Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

When did red fret markers hit? Because my Serial is NA225 and they are BLACK.

Plus, for a Burg, mine isn't really "burgundy". It's more of a "tomato" color. Very strange. Pictures will come tonight!

Jason

Well, in the face of the fact that Burgundyglo is (was?) obtained by mixing Jetglo and Fireglo together (or so I've been told), I believe that the 'tomato' color on your 4001 simply resulted from some degree of inconsistency in said mix (= more FG than JG).
As for the red markers, may be they weren't introduced until February or March 1974. Both my April 74 and my June 74 4001s have them.

From 1973-onwards, the BG finish became lighter, so it seems. My friend owns a 73 and a 74 4001 in BG, and they are both far lighter, too.

My 72 comes out real dark and deep on camera, almost a smokey purple!

Yeah, mine is cool looking for sure. It's very "tomato red/rust" looking even. I dig it. I've never seen one like it.

J

My '74 is #ND2209 & has red fret markers. Anybody else out there have one between January & April?

I think Jeff Rath mentioned that he owned a '74 with black markers also.

Very cool. Man, I can't get over how cool mine looks... but I can't get a good picture that does it justice. It's kinda got a "fireglo without the burst" look. It's nowhere near burgundy, but more of a RUST color. It's way way cool. It's a player bass.. Meaning it's worn and not at all mint...yet not junk. But it plays wonderfully and the neck is straight as a bored. It's a great color. However, if I had a chance at a Montezuma Brown, I'd probl sell this one to get one.

I'll get pix up before long.
Jason

I call it "Tomato-Glo."

::

I was told by someone who knows that Burgandyglo was a mixture of the scarlet from fireglo and black.

I have a '75 that, for the longest time, I just considered dark red (not thinking anything of it). My dad bought it for me used in approximately '82-'83 when I first started playing (yes, I know I was a lucky kid :p), and I just found a reply letter from Rickenbacker where they state that the photo I'd sent showed it to be a Fireglo (it isn't, though, it's a solid dark red). I have an interest in the minutia of Ricks, but haven't had time to absorb that kind of thing myself, but in the last year or so I've pondered it a bit, and now I'm wondering if what I have *is* actually Burgandyglo. Mine has the white binding, but black pickguard/TRC. I've been saying it for a while, but I'm going to have to borrow a digital camera, darn it. :-\

Sounds like Ruby Red to me.

If it was Black Trim from the factory however, it'd have black binding.

A lot of people have trouble differentiating between BG and RB (Ruby Red), especially on older basses.

I have an inkling that Jpoprock's 4001 is infact Ruby.

Okay then, that's another option that I wasn't aware of.

As for the trim - it may have been swapped out. My main concern is the TRC, though - it's the clear backpainted plexy (or lucite or whatever it was), but the actual Rickenbacker lettering is either a bit sloppy or has 'bled' a bit. Also it just says Rickenbacker - no "Made In USA" etc. I'm not worried that the whole bass is a fake, just possibly the TRC (as I said, I've had it since about '82). I had (and still do) intended to eventually run a thread about it when I get around to posting pictures.

Ruby red was not produced until the early 80's so it is probably a faded burg

BG is much darker than Ruby anyway, I have an 81 4003 BG and there is definitely a black componant to the paint.

1980?

That I *didn't* know, Jaymi. Cheers bud.