Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Anyone ever see a skunk stripe on a '71?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-RICKENBACK ... 3f45fd0c0a

I saw that. With the dark fretboard & the new finish, it looks like a copy of a copy.

Seeing this sent me to Paul's book(thanks again, Paul!), where I found a '72 with a skunk stripe. This one's a Nov '71 so I guess it could be, first one I've seen with one. Its refinished, looks like both pickups are non-original, but some things, like the tailpiece/bridge and thumbrest, look right to me. And 21 frets, unless my bad eyes have mislead me. Very pretty bass!

This Bass was recently put up for sale on this forum in the "for sale" section. It has been discussed in some detail there (sorry, I'm not sure how to link it).

There are a lot of things that have been changed But for the price I think it's a pretty sweet deal!

The description in the auction conspicuously omits all of the issues discussed about the bass here.

Definitely not a '71. The skunk stripe was introduced in spring of '72. Don't know of any that had the stripe and dark head wings like this. I have dark headwings on my '72 Berryburst (aka Mink), but they were added on by Ted Staberow (remember him? Wish he'd remember us) during the refin. This also has what may be a homemade or possibly a recent "vintage" style TRC, not what was on the bass originally. The one on my '72 is back-painted acrylic like this but much shorter. Pickups are certainly recent -- really recent.

bassduke49 wrote:Definitely not a '71. The skunk stripe was introduced in spring of '72. Don't know of any that had the stripe and dark head wings like this. I have dark headwings on my '72 Berryburst (aka Mink), but they were added on by Ted Staberow (remember him? Wish he'd remember us) during the refin. This also has what may be a homemade or possibly a recent "vintage" style TRC, not what was on the bass originally. The one on my '72 is back-painted acrylic like this but much shorter. Pickups are certainly recent -- really recent.

Yep, I forgot about the headstock wings! And I remember the short back-painted TRC, I had one on my '73, they had to be short, to fit the short headstocks of those years... Definitely a Heinz 57 bass, but quite pretty. Wish there was more information included in the listing,

Danotron wrote:This Bass was recently put up for sale on this forum in the "for sale" section. It has been discussed in some detail there (sorry, I'm not sure how to link it).

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=412354

Thanks Jeff, I searched for it in the Marketplace section, but didn't think it was out there for sale with another instrument...
I saw some strange stuff on ebay last night, like a "1982" 4001 with a two-piece pickguard, checker-binding, grovers... Weird, wacky stuff....

bassduke49 wrote: Ted Staberow (remember him? Wish he'd remember us)

Did he ever return everybody's property?

I don't think so. Repeated attempts to contact made by this reporter went unanswered.

Hi All,


I've owned several rics over the years, never at once though. I had been looking over this thread about this bass and figured I'd buy it as the price was right. so, I have it, seems pretty legit as far as I can tell, the year may be off and it's had a ton, and I mean a ton of work done restoring it, and as a hobbyist luthier I can tell you that whomever restored this bass, new exactly what they were doing and it would have cost a pretty penny. So, if anyone would like to know anything in particular, please let me know and I'll take measurements, ad photos, etc.


Johnny

Congrats on your new bass, it looks beautiful to me, no matter whether it is a 1971, 1972, 1973 or an 1873 model! If it plays as nice as it looks you are sure to enjoy the hell out of it!

squirebass wrote:Congrats on your new bass, it looks beautiful to me, no matter whether it is a 1971, 1972, 1973 or an 1873 model! If it plays as nice as it looks you are sure to enjoy the hell out of it!

+1, and Welcome to the Forum.

thanks guys,

The bass plays extremely well, as good or better than the others I've had. It was advertised as montezuma brown, but it's more autumglo. It has late model engraved tuners, and I think late model pickups, but the bridge is go, just replated, he inlays have been remade and look amazing with the correct crushed pearl. the neck has a very small amount of flame and the jackplate is definitely off a 71 or at least it's an amazing fake.