'82-ish 4001s

[lowend1]

Hey all-
A friend of mine has decided to divest himself of his 4001s. I'm waiting on pics, but it is a white (yellowed) '82 with a changed pickup (original included) and OHSC. I see stores asking in the mid $2ks for most garden variety Ricks - sounds a little steep to me. What is reality on pricing for one of these?

[the mojo hobo]

Being as these days you can buy a brand new 4003S for around $1600, I'm guessing an 81 4003S isn't worth as much today as it was 3 years ago. (In the USA anyway)

I'd buy a new one before spending $1200 on an old 4001S, but that is just my opinion. I like the newer 4003 truss rod better.

[ilan]

An '82 4001S would have a glued-in neck and a large neck pickup rout, not a desirable feature. I'd be cautious.

[lowend1]

An '82 4001S would have a glued-in neck and a large neck pickup rout, not a desirable feature. I'd be cautious.

Really?! Ouch! Thanks for the info.
I thought they were all neck-through. Assuming you are correct on this, where do you feel that leaves him, in terms of resale value?

[ilan]

It depends on many things. For example, did the replacement pickup involve extra routing?

Old Rics sell, and he will undoubtedly find a buyer.

[lowend1]

I don't think any routing was done. Looks like a straight up swap.

[Jeff Scott]

What era (and DCR) is that toaster?

[lowend1]

What era (and DCR) is that toaster?

Don't know. He got the bass with the pickup already swapped in.
BTW, the SN dates the bass to June '81. He says he bought it in 1984. Barely been used since then.

[lowend1]

Just an update - my friend sold the 4001S to GC. They gave him $1400. I wandered in the next day and it was hanging on the wall, priced at $2200. I said to the guy behind the counter, "This is a set-neck instrument, right?". He said he didn't know, but that I should talk to the tech, who had opened it up to inspect it. The tech was tied up with another customer, and I had to leave - I'm going to try and follow up today. I wonder if they will be honest - based on what you guys have said, $2200 sounds like it's either aimed at the uninformed, or GC is uninformed.

[gearHed289]

sounds like it's either aimed at the uninformed, or GC is uninformed.

Yes and yes.

[chromium]

I'm kind of surprised GC gave HIM 1400 for it - doesn't give them much of a margin.  Good deal for him, though.

I sold my longtime 78 run-o-the-mill MG 4001 for around 1700 a few years ago... and that took a few months.
At the time I saw a number of dealers asking 2-2.2 for similar stuff, but I assumed they were leaving themselves ample room for negotiation.

[leftybass]

An '82 4001S would have a glued-in neck and a large neck pickup rout, not a desirable feature. I'd be cautious.

I certainly bow to your personal experience, but having gigged my lefty '82 4001S for hundreds of shows over the last 2 decades with zero problems whatsoever, I've got to disagree with your reply.

[ilan]

Certainly not all or even most of them have problems, but it was John Hall who mentioned in the past that some of the set-necks with neck pickup rout were structurally less stable, or something to that extent, I can't remember his exact words.

[gearHed289]

I think it's more about perception. When people want a Ric, most WANT a neck through. But that doesn't mean there's necessarily anything WRONG with a set neck. It wouldn't be a deal killer for me if I liked everything else about the bass, though I've never personally tried one.

[Paul Boyer]

There are probably some Rick owners out there who may not even realize that the Rick they have is NOT a neck-through. From mid-1972 to the early '80s, all the Rick 4000 and 4001S models were set (glued in) neck construction. Of course, the hollow-body 4005 were set neck as well.

And how many know that Rickenbacker made several "bolt-on" neck models? The "budget" 3001 and short-scale 3000 were bolt on (wood screws, really), as were all of the 2030, 2050, 2020, 2060, 2030GF Glenn Frey, and the double-neck 4080 models. Much more in the book.