Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi,

Just picked up a 60s silver bass case, with fixes needed - it is used a lot, some leather(?) pieces are hanging by the straw. The Rickenbacker name plate is missing (guess It'll be hard to replace that one), as is the key etc etc. The tolex itself is in OK condition, not so clean but largely whole and unmolested.

As I understand it, these cases are really hard to find so I thought to restore it, but I am unsure as to which approach would be the best. For example, if a piece of leather on one end of the case is gone, should I patch it or should I leave it as it is and just clean what is left and maybe make sure all ends of the remaining leather is sewn into place?

Many thanks in advance for your opinions.

Best
/Clas

I take it your plan is to flip it? It'a s case, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Restoring it would probably be more than the value of the case.

Since I am still awaiting my first silver case era bass, I thought to be prepared with having a case ready for it So it's a keeper, unless the bass I will buy comes with its own one ofc

Cool. What's going in the case?

Those silver tolex '60s 4000/4001 bass cases are extremely rare. Cases from that era do not have a Rickenbacker logo plate on them, unless they were export cases (via Rose Morris).

If the leather ends are loose or stitches came out, I'd glue them back in place with a hot glue gun. Same for any interior lining that is loose. It's a 50-year old case, so if it's beat that's to be expected.

jps wrote:Cool. What's going in the case?

I'm actively searching for something fairly correct to put into it. Any HS equipped 60's bass would fit that description, I think. At the moment, though, I have no leads.

libratune wrote:Cases from that era do not have a Rickenbacker logo plate on them, unless they were export cases (via Rose Morris).

That is good to know. A Rose Morris case then, since it obviously once had a plate on it. That makes sense, since the guy I bought it from originally got it from Denmark.

clasbas wrote:

libratune wrote:Cases from that era do not have a Rickenbacker logo plate on them, unless they were export cases (via Rose Morris).

That is good to know. A Rose Morris case then, since it obviously once had a plate on it. That makes sense, since the guy I bought it from originally got it from Denmark.

You have no other choice than to buy a Rose-Morris bass, so a RM1999 is the way to go. There seems to be a fairly large number of them in Australia, so perhaps, that is where you should look to find "your" bass.

I have a bass that needs a '60's case!

teeder wrote:I have a bass that needs a '60's case!

Check with Vincent Gallo, he probably has most of them locked away for perpetuity!

He can't live forever, you know. See if he will will one of them to you.

jps wrote:He can't live forever, you know. See if he will will one of them to you.

Or won't one of them to you.

jps wrote:You have no other choice than to buy a Rose-Morris bass, so a RM1999 is the way to go. There seems to be a fairly large number of them in Australia, so perhaps, that is where you should look to find "your" bass.

Good advice, thanks

teeder wrote:I have a bass that needs a '60's case!

Not really clear to me which trading direction you are implying here. Want to sell?

libratune wrote:If the leather ends are loose or stitches came out, I'd glue them back in place with a hot glue gun. Same for any interior lining that is loose.

Glue it is, then. Since I am noob in these things, is there something I should be extra careful with, like type of glue? I wouldn't want to ruin something this hard-to-get out of lack of knowledge...

clasbas wrote: Glue it is, then. Since I am noob in these things, is there something I should be extra careful with, like type of glue? I wouldn't want to ruin something this hard-to-get out of lack of knowledge...

I use something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/CCbetter-Tempera ... s=glue+gun

The good thing about this type of hot glue is that it seals well but is not "permanent" like a superglue adhesive would be; that is, if you need to redo something, it can be pulled apart.

bassduke49 wrote:

jps wrote:He can't live forever, you know. See if he will will one of them to you.

Or won't one of them to you.