Is this Rick 4003S Real?

[Rhynobass]

Hello!
I recently bought a Rickenbacker 4003S but right after get it i starter to wonder if its really real. I will put some pictures and talk about the things that i suspect:

-The white/cream color (the seller told me it was black and painted in order to make it look like chris squire's)
-The serial in jackplace who matches 1967 (GA 6919, apparently), but the 4003S started in the 80s. The seller told me it was from 1996
-the Pickguard who seems to not be original because of the screw missing under the controls and some space in the neck pickup
- the dot marker in the 19' fret, cause all 4003S ive seen have marks just till the 17 fret.
- the bridge pick cover seems unusual for this model to.

please help me! thankss

 

[Gunga Din]

I've never seen a Ricky copy with a 'board like that. Also the pickups look like real Rick ones. 'guard is non-original.

That bass has a Hi-Gain, unlike Squire's which had the Horseshoe you've ringed in the last photo.

 

[Rhynobass]

I've never seen a Ricky copy with a 'board like that. Also the pickups look like real Rick ones. 'guard is non-original.

Got it. I saw this exact bass in another forum, the owner was saying that it was 4001. Could it be a 4001S? With other pickguard. It would match the serial number and the bridge pickup cover.

 

[Gunga Din]

Probably a 4001S, which was dot neck. That serial number is illegible. Can you clean it up and post back?

Also, it's defo not a 4003S

 

[Rhynobass]

O

Probably a 4001S, which was dot neck. That serial number is illegible. Can you clean it up and post back?

Also, it's defo not a 4003S

Ok! Its GA 6919, but i will try a better pic a post here!

 

[Gunga Din]

If correct, the Rick decoder says manufacturing date of January 1967!!

 

[Rhynobass]

If correct, the Rick decoder says manufacturing date of January 1967!!

wich would match with 4001S, right? Found this pic in the pinterest of a 4001S that seems a lot like this one (but defnitly not the same, cause there are still some changes, like whats written on the headstock plate, next to "Rickenbacker")

 

[Gunga Din]

To my knowledge, the early 4001S only had the 'Made in the USA' on the headstock.

Are you in EU?

 

[Rhynobass]

To my knowledge, the early 4001S only had the 'Made in the USA' on the headstock.

got it.. well, it would be a really peculiar surprise if it goes from "maybe fake" to really vintage 4001S from 1967.

 

[Gunga Din]

No, I think you have the real deal: a mid '60s 4001S! I'm sure they had the 19th fret dot, too.

 

[Gunga Din]

Have you life the 'plate and looked at the electrics? We need to see that!

 

[rickdog]

The neck pickup is in the 1" position, 1967 would have been 1/2". The tailpiece is definitely not 1967: no "gap tooth" and has two extra screws behind the bridge.

If the jack plate really says GAxxxx, it doesn't belong with that body.

Can you remove the pickguard (slack the strings, you should be able to slide it out without removing them entirely) and truss rod cover and post pictures of what's underneath?

 

[iiipopes]

In addition to the comments above, which in my experience I concur, have you asked the combined centuries of knowledge and experience over at rickresource.com ?

 

[Rhynobass]

O

The neck pickup is in the 1" position, 1967 would have been 1/2". The tailpiece is definitely not 1967: no "gap tooth" and has two extra screws behind the bridge.

If the jack plate really says GAxxxx, it doesn't belong with that body.

Can you remove the pickguard (slack the strings, you should be able to slide it out without removing them entirely) and truss rod cover and post pictures of what's underneath?

Have you asked the combined centuries of knowledge and experience over at rickresource.com ?

Still waiting for an email to let me in and ask there

 

[Gunga Din]

The neck pickup is in the 1" position, 1967 would have been 1/2". The tailpiece is definitely not 1967: no "gap tooth" and has two extra screws behind the bridge.

If the jack plate really says GAxxxx, it doesn't belong with that body.

Can you remove the pickguard (slack the strings, you should be able to slide it out without removing them entirely) and truss rod cover and post pictures of what's underneath?

Extra screws?

 

[Rhynobass]

The neck pickup is in the 1" position, 1967 would have been 1/2". The tailpiece is definitely not 1967: no "gap tooth" and has two extra screws behind the bridge.

If the jack plate really says GAxxxx, it doesn't belong with that body.

Can you remove the pickguard (slack the strings, you should be able to slide it out without removing them entirely) and truss rod cover and post pictures of what's underneath?

ok! I will take these pictures and post here. Im really worried lol

 

[Gunga Din]

O


Still waiting for an email to let me in and ask there

Hell awaits you. Good luck.

 

[rickdog]

Extra screws?

Look at the body picture, you can see two Philips head screws under the E and G strings. Those were added to prevent "tail lift" after the material for the tailpiece was changed in about 1973. The change in the material also meant a change in how it was cast, eliminating the gap in the central "tooth" over the mute.

 

[Rhynobass]

Look at the body picture, you can see two Philips head screws under the E and G strings. Those were added to prevent "tail lift" after the material for the tailpiece was changed in about 1973. The change in the material also meant a change in how it was cast, eliminating the gap in the central "tooth" over the mute.

What about the dot mark in the 19 fret?
What do you think is the deal with this bass? fake? frankstein? Lol do you also think definitelt isnt a 4003S?

 

[rickdog]

I think it's most likely we're all misreading the serial number. Instead of GAxxxx, could it be G(digit)xxxxx? That would make sense for 1996, and everything else I see here is consistent with that. I don't see any other obvious signs of fakery.

I'm pretty sure the 19th fret marker came and went over the years.