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Rickenbacker 4001 or fake?

Anton_V

Anton_V

Mar 24, 2015
8
2
43
#1
Hello dear all! A friend of mine is now selling his Ric 4001, Jetglo. The condition is good for 35 years, though it seems to be refinished. Vintage tunners are stock. Also it is equipped with SD pickups and Hipshot bridge. Serial number is UB430, feb. 1981. But there is one detail. Truss rod adjustment is on the side on the body, the headstock lookes like that - see photo. I've found no Rics with such grooves on a headstock, to my mind there should be truss rod adjustment on it. On this particular bass thruss rods have been replaced for self-made ones as far as I know. Please help me understand if it is original Ric 1981 m.y. of just a well-made and good sounding copy. Some pictures are enclosed.
 

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#3
I think it may be an early 4003 with the wrong pickguard (would be a split pickguard if it's an early 4003) although it's been so long since I owned one of those I forgot the details. Take a picture with the pickguard off if you can showing what the truss rod ends look like.
 
#5
Friends, I have finally found some pictures of the same model year. You are right, it is 4003 with replaced pickguard. Truss rods are agjusted one the side of a neck heel under the pickguard. It sounds great, so no problem it has SD onboard, newer electronics and wiring.
 
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#6
Anton_V said:
Friends, I have finally found some pictures of the same model year. You are right, it is 4003 with replaced pickguard. Truss rods are agjusted one the side of a neck heel under the pickguard. It sounds great, so no problem it has SD onboard, newer electronics and wiring.
Click to expand...
Honestly the SD pickups are a downgrade from the originals.
 
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#8
Anton_V said:
Maybe, but these SD are also quite old and the bass sounds good to my taste. I can't say I'm a Ric fan and I'm not sure I need its original sound :)))
Click to expand...
Another nice thing about those SD pickups is that they're humbuckers,with wiring options for split coil,phase reversal,etc,so they can be set up for a variety of sound options. I used a set like that in a 4002 for over a decade. The sound isn't quite as "in your face",but it does work just fine,and no 60 cycle hum.
 
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#10
The price for that particular bass is more than reasonable, apr. 20-25% cheaper than any other Ric in our local market. Including new Jescar Evo frets, Hipshot bridge and overall good technical condition
 
#11
Anton_V said:
Hello dear all! A friend of mine is now selling his Ric 4001, Jetglo. The condition is good for 35 years, though it seems to be refinished. Vintage tunners are stock. Also it is equipped with SD pickups and Hipshot bridge. Serial number is UB430, feb. 1981. But there is one detail. Truss rod adjustment is on the side on the body, the headstock lookes like that - see photo. I've found no Rics with such grooves on a headstock, to my mind there should be truss rod adjustment on it. On this particular bass thruss rods have been replaced for self-made ones as far as I know. Please help me understand if it is original Ric 1981 m.y. of just a well-made and good sounding copy. Some pictures are enclosed.
Click to expand...

It is actually not a 4001 but rather a 1st generation 4003.

It has lost the original pickups and has Seymour Duncan replacements. The SD pickups are not known to have a Rickenbacker tone.

If you buy it the put in a pair of real Rickenbacker pickups, and put in a 2 piece pickguard.
 
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#14
woodyng2 said:
Another nice thing about those SD pickups is that they're humbuckers,with wiring options for split coil,phase reversal,etc,so they can be set up for a variety of sound options. I used a set like that in a 4002 for over a decade. The sound isn't quite as "in your face",but it does work just fine,and no 60 cycle hum.
Click to expand...

I had a set of the SD Ric replacement pickups and I hated them ... I couldn't get them out of my bass fast enough ... I especially hated the bridge pickup in that set. It totally loses the Rickenbacker bite and high mid bark, and clank.
 
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#16
Ric5 said:
I had a set of the SD Ric replacement pickups and I hated them ... I couldn't get them out of my bass fast enough ... I especially hated the bridge pickup in that set. It totally loses the Rickenbacker bite and high mid bark, and clank.
Click to expand...
The 4002 i had mine in had had the Rick components changed out for the pots and caps. I've found changing the Rick ones out to produce a completely differnt character. As i said,it was not all that bad. With the pickups being in different positions from standard Ricks,the sound was very different to begin with.
 
#17
woodyng2 said:
The 4002 i had mine in had had the Rick components changed out for the pots and caps. I've found changing the Rick ones out to produce a completely differnt character. As i said,it was not all that bad. With the pickups being in different positions from standard Ricks,the sound was very different to begin with.
Click to expand...

The 4002 had unique wiring and unique pickups ... unlike any other Rickenbacker
 
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