Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This guy is convinced this is factory. I was convinced it was a converted 4001 until I realized it had a dotted neck with binding on the body, I have never seen a factory 4001/4003FL with fretlines, anyone? He also says it has a set neck so he is not real informed on Rickenbackers as it is a neck through, but the dots have me confused. A new finger board perhaps? Perhaps done at the factory back in the late 70's or 80's?

woops
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I don,t think it,s a stock piece Bob. Could be a converted "S" and had lines installed at the time of defretting. You never know tho.....

The problem is it has binding on the body and dots at every position and the guy swears he is a luthier and knows when something has been tampered with. It is identical to a 4001FL except for the fretlines. Very strange, factory custom perhaps?

Perhaps Mr Hall could shed some light one this, have to agree with Bob, never seen a factory fretless with lines on.

Now, if that was fretted - I'd be all over it.

That bass looks COOL.

IMO the bass has a replaced fretboard and totally re-finned, probably a 4001 that had a split due to mal-adjusted rods...I'd like to see under the guard and the TRC too. I'm not gonna say it's impossible that it's a custom bass, but I doubt it.

Very cool indeed, I'd go with custom order.

Calling all experts!

Calling all experts!

I a guessing that it is not a converted S. Could it be a stock fretless that was fretted and then restored?

Here's a pic.

Nice looking Rick regardless.

He told me that the fretlines were painted on underneath the lacquer on the fretboard, he said that it was never a fretted bass. I'm wondering if it is a stock 4001FL that had the neck stripped and had lines painted on it and then was revarnished (or whatever it is on those necks). It has dots at every fret and is identical to a stock 4001FL in every other way that I can see. That's a Ruby isn't it? I know they were only supposed to have been made from 80-84 but I've seen a few early ones like this before.

Thats what I would call a second generation burgandy-glo.

I have a Burgandy 81 4003 , that's much lighter.

Isn't Ruby a deep metallic red?