Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just got my hands on a 75 4001 that the previous owner or owner before had stripped down. It has black binding and plastic. Anyways, I want to restore it to white like the old 75 4001 I had years ago. Does anyone know what shade of white or paint code I can use that would come close?

Also, I'm considering swapping out the pick ups for updated pick ups with adjustable pole pieces.

My next question is, will the new wiring harness with the push/pull pot retrofit this old 4001?

For push-pull: You need 1-inch of depth from bottom-to-top of the control cavity, which isn't always guaranteed on older instruments. I have a 1990 4003 (also white) into which I wanted to install a push-pull, and I ended up having to counter-sink the rear of the pick-guard to get the push-pull pot to fit while allowing the guard to rest flat on the body; if I had needed any more space: I would have had to make the cavity deeper.

As for the paint color: I think Paul Wilczynski (jingle_jangle) would be the best person to speak with about this subject if you want precise shades, formulations, and such. He hasn't been around here as much recently, but I'm sure he would answer your question if you sent him a PM through here, or if you contacted him through his website: http://studio-california.com/home.html

I think that by the 70's RIC was not using nitrocellulose lacquer, and was instead using catalyzed polyurethane.

DriftSpace wrote:... As for the paint color: I think Paul Wilczynski (jingle_jangle) would be the best person to speak with about this subject if you want precise shades, formulations, and such. He hasn't been around here as much recently, but I'm sure he would answer your question if you sent him a PM through here, or if you contacted him through his website: http://studio-california.com/home.html

I think that by the 70's RIC was not using nitrocellulose lacquer, and was instead using catalyzed polyurethane.

+1 on both counts.

IMO for the color, you will need to decide whether you want the bass to look vintage (yellowed) white or "as new" white. Here is an example of the difference:
The bass in the foreground is a 1997 (IIRC) and the one in the background is a 1975.

Gary, you have a PM!

bassduke49 wrote:Gary, you have a PM!

Got it! And e-mailed back!

Thanks Garu, the pics helped me make my mind up. Going with a new white.