Hiya, I’ve recently bought an Arbiter 4001 MIJ rickenbacker copy from eBay, around £600. However I have some paranoia, how can I be sure that this is a real 70s Arbiter and not some crappy Chinese knockoff rebranded to fit? It does seem to have dual truss rods, and a bolt on neck. I’ve attached some pictures to hopefully help identify if it’s authentic or not. Thanks!
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Authenticity of an Arbiter 4001 Rick copy?
- Thread starter MoonDrive
- Start date
“Is that a real Arbiter 4001 Rick copy?
. . . I mean is that a Japanese Arbiter 4001 Rick copy or is that a Sears Arbiter Rick copy?
Hmmm . . . no foolin' . . . “
. . . I mean is that a Japanese Arbiter 4001 Rick copy or is that a Sears Arbiter Rick copy?
Hmmm . . . no foolin' . . . “
Arbiter was one of the names under which Rose Morris sold a variety of MIJ copies back in the '70s.
I'm fairly certain that your bass is the real deal.
You may also want to take a look at this thread:
Play it in good health and enjoy!
I'm fairly certain that your bass is the real deal.
You may also want to take a look at this thread:
Play it in good health and enjoy!
I’ve actually seen that thread already! I don’t know why I’m so skeptical about it to be honest, maybe as it sounds so different compared to my pj? Regardless, would you mind explaining how you’re certain it’s real? One thing I have noticed is that most Chinese copies don’t have the MIJ plate on the back, the serial number on mine doesn’t seem to have a date on it (1065156) unlike the one in the thread. Does have both outputs though, just not the internal circuitry for the Rick-o-sound or whatever it’s called
Quite a few old Japanese copies don't have a serial on the neck plate. Ibanez only started doing it in 1976, for instance.
How I'm certain that it's real ? Well, I've owned/seen enough MIJ instruments from the '70s to last me a few lifetimes. Yours just fits the bill.
Eros, Shaftesbury, Arbiter...I remember them when they were new. Most of them were decent instruments.
I bought my first Orange head after they went out of business in 1979...measly 120 quid back then...a pack of Embassy cigarettes was 80 pence...let me stop right there...
Yeah, I'm old. And I've spent a fair amount of my much younger years in the UK.
Enjoy that oldie!
How I'm certain that it's real ? Well, I've owned/seen enough MIJ instruments from the '70s to last me a few lifetimes. Yours just fits the bill.
Eros, Shaftesbury, Arbiter...I remember them when they were new. Most of them were decent instruments.
I bought my first Orange head after they went out of business in 1979...measly 120 quid back then...a pack of Embassy cigarettes was 80 pence...let me stop right there...
Yeah, I'm old. And I've spent a fair amount of my much younger years in the UK.
Enjoy that oldie!
The Chinese copies always get, at least, these two things completely wrong. The bridge and the pickups. This is not a recent Chinese copy of a vintage Japanese copy.
Roland GR 88
Commercial User
If your building fakes you probably already know that the market for lawsuit era guitars isn’t as strong as the market for American guitars and you wouldn’t go to the trouble of making a fake truss rod cover and stamp Made in Japan on the neck plate either.
If you’re really unsure, look at the wiring inside. Fakes often have tiny pots and a rats nest of very cheap wires.
If you’re really unsure, look at the wiring inside. Fakes often have tiny pots and a rats nest of very cheap wires.
So we're going to authenticate it's a real fake, not a fake bum copy of a fake.
Well, that's a new one on me. You learn something every day. This is why they make Tylenol.
Well, that's a new one on me. You learn something every day. This is why they make Tylenol.
Is my fake Rick really fake? Or is it fake fake?
I've officially seen it all on TB.
You know, I just bought a $200 Chinese Ibanez. Now I'm paranoid that it might be a $175 fake Ibanez knock-off.
I've officially seen it all on TB.
You know, I just bought a $200 Chinese Ibanez. Now I'm paranoid that it might be a $175 fake Ibanez knock-off.
A genuine forgery, an authentic knock off, a legitimate counterfeit, a bonafide fake...
Much like the Laura Lee Signature Jazz bass. Which is a Fender copy of an SX Jazz bass which was a copy of a Fender Jazz bass
If its a copy of a fake, its not subject to arrest the fake faker
My bad that I just want to know if it’s an official vintage copy. Maybe as it’s my biggest purchase to do with music so I’d just like to make sure. This is why I don’t post on forums, at least some people helped. Thanks for being so welcoming! Thanks ‘Roland GR 88’, ‘Gluvhand’ and ‘ajkula66’ for actually helping and helping with my concerns
There are two ways to look at this: is it reasonable to expect a modern counterfeiter to make a superficially convincing fake of an old replica which would sell for small dollars, when it means they would have the ability to fake the original for big dollars? Probably not. Although I wouldn't say "impossible" -- a fake of an appropriately branded replica is presumably going to be subject to less scrutiny and be easier to get away with.
Alternately, if a modern counterfeiter wants to move their product quickly, are they going to be able to capitalize on the brand recognition of "Arbiter" as easily as they could "Rickenbacker"? Again, probably not.
Alternately, if a modern counterfeiter wants to move their product quickly, are they going to be able to capitalize on the brand recognition of "Arbiter" as easily as they could "Rickenbacker"? Again, probably not.
Unless the "original" fake was going for some insane amount of money, I see no motivation to fake a fake. The target audience wouldn't be 1% of the people looking for a "real" Ric.
