82 Rick 4001

[paulo]

http://rvrb.io/1982-4001c64s-left-r5s

[Matt R.]

[pjmuck]

Didn't those basses originally come with the horseshoe bridge PUP?

[superheavydeathmetal]

This is not a C64S, and as far as I can tell, it isn't even a C64. It looks like a re-branded 4001S.

A C64 should have vintage-style tone-knobs:


And a C64 should have a pickguard that goes all the way to the bridge surround, and the bridge surround should be trapezoidal, not square:

Didn't those basses originally come with the horseshoe bridge PUP?

Yes, and this is not a reissue horseshoe pickup. The reissue horseshoe has very large silver pole pieces.

Just to be clear, the reissue horseshoe pickup works like a normal pickup (meaning the horseshoe isn't part of the pickup), but voiced to sound like the original horseshoe pickup as much as possible. It also has a gap in the pickup cover to look more like the original:


RIC did away with the "real" horseshoe pickup because they are notorious for losing their magnetism, which requires them to be re-gaussed.

[bbl]

I'm no Ric expert, but all of these attributes on one Ric bass seems odd:

- toaster pickup, 1" from neck
- two-piece neck
- open back tuners
- no binding, dot inlay
- serial 1982
- one-piece pick guard
- bridge with extra two screws near tail
- no center stripe

???

[superheavydeathmetal]

I'm no Ric expert, but all of these attributes on one Ric bass seems odd:

- toaster pickup, 1" from neck <- Good catch!
- two-piece neck <- I am not sure.
- open back tuners <- I am not sure.
- no binding, dot inlay <- This is correct for a C64.
- serial 1982 <- This is way too early for a C64.
- one-piece pick guard <-This is correct for a C64.
- bridge with extra two screws near tail <- Good catch!

???

Geoff,
Good detective work! See my comments in red.

Yeah, nothing about this is right.

[bbl]

And no center stripe.

A 4003S with a toaster replacement?

An SB?

[pjmuck]

This is not a C64S, and as far as I can tell, it isn't even a C64. It looks like a re-branded 4001S.

A C64 should have vintage-style tone-knobs:


And a C64 should have a pickguard that goes all the way to the bridge surround, and the bridge surround should be trapezoidal, not square:

Didn't those basses originally come with the horseshoe bridge PUP?

Yes, and this is not a reissue horseshoe pickup. The reissue horseshoe has very large silver pole pieces.

Just to be clear, the reissue horseshoe pickup works like a normal pickup (meaning the horseshoe isn't part of the pickup), but voiced to sound like the original horseshoe pickup as much as possible. It also has a gap in the pickup cover to look more like the original:


RIC did away with the "real" horseshoe pickup because they are notorious for losing their magnetism, which requires them to be re-gaussed.

Great info, thanks. I knew it didn't look "right", but I'm not that knowledgeable on the various differences with Ricks.

[AustinLeftyBass]

Looks like a 4003SB to me.

[jayceofbass]

Looks like a 4003SB to me.

I could be wrong but... I think the 4003SB would have stereo outputs. This mystery bass does not.

[superheavydeathmetal]

Looks like a 4003SB to me.

I could be wrong but... I think the 4003SB would have stereo outputs. This mystery bass does not.

The listing has been changed to an SB. But I don't know that it is an SB, either. The SB would have the stereo output, a two-piece pickguard, and closed tuners.

On the other hand, I have heard that specs of the SB varied quite a bit, so maybe an SB is just whatever Rick decided to call an SB at the time.

[GIBrat51]

Yeah, Rickenbacker replaced the Horseshoe bridge pick up, and the toaster at the neck, with Hi-Gains in late summer of 1973. They did away with the checkerboard binding a few months before that. I know; my '73 4001 was "born" in October, so I just missed out... Still has the "Wavy Grover" tuners, though... So, that one wouldn't have them, and IIRC, any Rick made after '73 with a Horse shoe, would have a Repro one. And yes, the original horse shoes did have problems with losing magnetism. John Hall has stated more than once that they were a nightmare to make, too. I know someone was making copies of the originals (can't remember who), until they got sued (there's a big surprise); I do remember reading that they said that yes, they were a royal PITA to make - and they were priced accordingly. I do know they settled out of court; whether the pickups are available or not, I couldn't say..