The Twelfth Fret in Toronto have a 1987 4003 Tuxedo available if anyone's interested.
https://www.12fret.com/instruments/rickenbacker-4003-tuxedo-white-star-bass-1987/
Price is shown in Cdn dollars which converts to approximately $2,950.00 US.
TD
(https://www.12fret.com/wp-content/gallery/ric-4003-tuxedo-whitestar-1987-cons/cache/ric-4003-tuxedo-white-1987-cons-full-front.jpg-nggid0526197-ngg0dyn-845x0x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg)
Nicely yellowed.
10 years ago collectors would kill for one. Now, not so much.
If I had a yellowed Tux I'd have it restored in non-yellowing bright white. That's the only all-original collector guitar I'd consider refinishing.
Here is a Paul Wilczynski refin
(https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/rrf-07-jpg.315480/)
Still not a fan of the fat horns.
You probably just need to view it on your T.V....
I wonder if the W-ski refin was fine from some years ago. In my experience with THREE of these, no refin artist likes to deal with any white refin. They all whine how difficult it is because you must be so careful not to let a sneaky hair or bit of dust find it's way to the body after any coat. It ties up the negative pressure work station. They all told me they would never do one again.
Even Joel who did my last one, a true work of art in every way.
https://kennebecinstrument.com/bringing-life-back-to-a-rickenbacker-tuxedo-bass/
Quote from: Happy Face on April 15, 2020, 04:42:03 PM
I wonder if the W-ski refin was fine from some years ago. In my experience with THREE of these, no refin artist likes to deal with any white refin. They all whine how difficult it is because you must be so careful not to let a sneaky hair or bit of dust find it's way to the body after any coat. It ties up the negative pressure work station. They all told me they would never do one again.
Even Joel who did my last one, a true work of art in every way.
https://kennebecinstrument.com/bringing-life-back-to-a-rickenbacker-tuxedo-bass/
That was quite a wild ride! I'm surprised that the fretboard was possibly a replacement, as the small black dot inlays are accurate for a Tuxedo. I'm not sure how RIC applied a solid white finish over these inlays, then worked to reveal them through the white lacquer.
I quite liked the naked Tux look, but the wayward fretwork geometry would bother me.
As for the bass in the OP, I can't believe that a previous owner decided to stick a Fender-style thumb rest over the neck pickup.