Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I acquired a 4001 that was beat up, I have been dabbling in guitar and bass repair and rebuild, I have always wanted a RIC. Anyway the bass that I bought the plate said it was a 1976,
but after doing some research I'm very confused, I'm thinking it is pre 76, the pearl inlays go all the way across the fret board, and it has Grover machines, the neck pick-up is close to the neck. Is there any way to nail down the year it is or could it be a 1976 left over. The picture is after I started the work.

I don't know of any way to ascertain the year other than with the jack plate. It's most likely earlier than 1976 though as they stopped the full length inlays sometime during the late 60's or early 70's I believe. They used wavy Grovers sporadically until the late 70's and also the 1/2" spacing was used for the neck pickup off and on until at least 75 if they had to use left over bodies. According to JH they would use whatever they had lying around the factory when they ran out of current parts so it is possible your bass was put together in 76 although I would think it would be highly unlikely.

There are some oddities in your photo: It appears that a trapezoidal area at the base of the body is an addition and there's no recessed area there for the stock tailpiece/bridge assembly. Note how the dark wood strip in the center of the upper body stops at that trapezoid. Can you supply a photo of the back? Now, this could be a modified original, or maybe even a copy.

IF the full-width, crushed-pearl inlays on the fingerboard, the routing for the binding on the body for the checker and outer binding, and the shedua (dark wood) strip are all original, then that would narrow down the timeline to spring 1972 (when the shedua strip was added) to spring 1973 (when the checker binding was discontinued). More photos posted here will help us date your bass.

bassduke49 wrote:IF the full-width, crushed-pearl inlays on the fingerboard, the routing for the binding on the body for the checker and outer binding, and the shedua (dark wood) strip are all original, then that would narrow down the timeline to spring 1972 (when the shedua strip was added) to spring 1973 (when the checker binding was discontinued).

+1.

The picture is after I started the work.

My guess is there was some major routing done to the body and the new wood is a repair, done by Steve, presumably.

That repair looks really good. What kind of bridge are you thinking?

More pics please! The front and back of the body and the headstock. If this were a real Rick, it would have to be a 4001S that had the fretboard replaced with a 4001 deluxe fretboard. You'd never find a set neck with that fretboard, and this is definitely a set neck bass.

aceonbass wrote:More pics please! The front and back of the body and the headstock. If this were a real Rick, it would have to be a 4001S that had the fretboard replaced with a 4001 deluxe fretboard. You'd never find a set neck with that fretboard, and this is definitely a set neck bass.

Not so sure, Dane. The shedua strip ends below the bass pickup route, not above it. Looks like a trapezoidal plug was inserted at some point. Note the differences inside the treble-pickup route. Strange.

bassduke49 wrote:

aceonbass wrote:More pics please! The front and back of the body and the headstock. If this were a real Rick, it would have to be a 4001S that had the fretboard replaced with a 4001 deluxe fretboard. You'd never find a set neck with that fretboard, and this is definitely a set neck bass.

Not so sure, Dane. The shedua strip ends below the bass pickup route, not above it. Looks like a trapezoidal plug was inserted at some point. Note the differences inside the treble-pickup route. Strange.

It also has ROS on it.

Here are some more pictures, I installed the maple plug, a previous owner had the Bad-*** bridge installed and it was all messed up. I have purchased a hipshot bridge to put on it but have been having second thoughts. I'm thinking of picking up a used Ric bridge but not sure (any advice), I have always wanted a Ric so this is mine to keep. Purchased some checkerboard binding from Winfield Vintage to replace the binding. I will post pictures as I go.

OK, so shedua strip, neck through, original checker binding (now removed); most likely a '72-'73 machine.

Good work, but I would have made a maple block with the shedua strip in it. It's likely that the lack of one will be apparent as the finish ages. Also, why the trapazoidal shape for the filler block? I'd go stock on the restoration of this bass, since it's from one of the more collectable periods in the 70's.