Old 1963 4001 Sweetie!?

[D. Rusnak]

A fellow work mate brought in his yellowing maple 4001 Rick bass with
checkedboard trim, "4001" on the plastic "Rickenbacker" headstock cover,
serial # "CB nnn" (nnn = some digits) on the mono jack input plate, and
with the original tuners, pickups and pickguard replaced with newer
stuff. There's a repaired crack near the headstock for the headstock
points in a bit too much making the strings want pop out of the grooves
in the nut. The neck is straight, it plays great, it's light weight and
the body/neck feel good. It's a one piece neck thru the body. One can
see the lines in the wood where the original larger bridge pickup plate
and larger pickguard once were. All this supports the "CB" which would
make it a 1963 February. She surely was once a real "sweetie". With
the missing original hardware and the possibly "serious" repaired crack
near the headstock it's going to be difficult to determine what it's
worth. Any ideas?

[g***@comcast.net]

Without seeing it, it would be difficult to guess. Do you have any
pictures? Detailed pictures of the issues would be helpful. Also, John
Williams over on the RIC forum would be the guy. Just on what you have
said I would think less than 1K. If it were mint, perhaps up to 4K.

Greg

[Bob]

Post by g***@comcast.net
Without seeing it, it would be difficult to guess. Do you have any
pictures? Detailed pictures of the issues would be helpful. Also, John
Williams over on the RIC forum would be the guy. Just on what you have
said I would think less than 1K. If it were mint, perhaps up to 4K.
Greg

Greg, surely you jest. If it were a 1963 4001 in mint condition, it
would be worth tens of thousands of dollars. A near-NOS example sold
for $25,000 last year. Even in its present beat condition, if it's a
genuine '63 it is worth $2K at minimum.

[j***@aol.com]

The truss rod cover would have been a replacement too if the model
number was on it.

Post by Bob

Post by g***@comcast.net
Without seeing it, it would be difficult to guess. Do you have any
pictures? Detailed pictures of the issues would be helpful. Also, John
Williams over on the RIC forum would be the guy. Just on what you have
said I would think less than 1K. If it were mint, perhaps up to 4K.
Greg

Greg, surely you jest. If it were a 1963 4001 in mint condition, it
would be worth tens of thousands of dollars. A near-NOS example sold
for $25,000 last year. Even in its present beat condition, if it's a
genuine '63 it is worth $2K at minimum.

[g***@comcast.net]

Post by Bob

Post by g***@comcast.net
Without seeing it, it would be difficult to guess. Do you have any
pictures? Detailed pictures of the issues would be helpful. Also, John
Williams over on the RIC forum would be the guy. Just on what you have
said I would think less than 1K. If it were mint, perhaps up to 4K.
Greg

Greg, surely you jest. If it were a 1963 4001 in mint condition, it
would be worth tens of thousands of dollars. A near-NOS example sold
for $25,000 last year. Even in its present beat condition, if it's a
genuine '63 it is worth $2K at minimum.

Well, maybe 1K was low, but is has seroius issues. Restoration almost
always devalues instruments. If it were original, and only had the
neck break, then maybe the 2K-4K you are thinking. As is, with all
these issues its not that desireable. Anyone getting it would have to
spend plenty to get it back to original, and it would still never be
the same as an original. Really too bad someone hacked it. Mint, it
could be anyones guess how much. Prices for mint stuff is getting
crazy.

[Scott McDaniel]

Post by g***@comcast.net

Post by Bob

Post by g***@comcast.net
Without seeing it, it would be difficult to guess. Do you have any
pictures? Detailed pictures of the issues would be helpful. Also, John
Williams over on the RIC forum would be the guy. Just on what you have
said I would think less than 1K. If it were mint, perhaps up to 4K.
Greg

Greg, surely you jest. If it were a 1963 4001 in mint condition, it
would be worth tens of thousands of dollars. A near-NOS example sold
for $25,000 last year. Even in its present beat condition, if it's a
genuine '63 it is worth $2K at minimum.

Well, maybe 1K was low, but is has seroius issues. Restoration almost
always devalues instruments. If it were original, and only had the
neck break, then maybe the 2K-4K you are thinking. As is, with all
these issues its not that desireable. Anyone getting it would have to
spend plenty to get it back to original, and it would still never be
the same as an original. Really too bad someone hacked it. Mint, it
could be anyones guess how much. Prices for mint stuff is getting
crazy.

Like the price for a mint 2001 Sea Foam 4001 V 63?

[D. Rusnak]

I haven't been able to get any pics of the bass from the owner. Thanks
for all the response and input. If something comes up I'll let you
know.

With all the hardware missing, except the input jack plate, and with the
repaired broken/cracked neck, I'd estimate $2000 to $3000 only because
it IS a 1963, unless you find a collector who really wants it. IMHO, in
a practical sense and in the state that it is in, it is a cool good
sounding and playing working bass. Why bother to attempt to restore it?

Vintage Ricks, in general, have finally seemed to pick up in value since
2000 for back in the 1990s one could get $1500 for a 1967 Rick-12
string, for example, when a new one cost about the same.

Post by D. Rusnak
A fellow work mate brought in his yellowing maple 4001 Rick bass with
checkedboard trim, "4001" on the plastic "Rickenbacker" headstock cover,
serial # "CB nnn" (nnn = some digits) on the mono jack input plate, and
with the original tuners, pickups and pickguard replaced with newer
stuff. There's a repaired crack near the headstock for the headstock
points in a bit too much making the strings want pop out of the grooves
in the nut. The neck is straight, it plays great, it's light weight and
the body/neck feel good. It's a one piece neck thru the body. One can
see the lines in the wood where the original larger bridge pickup plate
and larger pickguard once were. All this supports the "CB" which would
make it a 1963 February. She surely was once a real "sweetie". With
the missing original hardware and the possibly "serious" repaired crack
near the headstock it's going to be difficult to determine what it's
worth. Any ideas?