Comprehensive Rickenbacker Bass Buying Guide

[Stugilliam]

Can you tell us what you had to do to restore the original bridge? On my 4001, the BadAss bridge required some routing of the body underneath. I’m eager to hear what’s involved. Thanks!

Hi Jim, well it's not easy, I tried to make the filler piece myself and quickly realized that I was going to do a Crap job so I put the badass back in. Then two years ago I found a very competent luthier, I asked him if he were to do it would he fill it with epoxy and he said absolutely not and explained how he would hand carve and hand fit a piece of maple with a very close grain and density as the rest of the body. He passed my little test and I have him the job. He did a great job, it fit tight and didn't need much wood glue. The problem is keeping the density of the body uniform and having it fit tight in the body and have the bridge fit into the new piece tightly. Unless you are a really good carver this is a job for a pro! If your Ric isn't older and collectable the Badass bridge is a much better bridge. JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION! It is your bass, enjoy it with either bridge Jim.

 

[Jeff Scott]

For a couple of years in the mid '70s, I had a BA II on my '67 4005WB.

 

[bobyoung53]

Like people have said the place to start is with one of Pau's books. That should get you in the area of what you want. Then you've got to go and play RICs from that time period. Nearly every RIC is different, especially from different time periods, so it comes down to personal choice. I have a '77 4001 in white and a 2014 4003W. The 4003 is OK, the neck is ok, the pick ups ok, looks ok, would I sell it, maybe. The 4001 has a thin, wide neck, fit and finish to this day are perfect, the pick ups will rip sheet rock off of walls. Would I sell it NFW! But those are my choices, another person might try them and fall in love with my 4003 and think the 4001 is just OK ( based on that choice I would have to have that person assessed for psychological issues ). The good thing is if you buy a RIC without trying it out, internet buy, and you don't like it, you'll probably be able to sell it without taking a bath. You may even make some money on the deal. Good luck in your quest, with luck the right RIC will find you.

I bought my first Ric in '77, a mapleglo.

 

[bobyoung53]

Definitely early 1973 before the transition took place is my favourite year for the 4001. I can't help but post a pic of my birthday girl, she turned 46 earlier this month.

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TD

Didn't that bass get stolen at one time or other?

 

[Stugilliam]

For a couple of years in the mid '70s, I had a BA II on my '67 4005WB.

Did you need to do any modifications to install the BA II ?

 

[Stugilliam]

I bought my first Ric in '77, a mapleglo.

I love your avatar, I ran that same rig for a lot of years except one head was on stage and the other was in the shop, every 6 months I would just swap out the heads. You know before the SVT's I ran a Acoustic 371, 1 head and twin cabs and never had a problem. I always did want a mapleglo, but my wife told me that I could not get one in every color!

 

[Stugilliam]

For a couple of years in the mid '70s, I had a BA II on my '67 4005WB.

I'm slow tonight, YOU HAD A 4005, HOLY CRAP!!

 

[bobyoung53]

I love your avatar, I ran that same rig for a lot of years except one head was on stage and the other was in the shop, every 6 months I would just swap out the heads. You know before the SVT's I ran a Acoustic 371, 1 head and twin cabs and never had a problem. I always did want a mapleglo, but my wife told me that I could not get one in every color!

Really? I've always thought of mine as being very reliable, I've been using SVT's since the mid 70's. I've never owned an Acoustic, would like one though, I had a Marshall Major before the SVT, wish I still had it. I've only used two heads once on an outside gig and it was overkill, sounded unbelievable though. I regularly used one head/two cabs until maybe 10 years ago. Incidentally your bass is beautiful, I had a Jetglo '72 4001FL years ago but had financial problems and sold it like an idiot.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I bought my first Ric in '77, a mapleglo.

My first brand new Rick bass was a MG 4001 I got in 1977!

Did you need to do any modifications to install the BA II ?

Don't ask.

I'm slow tonight, YOU HAD A 4005, HOLY CRAP!!

Yeah, it was my first Rick. I got it in 1973, and kept it and gigged it quite often, until I sold the bass in 2011. It was made in February of '67, and is one of only two original JG finishes I have ever come across on a 4005WB. The other was in a collection in Japan.

 

[Stugilliam]

Really? I've always thought of mine as being very reliable, I've been using SVT's since the mid 70's. I've never owned an Acoustic, would like one though, I had a Marshall Major before the SVT, wish I still had it. I've only used two heads once on an outside gig and it was overkill, sounded unbelievable though. I regularly used one head/two cabs until maybe 10 years ago. Incidentally your bass is beautiful, I had a Jetglo '72 4001FL years ago but had financial problems and sold it like an idiot.

I always played really loud, I blew up a couple of FOH, that's why I'm practically deaf now, I know how the Who hears! Or who's left!

 

[Stugilliam]

My first brand new Rick bass was a MG 4001 I got in 1977!

Don't ask.

Yeah, it was my first Rick. I got it in 1973, and kept it and gigged it quite often, until I sold the bass in 2011. It was made in February of '67, and is one of only two original JG finishes I have ever come across on a 4005WB. The other was in a collection in Japan.

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Very Nice, did you trade her in for a new car? Gorgeous bass! And great pictures!

 

[Stugilliam]

I always played really loud, I blew up a couple of FOH, that's why I'm practically deaf now, I know how the Who hears! Or who's left!

I once did a outdoor gig, huge crowd, I used my Acoustic 371 with twin cabs from 125HZ down and my SVT with two cabs from 125HZ up with a JBL electronic X over! Like I said LOUD! I absolutely could not stand in front of it!

 

[bobyoung53]

My first brand new Rick bass was a MG 4001 I got in 1977!

Wow, I never knew that, quite a coincidence. I bought mine at E.U. Wurlitzer's in Boston, brand new 1977 Mapleglo 4001 right out of the box. I went down with my guitar player and he wanted me to get a Musicman Stingray which had just come out, I had my heart set on getting a Ric though. I remember buying a stereo cable from them too that day, I don't think i understood you needed two amps though. I went home that day, took the flats off of it and threw on a set of Rotos.

 

[bobyoung53]

I once did a outdoor gig, huge crowd, I used my Acoustic 371 with twin cabs from 125HZ down and my SVT with two cabs from 125HZ up with a JBL electronic X over! Like I said LOUD! I absolutely could not stand in front of it!

I'm not known as the quietest bass player around either even to this day, my hearing is OK though although I think they are a little tired. You're from CT, what bands did you play in? Anything well known? I played in a band called Southpaw from about 1979 until 1981 which was fairly well known at least in MA where I was from. I always used an SVT with double cabs in that band (well after I tried two JBL scoops for a while on the advise of our soundman which I really didn't like, they went up front with the PA.). Did you ever use that 10' speaker in your avatar?

 

[Jeff Scott]

Very Nice, did you trade her in for a new car? Gorgeous bass! And great pictures!

Thanks about the photos. I have quite a few of gigging with it, from college dive bars to big festivals.

No new car, but it did bring in quite a bit of useful money, at the time.

Do you see that row of 5 holes between the tailpiece and bridge? The one that's above (to the left of) the bridge pickup was there when I got the bass; my best guess is that the previous owner had a Gibson bridge cover on the bass at one time as that hole lines up perfectly with the pickguard screw on the other side of the pickup.

My first bass was a late '60s Jazz Bass that my parents bought for me in 1971, for $175; a couple years later I traded it straight up for the 4005WB. I had no idea what model it was until I visited the Rickenbacker factory in 1983 to buy spare truss rods (old style) for the bass, that I still have, and a hi-gain pickup that ended up in a 1972 Jazz Bass in the mid/neck location, and I got a catalog, which is where I first learned that the bass was from their 4005 series (4005 and 4005WB).

 

[Jeff Scott]

Wow, I never knew that, quite a coincidence. I bought mine at E.U. Wurlitzer's in Boston, brand new 1977 Mapleglo 4001 right out of the box. I went down with my guitar player and he wanted me to get a Musicman Stingray which had just come out, I had my heart set on getting a Ric though. I remember buying a stereo cable from them too that day, I don't think i understood you needed two amps though. I went home that day, took the flats off of it and threw on a set of Rotos.

I don't recall where I got mine, but it was the first new bass I ever bought, the previous ones being used (the Jazz Bass, and the 4005WB). For a while, on the 4001 I was using Rotosound Super Bass strings (the ones with the adjustable ball ends), then, in my Disco-Daze® I used D'Addario Half Rounds before going to XLs. I can't remember when I sold the 4001, or to whom! It's like it just dissapeared from my life. But after that, whenever that was, I used only the 4005WB, with XLs, Reds, and occasionally, GHS Boomers.

 

[bobyoung53]

I don't recall where I got mine, but it was the first new bass I ever bought, the previous ones being used (the Jazz Bass, and the 4005WB). For a while, on the 4001 I was using Rotosound Super Bass strings (the ones with the adjustable ball ends), then, in my Disco-Daze® I used D'Addario Half Rounds before going to XLs. I can't remember when I sold the 4001, or to whom! It's like it just dissapeared from my life. But after that, whenever that was, I used only the 4005WB, with XLs, Reds, and occasionally, GHS Boomers.

My first new bass was a 71 Precision, sunburst/tort, covers/ undercover mute/ flats the whole route. was a great playing bass though, very low action. I paid 250 bucks for it, the Ric I think I paid 429.00.

 

[Gunga Din]

Did the strings rattle together as well?

How did you guess?

 

[nixdad]

How did you guess?

We had one in stock in the late 80's at the store I managed - it rattled horribly. We sent it back to the factory to be fixed, but it came back in the exact same condition, which was disappointing. Luckily, we sold it anyway, but that was the first and only time I ever ordered one.

 

[bobyoung53]

We had one in stock in the late 80's at the store I managed - it rattled horribly. We sent it back to the factory to be fixed, but it came back in the exact same condition, which was disappointing. Luckily, we sold it anyway, but that was the first and only time I ever ordered one.

The truss rods can rattle if they're too loose.