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The Rickenbacker Club Part Eight

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#461
I would go with the 4001, Those white ones are very slick looking. There are some people who say the older ricks are a little more fussy and come with a few problems, but mine has been a real workhorse and the necks been straight as an arrow since i got it done over a year ago now. Also the older ricks tend to have thinner necks, which I prefer and years and years of mojo.
 
#462
I'd like to add that the finish is a fair bit tougher on the older basses.
The current clearcoat tends to be more fragile and somewhat softer.

I just added some mojo to my 2010 4003 at youth choir practice this evening courtesy of the rack ear on my DTR1000 tuner.
Oh well, it's supposed to be my gigging workhorse bass, so be it.
 
#464
Jaymi said:
older finish is thicker
Click to expand...

My 72 4001 definitely seemed to have a thicker and tougher finish than this new 2011 bass that had all the damage to the finish.

That 72 bass had a few small nicks on it when i bought it but it wasn't down to the wood. I think if a modern one got hit the same way it would have looked a lot worse.

Its really too bad that this new stuff they are using is so crappy in comparison.
 
#465
I don't know if you haven't just had a spot of bad luck GG7... I remember thinking the finish on my early 2004 Ric was really pathetic and was really impressed by the newer stuff because I was playing one and did a lot of the same things that caused scratches to the 2004, but nothing happened. Like hit the headstock against a ceiling fan, belt buckle, rivets, that sort of thing. I was like "Holy crap it's a tank now!" That was a 2011 I think. The finishing process can get messed up so who knows if yours just wasn't cured right.
 
#466
New 2013 fireglo just arrived ImageUploadedByTalkBass1366044974.192969.jpg
 
#469
JLY said:
A 2010 for $1500? If I was not going for the old one I would contact Wildwood or POTR and get a new one for $1500....but those older ones may be the ticket! And cheaper- you could easily get your money back on resale if a Ric is not for you....ps I love my new Ric!
Click to expand...

I checked both POTR and Wildwood and they are out of 4003's altogether, and I prefer the thinner necks. The 2010 (which sold right before I contacted the seller) came with a deluxe treble bezel and a Hipshot bridge (about $170 of stuff that I would have installed anyway).

I'm contacting the store with the white 4001 today and getting some more info on it. If it's in good shape, I think I'll bite. I figure if I like it, I'll put in a push-pull for the cap and have the best of both, but worst case scenario, I could easily make money back.
 
#471
Well, looks like I'm passing on the '78 4001. Neck is great and finish is acceptable (chipped in places, but it hasn't yellowed like many of the white 4001's), but someone routed out a spot for a 3rd jack, right next to the rick-o-sound.
 
#476
Mind Eroded said:
call em up and tell em you want 15% off. they have one of those sales going on right now but it will only work if you call them
Click to expand...

Yep all I did was call and when they gave me the $1850 price, I asked if that was the best price he could give me. He then said he could give me 15% off with free shipping which brought it to $1576.00
 
#478
thiocyclist said:
I don't know if you haven't just had a spot of bad luck GG7... I remember thinking the finish on my early 2004 Ric was really pathetic and was really impressed by the newer stuff because I was playing one and did a lot of the same things that caused scratches to the 2004, but nothing happened. Like hit the headstock against a ceiling fan, belt buckle, rivets, that sort of thing. I was like "Holy crap it's a tank now!" That was a 2011 I think. The finishing process can get messed up so who knows if yours just wasn't cured right.
Click to expand...

It sure hasn't been good luck Thio! lol! ;) Before this my only personal experience with a RIC bass was nothing but positive. I hated being forced to sell my 72 which I owned for over 10 years and loved it to death. Zero complaints on anything about it.

All these 2011s which came from MusiciansFriend were as you know all plagued by what can only be described as a factory finishing misadventure. I sure hope that the thickness in the finish of a normal 2011 to 2013 4003s is thicker than these three basses I received and personally inspected.

The finish was the thickness of household aluminum foil, and maybe a little thinner. It was also very brittle and the flakes I pulled off the body on the second one I received snapped easily between my thumb and forefinger. No flexibility at all. As brittle as a potato chip!
 
#479
GG7 said:
It sure hasn't been good luck Thio! lol! ;) Before this my only personal experience with a RIC bass was nothing but positive. I hated being forced to sell my 72 which I owned for over 10 years and loved it to death. Zero complaints on anything about it.

All these 2011s which came from MusiciansFriend were as you know all plagued by what can only be described as a factory finishing misadventure. I sure hope that the thickness in the finish of a normal 2011 to 2013 4003s is thicker than these three basses I received and personally inspected.

The finish was the thickness of household aluminum foil, and maybe a little thinner. It was also very brittle and the flakes I pulled off the body on the second one I received snapped easily between my thumb and forefinger. No flexibility at all. As brittle as a potato chip!
Click to expand...

Thickness is not the problem with the finish. Adhesion to the wood and/or brittleness of the finish are. Honestly, a thick finish would be sloppy and prone to many other problems.
 
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