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Is my new Rickenbacker fake? *pics*

S

Shav

Nov 12, 2007
22
0
#1
Hi.

I bought a Rickenbacker 4001 from january 76. I am a little confused about the white line around the body of the bass. I thought i was supposed to be checkered, and also about the tuning screws. Sry about the grainy and dark pics pics.

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It says PA on the right side, and 417 on the left side. PA417.

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No checkered binding?

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I just moved the plate a little bit to reveal the thruss rods. The plate says Model 4001, Made in U.S.A.

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These are my real worry. I don't recall the tuning screws to look like this, but maybe a former owner just replaced the original ones?

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A little peak at the pickups.

So, what do you people think? The binding isn't checkered and the tuning screws are (i think) wrong. Is my Rick a fake?

p.s. The Rickenbacker website verifies my serial number.
 
#9
Yeah sry 'bout the pics. Made a mistake, they should be up and running :)

It sounds pretty geniune, though i dont have a whole lot to compare it to. I just recently started looking into it.
 
#11
I'm not a big Ric expert, but it looks genuine to me. The checkered binding was phased out pretty early, so I doubt that's an issue. The tuners may have been replaced, but if that's the only issue left, it's probably a real 76 Ric.
 
#12
waynobass said:
Hard to tell from the pics, but I doubt if it's fake. I've seen solid white binding more often than checkered. Tuning keys were probably replaced.
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Doesn't look fake to me, and I suspect those tuners are original. Search the Google image database for Rickenbacker basses and you'll see plenty equipped with the "clover leaf" style tuning pegs. I suspect Rickenbacker used different brands over time, as have a lot of manufacturers.

I'm no Rick expert though, so that's just my hunch based on the fact that I've seen others like this.
 
#14
It's a legitimate Ric. Checkered binding, full width inlays and wavy tuners were being phased out in the summer of '73. I have a May '73 with all those features and I've seen others just a month later without them.

The internal routing looks like a real Ric and the tuners look right for the period. The "fakers" won't have the stripe down the middle of the back, either.
 
#17
Is there someones initials in the cavity under the PG in grease pencil? If so, that's another indication that it's real. (I think there was a woman named Rosa that worked in wet sanding for decades.)
 
#18
Phalex said:
Is there someones initials in the cavity under the PG in grease pencil? If so, that's another indication that it's real. (I think there was a woman named Rosa that worked in wet sanding for decades.)
Click to expand...

My english is not brilliant, but you mean the white plate with volume knobs and such on it right?
I remember when i removed it, something being written underneath in a pencil like writing, i dont remember what i said though.
 

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