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Rickenbacker 4001 or fake?

#23
It looks like a fake. Stay away.

I've never seen a Ric with those channels routed out for the truss rods. The finish is well settled and honestly, on a lot of older Ric basses you can see the grain of the wood in the skunk stripe that runs through the center of the headstock, and I cannot see any evidence of that in the pics. The white nut is also 'funny'.

It just doesn't look right to me. It might have a Ric TRC and output jack plate but those can be found too...
 
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#28
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.
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Regardless of how much you like the sound - and, if you do, that's great - , it's still a molested early 4003. And if you want it, IMO you should bargain - hard - accordingly. You liking it as it is now, is emotional. The cold hard reality is that it's worth a lot less in it's current state, than it would be if it was un - molested. If it were me, I'd keep my opinion about the sound to myself, and negotiate the price on the "somebody messed this Rick up" basis. The less you pay for it, the happier you'll be. Besides, you're going to need the extra money to replace that 1-piece pickguard, anyway...:thumbsup:
 
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#33
Jeff Scott said:
I agree, Parts bass usually refers to an instrument with a detachable neck.
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Ric5 said:
I would say modded bass and the mods reduce the value here
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Parts bass ever only applies to Fender to shine a light on the slightest amount of non-factoryness. I am mockingly using the term because it is based on such a nebulous double-standard.
 
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#34
GIBrat51 said:
Regardless of how much you like the sound - and, if you do, that's great - , it's still a molested early 4003. And if you want it, IMO you should bargain - hard - accordingly. You liking it as it is now, is emotional. The cold hard reality is that it's worth a lot less in it's current state, than it would be if it was un - molested. If it were me, I'd keep my opinion about the sound to myself, and negotiate the price on the "somebody messed this Rick up" basis. The less you pay for it, the happier you'll be. Besides, you're going to need the extra money to replace that 1-piece pickguard, anyway...:thumbsup:
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Indeed.

Regardless of how nice you think it sounds, the replacement pickguard and pickups (unless the originals are still around and included in the sale) drop the value of the bass, and you can say so.
 
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#35
4001 said:
It looks like a fake. Stay away.

I've never seen a Ric with those channels routed out for the truss rods. The finish is well settled and honestly, on a lot of older Ric basses you can see the grain of the wood in the skunk stripe that runs through the center of the headstock, and I cannot see any evidence of that in the pics. The white nut is also 'funny'.

It just doesn't look right to me. It might have a Ric TRC and output jack plate but those can be found too...
Click to expand...

Not a fake. Those truss-rod channels are typical of the early 4003. Also, the "skunk stripe" (a shedua strip in the middle of the neck assembly) was found on the 4001, 4001S (set neck), 4000 (set neck) 4002, 3001, and 4005 (set neck) from early 1972 to the early 1980s. It was not used on the 4003.

Rest assured this is a genuine early '80s Rickenbacker 4003 with substituted parts. NOT A FAKE.
 
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#36
PaulBoyer said:
Not a fake. Those truss-rod channels are typical of the early 4003. Check the photo on page 63 of my book. Also, the "skunk stripe" (a shedua strip in the middle of the neck assembly) was found on the 4001, 4001S (set neck), 4000 (set neck) 4002, 3001, and 4005 (set neck) from early 1972 to the early 1980s. It was not used on the 4003.

Rest assured this is a genuine early '80s Rickenbacker 4003 with substituted parts. NOT A FAKE.
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I stand corrected. I never saw under the TRC of a 4003. Never owned or worked on one. Did not know that the skunk stripe wasn't on 4003's as well. Thank you, Paul. It's why I'm not "4003" here.:D
 

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