Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

A few months ago I picked up a 4001 from early 1973. It appears to me that most of the bass is original, but the nut looks like it has been replaced. I'm going to have the bass restored and I'd like to confirm my suspicions about the nut before I have a new one made. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks!

That nut is not original, nor is it correct looking even outside of the color.

Here is a photo of my March '73 4001's nut, although not from the same angle (that would require some actual work on my part ).

Hope this helps.

Agreed with Jeff. It's the correct color for an early 73 but not original to the instrument. Looks like it could be delrin, that's a plus.

I'll see if i can shoot a quick foto of my early 73 for reference.

Stand by.

Sepp

Here goes.

The far left nut is off my late 72 4001. It's delrin and it's whooped. The two in the center were made for me by Paul W. He used my 1968 (yes, the Geddy Lee bass) as a template. They are also delrin. The nut to the right is still on my early 1973. It's also pretty whooped. The profiles all vary. The nuts were hand fitted so none will be 100% exact.
Sepp

Thanks for all the info. Looks like I will be replacing mine.

Dennis,

You will have to have one made since the stock ones are black bakelite and too thin. The ones you may find on eBay may not be correct either. Feel free to use my foto as a reference. Or you can drop Paul W. a line to see if he'll make you one. Most luthiers will want to make one from Corian or bone which technically is incorrect as well. A lot of guys don't like to to work with delrin.

If it is cut correctly and plays well does it matter?? You have aftermarket tuners on it so in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter??

Sepp

Dennis, is that MC703? If so, I used to own it. It's a great bass. I wouldn't touch it. It's a great player. Why risk it unless you plan to refinish and sell?

Kopfjaeger wrote:If it is cut correctly and plays well does it matter?? You have aftermarket tuners on it so in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter??

Well said, Sepp.
Maybe he wants it for a wall-hanger or considers it an "investment."
Nuts were made to be replaced; nobody goes looking for 40-year-old strings ... do they?

Kopfjaeger wrote:Or you can drop Paul W. a line to see if he'll make you one.

P.W. cut me a replacement nut -- while he had my bass -- and it was too short, so I took it to a local guy and went with Corian.

Kopfjaeger wrote:...make one from Corian or bone which technically is incorrect...

I really like the Corian nut on my 4003; it looks better than the stock Bakelite, in my opinion, because its sheen matches the black neck binding. I've also heard that Corian lasts quite a long time, and that -- when cut properly -- the strings don't bind. Plastic has come a long way since Bakelite.

Both Gibson and Martin use Corian for their instrument nuts, if that means anything. Aside from that: you only really "hear" it on 4 notes.

If it plays well: leave it alone.

"Nobody goes looking for 40 year old strings.....do they?"

Yes. Waiting on delivery of a set of Red box Rickenbacker /Maxima flatwounds as we speak....

As for the nut,i have always replaced whatever form of plastic nut installed with bone,and in the case of 2 of my Rick basses,deer antler,a very similar material.

Jason,

I don't have the bass with me at the moment so I can't say for sure, but I do believe it is MC703. Since you used to own it, do you have any clues as to the mystery of the expanded treble pickup route? My guess is that someone put a split coil P-bass pup in there at some point.

I'm planning on doing a full restoration with this bass, including a refin. As for the aftermarket tuners, I've got a set of wavy grovers ready to be installed once the expanded peg holes are doweled and redrilled. I've also got a set of NOS Maxima flatwounds that I can't wait to put on the bass. Not sure if they are quite 40 years old though.

I think the nut is actually not cut correctly. But I would want to replace it anyway since aesthetically it just doesn't look right.

Here's a link to more pictures of the bass for anyone who is interested.

https://goo.gl/photos/ZqtSpprKCQeMqQ9Q6

What's, "whooped," precious?

We have never heard that before. No, we hasn't.

Ekee Ekee Whoop-e-Ding???

Not the same bass that I used to have.

superheavydeathmetal wrote:What's, "whooped," precious?

We have never heard that before. No, we hasn't.

Whooped, beat/trashed. Used in a sentence, "Dude, I broke my mom's favorite flower vase, when I get home I'm going to get my rear end whooped".