Rickenbacker 4001 copy, need help identifying it!!

[ashley699]

Hi all

I recently bought a Rickenbacker copy, i have no real idea what it could be, i knows its japanese and i think its a 1970's one. someone has hand written the "Rickenbacker" logo onto the headstock on put some sticky back plastic on it, i have since removed this and it is a plain truss cover so i have no idea. it does have a double truss rod though. Can anyone help?

Here the link with all the photos on: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url]

[Bassassin]

[quote name='ashley699' post='1051776' date='Dec 8 2010, 03:20 PM']Hi all

I recently bought a Rickenbacker copy, i have no real idea what it could be, i knows its japanese and i think its a 1970's one. someone has hand written the "Rickenbacker" logo onto the headstock on put some sticky back plastic on it, i have since removed this and it is a plain truss cover so i have no idea. it does have a double truss rod though. Can anyone help?

Here the link with all the photos on: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url][/quote]
Link's not working (got an Ebay item number?), but you've come to the right place. Twin truss rod means (if it's definitely Japanese) it was made by Matsumoku - none of the other MIJ copies have twin rods, and the only other twin-rod copy I've seen is an Italian- made Gherson.

I'll need to see pics to be able to tell you much more, though. There's actually a sticky thread in the Ebay section of the BC marketplace devoted to Rick copies - it's very likely the original listing for your bass was mentioned there already.

Jon.

[ashley699]

Hi Jon, Thanks for getting back to me.

The Item number is: 150524395000

if this doesnt work i will upload some pics that i have on my comp but they are of poor quality

[xilddx]

Wow!

Like like REAL proper copy! Stereo and everything.

I'd replace all the hardware with Hipshot I think.

Great buy!

[ashley699]

thanks, i love it to bits, had to walk through londons ice to get it late at night, well worth it. Its being setup by the guitar tech now, it had two screws missing out of the bridge which he has managed to get hold of and hes sorting out the bowed neck as well. I repaired the electrics myself cause they needed sorting out majorly.

The next bass i want is a 72 Jetglo with Checkerboard binding as its my dream but it will have to wait i think.

I have played a 1970's Shaftesbury copy which blew my mind at the time.

Just as a side point, what do people thing of Markbass? i used to have an Ashdown Mag210 with a 15" sub unit (which was a heavy bit of kit!) i now have a Markbass CMD121P and its out of this world i think.

[Bassassin]

Working link:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150524395000"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150524395000[/url]

This one did get discussed in the Rickenfakers thread - quite funny because I sent the seller a message telling him exactly what it was - which he largely ignored, because it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

Not sure why (apart from it not being an "Ibanez Lawsuit") because it's all good, in fact these are as good as bolt-neck MIJ copies got - and that's very good. The serial number looks like the same format as Fujigen - 1st letter = month, next 2 digits = year, remaining number = production number for the month. That's probably how this one works, this format occasionally pops up on Matsumoku instruments - anyway it would be the 2995th instrument made in February 1976.

The bass has a whole bunch of details which are exclusive to Matsumoku, and many are specific to their 4001 copies: twin rods; control position dots on the scratchplate; "Wavy" Grover copy tuners (these are much better quality than the originals) "Steel Adjustable Neck" neckplate, and that odd little bridge pickup, clearly designed to be out of sight under a cover. In the UK these were sold branded as Aria & Aria Pro II, plus several UK importer names, including Kimbara, Arbiter & CMI. In the US & elsewhere you find Matsumoku Rick clones branded as Greco, Univox, Electra, Westminster etc, but realistically this one's unlikely to have originally been a non-UK brand.

Very nice bass - please do post some pics when it's all sorted out & cleaned up.

J.

[xilddx]

[quote name='ashley699' post='1051851' date='Dec 8 2010, 04:26 PM']thanks, i love it to bits, had to walk through londons ice to get it late at night, well worth it. Its being setup by the guitar tech now, it had two screws missing out of the bridge which he has managed to get hold of and hes sorting out the bowed neck as well. I repaired the electrics myself cause they needed sorting out majorly.

The next bass i want is a 72 Jetglo with Checkerboard binding as its my dream but it will have to wait i think.

I have played a 1970's Shaftesbury copy which blew my mind at the time.

Just as a side point, what do people thing of Markbass? i used to have an Ashdown Mag210 with a 15" sub unit (which was a heavy bit of kit!) i now have a Markbass CMD121P and its out of this world i think.[/quote]
I like the sound of my Warwick through a Markbass head and cab, but it wasn't mine. I never use amps anyway. Always the POD into the PA for me.

[ashley699]

Thanks very much for the help, im glad i can now pin it down. I spoke to the guy about it and he said to me that someone had got in contact and told him stuff but he wasnt too sure. He is not a bass person, he just got it for what it looked like and i think it had been sitting there so long that it had become as noticeable to him as the wallpaper to be honest.

I think he found it odd that a 23 year old bloke turns up wanting to buy it though haha.

I read the thread, was quite helpful. The bridge pickup was not working cause the wire had become unsoldered in the link to the pot. Also some genius had undone the standard input at some point and put it back without the washer behind it and as such the jack wouldnt fit in, i have replaced the washer and fitted it properly and it works fine now. It was also filthy and has cleaned up very well, i have used a buffer and brought the chrome back to life.

Im trying not to replace anything on it that i do not have to as i like things to be kept as original as possible.

I should be getting it back tomorrow from the guitar tech, i will take some photos and post them for you to see.

Thanks very much Jon.