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Is this a real Rickenbacker 5 strings?
- Thread starter J_Bass
- Start date
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,796
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
Get the serial number and plug it into the decoder. It should tell you the month & year.
Ric SN Decoder
Ric SN Decoder
The bridge pickup cover on new copies is a dead giveaway, as the edges are squared off. Not necessarily the case with "lawsuit" era repros, though. But seriously doubt someone would have put a lot of effort into copying a 5 string Ric, given the apparent lack of interest.
BBB
BBB
I'd love a 5 string Rick that didn't cost $4K.
The B string would be horrible, but I really like the Rick tone.
Everyone has missed the obvious clue: even though jack plates can be altered, replaced or modified, run the serial number through the decoder and see what comes up:
www.rickenbacker.com
And yes, the triangles are stickers. Hmmm. I wonder what the owner had against the stock dots that have been the position markers ever since there have been "S" model basses? Hmmm. looks legit to me.
Serial number decoder
Unlock the mystery of your instrument with our Serial Number Decoder. Decode amplifiers and Rickenbacker serial numbers easily.
www.rickenbacker.com
I currently own three 5 string Rics, and can assure you the "B" strings are fine, as good as the "B" strings on any of my other basses.
I'm guessing a large part of that was the close string spacing?
Definitely a large part of it. All in all, it truly just felt like a 4 string bass that someone crammed a 5th string on to, making it do something it wasn’t originally designed to do.
Looks legit, but it looks like some dummy poorly cut out some stickers and made his own sharkfin inlays. 
Like Walmart chrome pin-striping on a nice car.Looks legit, but it looks like some dummy poorly cut out some stickers and made his own sharkfin inlays.
Not only does it look bad, it actually angers me. Heresy, unclean, burn it, it must be a witch! The shark's tooth on a real Rick is impeccable.
Everyone has missed the obvious clue: even though jack plates can be altered, replaced or modified, run the serial number through the decoder and see what comes up:
And yes, the triangles are stickers. Hmmm. I wonder what the owner had against the stock dots that have been the position markers ever since there have been "S" model basses? Hmmm. looks legit to me.Serial number decoder
Unlock the mystery of your instrument with our Serial Number Decoder. Decode amplifiers and Rickenbacker serial numbers easily.
Not everyone missed it. I mentioned that earlier today.
Last edited:
Looks legit to me minus the fingerboard inlays. It should have dots. I like the tight string spacing on these!
