Since I first decided I wanted to have a Rickenbacker bass, years and year ago, I desired a white one, with black pickguard, TRC, and bindings. Since that time I bought and sold several Ricks. A mapleglo '76 4001, a jetglo '76 3001, a mapleglo '76 3000, a white '76 3000 and a '74 mapleglo 4005WB. All gone now. Some years ago I bought a very pretty '73 mapleglo 4001 from my friend Bert. It had all the desired features like chequered bindings, a toaster-pickup, wavy-tuners and full width inlays. I played that great sounding beauty, the MA 010, a lot with The La La Lies and you can see me with it in the Rickenbacker Bass Book.
But Bert wanted his baby back and he bought a bass some months after selling me the MA 010, which was also offered to me. This is a '78 and it has a great but not officially documented past. Paul McCartney's right handed roadie bought it new to soundcheck Macca's backline during the Wings days. After that it ended up in the famous London Abbey Road Studios, where it was used as a recording bass. Who knows on how many recordings this bass is...
After some thinking Bert and I did the swap today. He has his baby back, back where she belongs. I have the long desired white 4001. 'No regerts', as Stu Hamm would joke. It's more of a workhorse than the '73 with its fragile tuners and I love it. I just installed a so called treble bezel, a pickup surrounding with a built-in thumb rest. The Souldier strap is the finishing touch:)
I would not have done the swap, if it wasn't for Bert. He always regretted selling me the '73 and he just needed it back.
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