Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Well, at post # 14, I guess it's time for an introduction. I've been playing since the early '80's, and in fact my '75 4001 was my first bass (much to the agony of my friends) bought by my dad for about $300 Canadian. In fact, I recall driving around a little before that, and getting the question "what's that guitar you're always talking about...Redenbacker?" from him. I remember going to the guy's house who was selling it, knowing absolutely *nothing* about musical instruments (and Rick basses in particular), but I was starstruck when the case was opened. Everything was exotic about it, even the smell! It was a bit beat up (much player wear, heck, the fretwear could've almost qualified it as a fretless!), but I couldn't say no. I can't really remember, but I *might* have slept with it the first night home. I've gotten quite a few basses since then (and gotten rid of some), including a '97 CS as well as a '92 8 string. The '75 certainly is one that I can't see ever letting go, if only for sentimental reasons.

And now - I plan to, in the next few hours, take 'er out of the house to snap some pics with a decent digital camera (and better lighting than my house). I'll take a full on shot, of course, and one of the TRC (I'd mentioned elsewhere that it might have issues). Short of taking it apart for pictures of the innards, any suggestions on what would need to be seen by y'all?

nekked ladies...

welcome!

...with the bass so that it qualifies as RIC related. I believe that John Hall requires us to send him any pics of RICs with such accesories attached!

For his approval of course.

Aw, man! And there *were* nekkid ladies there and everything! Youse guys shoulda posted sooner!

We took a few pictures - they didn't turn out as nice as what I've seen here, but they'll have to do for now.

http://www.mnsi.net/~relayer/Ricks1.jpg

This one's *really* large, but it shows the logo "bleed" that I'd mentioned elsewhere, as well as the lack of "Made In USA".

http://www.mnsi.net/~relayer/75headstock.jpg

Body closeup - it doesn't look quite as "Tomatoglo" in real life - is it safe to say this is a proper Burgandyglo? :

http://www.mnsi.net/~relayer/75body.jpg

Are you sure that TRC is authentic? It does seem quite out of the ordinary.

My daughter walked by and said, "oh, thats a pretty couch".

I said, couch?? Oh yeah, I guess there is a couch.

Heh heh - yeah, somewhere in there is a couch - I guess it's okay if that's the sorta thing a person finds interesting.

Jeffrey - the TRC was an area of concern to me, which was why I took such an extreme close up. In fact, I would outright think it's bogus, but for the fact that I've lately seen/heard out of the ordinary stuff about Ricks that I hadn't known before. For example, I've seen mentions of silk screening with regards to some TRCs, etc. Mine is one of the plexy/lucite/whatever ones, backpainted with the logo. The lack of "Made In USA" was another thing, but I've seen some with the very small MiUSA - is it possible there were some without it at all? I got the bass for what would've been average money back in about '82 - it was just your basic common Rick at the time, and I'm in a non-descript blue collar town - pre-internet, I just have a gut feeling that forged TRC's weren't a big issue like they might be these days. OTOH, it *could* very well be, and that's one of the things I'd like to try to find out.

My vote is that the Truss cover is not genuine. I would think that your bass would have come with white plastic. The guy probably bought a black pickguard and then decided to make the truss cover himself or have it made. It just looks a little too rough and the lettering looks too big.

Jeff, I had thought that the black trim was odd too, until I saw one practically identical to the combo on Mike Parks' site:

http://www.the-music-connection.com/r22.jpg

I'd *love* to see a close up of that doubleneck's TRC. I do agree though that mine looks wierd - it seems to be a bit more exaggerated in the photo, but it's not so much that the lettering is really bigger, it's more that the white paint (?) is bleeding outward from within the lines. I should maybe take it off and take a shot of the backside of the TRC to see what's up. It would be a drag at this point to find out it was a fake, of course - particularly with RIC's policy on replacement covers.

Hey, Christopher, great Ricks.
That truss rod cover is indeed a fake, though - no doubt about it.

Chris-

Ask Mike Parks to take a photo. He's a nice guy, maybe he'll do it. Then buy something!

Thanks again guys - I had already had my suspicions, but I *really* wanted there to be an arcane explanation that I wasn't aware of. :-\ Now what do I do?? I want proper Rick parts on this thing!!

"Ask Mike Parks to take a photo. He's a nice guy, maybe he'll do it. Then buy something!"

Probably not worth bothering him about it at this point - since I've decided to face reality about my TRC. As for buying something - I'm thinking sometime next year, but there's a white/white 360/12 at his site that, for no reason (as I'm not a guitarist), started calling out to me (the one with link Wray's autograph - that's not why, though). In the meantime, G.A.S. has hit me huge in the last couple months - I've knocked a couple holy grails off my list ('49 Gibson Ultratone lap steel & Moog Taurus II's - still looking for Taurus I's though), and wouldn't ya know at least one more has come up around the same time; a '58 Gibson EB-1, AND I'm *seriously* interested in that 8 string potatoheadstock project that one of the members here (Randy?) is getting himself involved in, AND I want to kit together a semi-decent keyboard setup in the new year (centred around what seems to be a *great* mellotron simulation software package), AND there's the recent talk of V68's.....

...should I take a breath here...?

Oh yeah almost forgot - what about the finish on my '75? Is that a Burgandyglo, or are the pictures too dark to tell?

Christopher, will this help you out? If nothing else, you can trade it in for a black one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=3770660546&rd=1

Hey Steve, thanks for the heads up on that!
Would RIC allow a trade for a different style/colour though (particularly the style - if my fake was faked properly from what was on the bass originally, it'd be the backpainted clear plexy style)? If so, my spirits have just been picked up.

I guess it shouldn't matter really, as I've had and enjoyed this bass for 20+ years, but...well, I think you guys understand.

I dont think you can trade for an old-style plexi one, they don't make those. BUT, you can get a white one with black letters, a black one with white letters, a gold one (I THINK) with black letters,(for 4004?) or a black one with gold letters. If yours is a '75, the new "Vintage" style one will work just fine. I think the plexi ones stopped in '73 or '74 (My MJ '73 4001 has one). I had a '75 AzureGlo that I got a new TRC for and Kenny hooked me up just fine. Matched the original size and screw holes.