Stolen bass which pops on another website...

[Gunga Din]

... and the original seller claims its not the same.

Hello ! I just wanted to share my adventure of the last few weeks. I bought in June a Rickenbacker 4003W on an auction website (something ending with bay...). The shop had it listed available (which is, I think, mandatory on these websites), while the same model was listed unavailable on their official website. Since these basses are quite rare here in Germany, I bought it, including the extra price to cover the fees of the auction website. The seller accepts the order, and sends me the bass. Which appears never picked-up by DHL. I fill a claim, the seller says the parcel was stolen, and that he will soon receive another batch of basses and I can chose one of them, but no walnut. I accepted to take a black one, which I received, and I am perfectly happy with it, maybe more than if I had received the walnut one.

fast forward to this morning, I see a Rickenbacker 4003W popping on another website. To me, it is the exact same wood grain. Of course, I informed the original seller, who claims the bridges are different and it cannot be that bass.

Rickenbacker switched to bridge v2 around 2022, the cover of the bridge pickup was removed in April 2025, both basses have the no-cover bridge pickup. They can only have the same bridges (from factory of course). And I do not see any difference on the pictures...

Here are both basses. What do you think?

The one I bought...

View attachment 7286375

View attachment 7286376

View attachment 7286377

vs the one currently available ...

Although the tones are different due to exposure, etc. I'm confident that the 'available' bass is the same as the one you ordered. attached is the available bass with the exposure and curves magnified. I would not let this rest. However, if you're happy with the Jetglo, fair enough.

Name the shop, though.

 

[Gunga Din]

Not the same bass and I can prove it

Go ahead. I'll wait.

 

[gln1955]

Not the same bass and I can prove it

I think we'll be waiting on that proof a long time.

 

[KenSmithFan]

My initial purpose was to help him get his bass back. And was surprised by the answer.

He’s a businessman. He got his money from DHL. Time is money, and every minute he spends on this is wasted time for him. It’s not surprising at all that he wants this whole thing to be dropped.

 

[yodedude2]

Just for the pleasure, here is MY Rickenbacker, and the strap I made for her.View attachment 7286396View attachment 7286397

personally, i prefer the looks of this one 8)

 

[ragetoca]

How come they have the exact same darker spot at the upper horn then? AND the exact same knot above the bridge? AND the exact same grain pattern of every other part of the bass, including the back.

I'd love to see your "proof".

Wood pattern looks to be the same but there are more discrepancies than similarities, not the same bass

 

[Theobald]

personally, i prefer the looks of this one 8)

Me too. I am happy with the outcome.

 

[Theobald]

Name the shop, though

No I won't, sorry. There is not enough proof of a misconduct from them, plus I don't know how litigious they might be...

 

[Makten]

Wood pattern looks to be the same but there are more discrepancies than similarities, not the same bass

Please point out those discrepancies. Do you think we are blind or stupid? It's obviously the same bass and you must have some sort of agenda trying to tell us it's not.

 

[ragetoca]

Please point out those discrepancies. Do you think we are blind or stupid? It's obviously the same bass and you must have some sort of agenda trying to tell us it's not.

 

[Theobald]

Please point out those discrepancies. Do you think we are blind or stupid? It's obviously the same bass and you must have some sort of agenda trying to tell us it's not.

Please don't be agressive it is useless.

I find ragetoca's message usefull. It shows how two people can perceive things differently and might explain why the original seller does not agree.

 

[ragetoca]

Please don't be agressive it is useless.

I find ragetoca's message usefull. It shows how two people can perceive things differently and might explain why the original seller does not agree.

I was just trying to give my opinion, I come from a wood working family, been in the shop and been around wood since I was a boy, again, just my opinion! good day mate

 

[2thAche]

If both basses were made by Rickenbacker at the same time period they may be made form the same tree and have very similar grain patterns. Without the serial number you can’t know.

Front and back of both wings? And the headstock?

 

[Makten]

For some reason I cannot quote "ragetoca", but I want to know why he's added an image of an other bass. He's trying to fool us for some reason. Is he the original seller?

 

[Not_Shane]

For some reason I cannot quote "ragetoca", but I want to know why he's added an image of an other bass. He's trying to fool us for some reason. Is he the original seller?

The two images he posted are from the OP's first post?

 

[Theobald]

For some reason I cannot quote "ragetoca", but I want to know why he's added an image of an other bass. He's trying to fool us for some reason. Is he the original seller?

These are the third pictures of each basses. He is not trying to fool us.

But the basses are not exactly with the same orientation. The angle of incidence of the light and the parallax can make a huge difference on the perceived object. That is my opinion as an optician (just a gentle joke @ragetoca, I absolutely respect your opinion, but still disagree )

 

[gln1955]

I was just trying to give my opinion, I come from a wood working family, been in the shop and been around wood since I was a boy, again, just my opinion! good day mate

You obviously don't come from a photography/digital imaging family. Those are the same bass shot under different lighting conditions and image processing.

 

[Makten]

These are the third pictures of each basses.

What do you mean? You posted these:

https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/s-l9602-jpg.7286377/

https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/111-png.7286379/

...which are showing the same bass. Now he's posting images that are either photoshopped or of other basses, because the right one has details that is obviously not the same (grain on the neck for example).
There is zero chance that two different basses have the same features that you showed initially, unless they have veneer on the top and bottom. Which I suppose Rickenbacker don't use on premium models.

Edit: I suggest you post ALL pictures in full resolution.

The two images he posted are from the OP's first post?

No, they are not. The left one differs also, which could be photoshop.

Edit 2: No, that one is the same I can see now. It's just that one version is grossly oversharpened, that introduced artefacts. I wonder where the right pic is from though. The OP didn't post it.

 

[Aussie Player]

Wood grain is a fingerprint.
Same bass. (Regardless of the bridge)

The only exception to this statement, was the photoflame years in the copycat market.

 

[Aussie Player]

You obviously don't come from a photography/digital imaging family. Those are the same bass shot under different lighting conditions and image processing.

A printer has the same skilled eyes for detail.