Real or fake Rickenbacker 4001?

[2behead]

I have a 77 4001. That looks real to me

 

[Auspuff]

Hi guys ,

Could you be able to help me understand if this is a real Rickenbacker 4001?

Serial number dates it to 1977 and to me it sounds incredibly good but there s just something about it that doesn't convice me 100%..I m not expert you gotta understand...

Is there a sign that would tell me 100000% that this is an original?

All the help s appreciated!thanks in advance guys !

Here s some photos

Buy it. Run it through an SVT810. Play the schitt out of it.

Merry Christmas.

 

[Tony In Philly]

If @PaulBoyer says it's real, then it's definitely real!

 

[Bboopbennie]

Yep.. Real thing, I own a 1973 4001 < Hey its a Rick !!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Late to the party, as usual. That 4001 is quite real.

 

[bhoff5150]

It’s not really uncommon at all. The writing on the jackplate is painted on while the serial number is physically debossed in the metal

I own a 1979 4001 and my jackplate is the same. Printing has worn off, but engraved serial number is still there.

 

[jamro217]

If Paul Boyer and Jeff Scott say it's real that's good enough for me.

< The avatar pic is my '78 4001 fretless. A lot of the signs of yours being authentic are verified on the '78. (I say "yours" because after just about everybody here confirms it's genuine you should run right out and buy it.)

 

[Mvf]

Now?

That's a real Rick. Enjoy it!

 

[sonic 7]

I had a ‘76 , congrats it’s as real as they get.

 

[Phil508]

Ric serial decoder site says "Your guitar was manufactured in July of 1977"

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[BergerHead]

Who would or could make a fake that genuin and in this quality? You only forgot to mention the price tag ...

 

[Cycleops]

It says Rickenbacker right there on the headstock.

 

[JimB52]

I had a 1977 Ric made in March looked just like that . Great bass.

 

[foolforthecity]

I believe the pros can confirm or deny, but for me the telltale sign of a knockoff is continuous binding under the bridge area

 

[LUCE]

If the seller will let you take the pickguard off, you can check the wiring channels in the body. Back in the day, Rickenbacker made the channels by drilling a series of shallow holes, one next to the other, rather than using a router. I was amazed to see that on my '74 4001; it looks like something a junior high school kid would do, but that's how they did it. A very well-respected luthier in my area told me that's how he checks the authenticity of old Ric basses. I'm not sure when they stopped doing it that way.

I have '74 as well with the drilled channel. I was shocked the first time I took the PG off... But it is for real!

 

[ZAR14]

I'm not completely sure of how accurate it is of what I've been told, but I'm under the impression that "Authentic" RICs have Two Truss Rods

 

[pbass2]

That sure looks real to me. I had a '75 4001, Jetglo, bought new when I was a lad. Always wished I'd gotten a Mapleglo instead!

 

[JeffreyET]

When did Ric move the neck pickup back? I thought it was later than 1977, but I'm no expert.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...Rickenbacker made the channels by drilling a series of shallow holes, one next to the other, rather than using a router.

They uesd a Forstner bit to do that with, just like they did for various other routes, sometimes, going back to the '50s (maybe, earlier).

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I'm not completely sure of how accurate it is of what I've been told, but I'm under the impression that "Authentic" RICs have Two Truss Rods

That's true, and most of the Japanese lawsuit basses had single trussrods, but you can't tell either way unless you take off the TRC. That's actually a good thing for the OP to ask the seller to photograph, a lot of older basses were ineptly adjusted, and have damaged truss rod ends and nuts because of it. One nice thing is that Ric rods can be pulled out fairly easily for replacement if necessary.