, and the frets arn't slanted like they're supposed to be on the 481.
The pickguard is wrong, the knobs are wrong, the pickups are wrong, the bridge is wrong, the switch is in the wrong place, and it has a bigsby. This is what a real 481 looks like;
Thanks a lot. You just told me all I needed to know about it
Now I know exactly how to tell a real 481 for a fake one
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 8:07 pm
by Ric5150
Hossein,
Note that there are 481s with straight frets (vs the "normal" slanted-fret variety). Supposedly not many, but they do exist.
As Erik and others point out, this one's just way off in a number of different ways.
Re: Is this a real Rickenbacker 481 or fake?
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:11 pm
by farnoodi
Ric5150 wrote:Hossein,
Note that there are 481s with straight frets (vs the "normal" slanted-fret variety). Supposedly not many, but they do exist.
As Erik and others point out, this one's just way off in a number of different ways.
Yes that's so right. I know now how to recognize a real 481 model with the help of you and other dear friends in here
Thanks a lot.