Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

hey folks, my name is Pat, and i'm writing to you from Cholula, Mexico.
i was once registered here as "pacafeliz" (like every other forum) but i couldn't access anymore with the old password.

anyways... i used to own a nice 3001 bass many many years ago, but then i sold it and moved to a basically all-fender lifestyle. heh...

but i've always had a sweet spot for them old 4000-series ricks.

now there's one for sale locally. i think it's a 4001S since it has no binding, and dot inlays only. it has been refinished in a nice old deep blue metallic, and seems to be from early 1975 (OA). all original except the paint (decent) and newer tuners.

now, what's a decent price to pay for it?
i would guess that since it's a rather stripped down version of the 4001 it would be "worth" less, but then again the Macca and Waters association might have made them more "collectable".
anyways, i obviously don't want it as a collector's piece, but i wanna ROCK it.

might do a good trade for it, but would appreciate a ballpark figure of what i should offer for it.
comes with an apparently old but non-original hardcase.

thanks!

Pat.

4001s's are a bit more rare than the standard model. Refin may take a few dollars off. Depending on other condition issues I'd say $1500-2000.

Patrick I don't think they made 4001S models in 1975

It is more likely a 4000 that someone has added a neck pick up to - or perhaps a 4001 that someone put a new fretboard on and removed the body binding.

Post some pics and folks will chime in on its worth.

Hi Pat, welcome - you're active on OSG, right?

Definitely post pics of the 4001S!

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:Patrick I don't think they made 4001S models in 1975

It would be difficult to establish whether they did or did not. Highly outnumbered by the standard 4001, the "S" model as we know it was never included in price sheets or catalogs during the '70s, but appears to have been available if that is what a customer wanted. True, at the time, the single-pickup 4000 and the "4001S" of the '70s used the same chassis: Set shedua stripe neck, with a two-piece body split down the middle. If an order called for a "4001S" the body was routed for two pickups, if for a 4000, routed just for the one pickup. If you look around enough you'll probably find a '70s 4000 that has the routing for the extra pickup under the pick guard. This might be due to a late order for the single-pickup model. You might also find that the routing for a second pickup appears to be done later than the first routing. This was the beauty of using the same chassis: If the production line didn't have what they needed, they could quickly modify the instrument to meet the need.

It wasn't until the early '80s that we find price sheet listings for the 4001S along with the 4001, 4003, and 4003S. The 4001 models were described for use with flat wound strings, the 4003 models for round-wound strings. This continued until demand and supply for the 4001 models dwindled.

thanks!

ok it won't let me post the pics here, so i'll just post the link to the auction site.
don't be scared, that's mexican pesos!

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM ... estionText

Well, it's definitely a refinish in something equivalent to Midnight Blue (metallic blue) which wasn't introduced until 1984-85. It looks like the date stamp is "HH" but that wouldn't make sense as HH would be August 1968 and that doesn't jibe with the other characteristics. Definitely a late mid- to late-'70s (possibly early '80s) set-neck 4001S.

yeah i seem to see a JH or UH, but the owner told me he thinks it's OA

i am expecting better pics.
but i must admit that i quite like the color. btw, he has the bridge pickup's "cover", too.

collin wrote:Hi Pat, welcome - you're active on OSG, right?

Definitely post pics of the 4001S!

yep that's me!

From looking at the pics the SN is UH2824. There is an AZ 4001 S bass one number away from it in the register.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... 6order%3D5

So yes it is a 4001S - but it is not from 1975.
There is an AZUREGLO one on the same site that the seller claims is from 1971.

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM ... e-1971-_JM

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:From looking at the pics the SN is UH2824. There is an AZ 4001 S bass one number away from it in the register.
http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... 6order%3D5

So yes it is a 4001S - but it is not from 1975.

pretty cool find!

thanks for posting the pics, btw!

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:
There is an AZUREGLO one on the same site that the seller claims is from 1971.

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM ... e-1971-_JM

The last picture is my collection from a couple of years ago. And that 4001s still is in Holland right next to me.

OK, UH makes it an '81 which would jibe with the features, but the paint would still be a refin. Should be a good player!

but i've got a feeling that a good $1400 would still be a bit too much?

bassduke49 wrote:OK, UH makes it an '81 which would jibe with the features, but the paint would still be a refin. Should be a good player!

No it does not. The 4001s in the last picture (mine) is a different one than on the other pictures. I definitely have an original AZG.