Rickenbacker 4005, rare model, any experts?

[Rick's Fine '52]

Hi, as some of you who know about me will be aware, i've been after a Ricky 4005 for a while now, and whilst trawling t'interweb the other day, I came across this, a 4005, with F-hole, like the Rose Morris guitars, a'la Lennon/Townsend etc.

I've never seen, or been able to find since seeing this pic, any reference to this model being made. I've seen the 'standard' 4005, with no binding; the 4005 WB, with binding to the back only, and the 4005 WB, with binding to front & back, and also, the super rare 8 string, wiggly headstock version, but never a Rose Morris version?

Anyone seen these before, or have any details?



Any help would be appreciated.

Ta

Rick

Edited September 18, 2012 by Rick's Fine '52

[iiipopes]

There's lots of them over at the RickResource forum:
[url="http://www.rickresource.com"]http://www.rickresource.com[/url]

[Sercet]

I remember one of these on ebay a few years ago. A Rickresource member was selling it.

[url="http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=203448"]http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=203448[/url]
[url="http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=403108&hilit=4005+export"]http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=403108&hilit=4005+export[/url]
[url="http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/4005fhole.html"]http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/4005fhole.html[/url]
[url="http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=110988"]http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=110988[/url]

[Rick's Fine '52]

Thanks guys, this is why i love basschat!, just been having a scan of those links, not as scarce as I first thought then, although still rare obviously, as they all are!

Problem now, is that will a normal slash hole 4005 be good enough!!

D'oh!

[mart]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1347977970' post='1807537']
Thanks guys, this is why i love basschat!, just been having a scan of those links, not as scarce as I first thought then, although still rare obviously, as they all are!

Problem now, is that will a normal slash hole 4005 be good enough!!

D'oh!
[/quote]
Couldn't you take a slash hole and then carve it into an f-hole?
Or would that change the sound ...

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='mart' timestamp='1348063614' post='1808723']
Couldn't you take a slash hole and then carve it into an f-hole?
Or would that change the sound ...
[/quote]

You could probably do the other way round, but the f-hole is much slimmer i think. I'm sure you wouldnt want to start butchering a £7k+ bass anyway!!

[4000]

I always preferred the slash hole anyway TBH.....

[Pow_22]

Theres a 4005 for sale over on Andy Baxter bass at the moment, my dream bass but beyong my current price range

Edited September 19, 2012 by Pow_22

[mart]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1348064126' post='1808741']
You could probably do the other way round, but the f-hole is much slimmer i think. I'm sure you wouldnt want to start butchering a £7k+ bass anyway!!
[/quote]
Yeah, actually, looking again at your pic, the f does look a lot slimmer than the slashes on my Rics. But since I never got the appeal of the 4005 and really never got the fetishising of the Rose Morris imported Rics, I probably would be only to likely to butcher such a bass if it fell into my hands

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Pow_22' timestamp='1348082737' post='1809117']
Theres a 4005 for sale over on Andy Baxter bass at the moment, my dream bass but beyong my current price range
[/quote]

I know, thats what prompted my research again in the first place, I think its a good price, and am considering it, I'm searching around to see what else is out there, when i stumbled across the f-hole version.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1348078691' post='1809037']
I always preferred the slash hole anyway TBH.....
[/quote]

Me too, I was just curious as to this model, as I hadnt seen it before.

[iiipopes]

Don't hold your breath waiting for RIC to "reissue" or take up production again of the model. Mr. JH doesn't seem to care for them, as he has compared the appearance of the upper bout to a certain active appendage of [i]Equus asinus,[/i] with the reference taking the vernacular tone in the present participle tense.

Edited September 19, 2012 by iiipopes

[Stacker]

That one up there is in very good condition. And they command stupid money, even the [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1967-RICKENBACKER-4005-BASS-made-in-USA-/170904542055?pt=Guitar&hash=item27cab45b67"]hatchet job[/url] on ebay Germany.

[Stacker]

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1348097857' post='1809430']
. Mr. JH doesn't seem to care for them, as he has compared the appearance of the upper bout to a certain active appendage of [i]Equus asinus,[/i]
[/quote]
Now, just [i]how[/i] would he know what one of them looks like? Interesting.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1348097857' post='1809430']
Don't hold your breath waiting for RIC to "reissue" or take up production again of the model. Mr. JH doesn't seem to care for them, as he has compared the appearance of the upper bout to a certain active appendage of [i]Equus asinus,[/i] with the reference taking the vernacular tone in the present participle tense.
[/quote]

Yes, I've seen letters from JH saying that whilst he appreciates a certain demand for many of their instruments, including the 4005, he doesnt expect it to make production again. Shame, but nevermind.

[Rick's Fine '52]

OK, finally decided to go for it, and bought one, picked it up on Tuesday. Not the F-hole version as i started this thread with, but a regular one (if there's such thing as a 'regular' 4005!), here it is;

[Highfox]

Congratulations, looks like a fine example.
If you get the chance to put any sound clips up of it, I'd be really grateful. Very curious.

[Stag]

That is the one from Andy Baxter isnt it... Nice purchase

[Godber]

Congratulations, that is a fab looking bass. Love it.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Stag' timestamp='1353834896' post='1878763']
That is the one from Andy Baxter isnt it... Nice purchase
[/quote]
[quote name='Godber' timestamp='1353840227' post='1878815']
Congratulations, that is a fab looking bass. Love it.
[/quote]

Thanks guys, it is stunning, a definite keeper this, and yes, it is the one from Andy's place.

[KevB]

That's just about the furthest relative distance between neck and bridge pickup you can get! nice looking basses, never tried one but was tempted on eBay several years ago, it was way beyond my budget even then though. I'll stick with my common or garden 4003.

[stoker]

I like the p/up spacing, should add to the tonal variations.

[Shaggy]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1353684876' post='1877461']
OK, finally decided to go for it, and bought one, picked it up on Tuesday. Not the F-hole version as i started this thread with, but a regular one (if there's such thing as a 'regular' 4005!), here it is;





[/quote]

Absolutely stunning bass - great score! I know you'd been looking for one for ages. Probably the only bass I feel any remaining GAS for, but waaaaaaaay out of my price league, even assuming I could find one......

I had an early '80's 360/12 guit*r for many years (basically the same body design, albeit with a shorter....ahem...."appendage" as the upper horn) - IMHO the most beautiful guitar ever built.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Shaggy' timestamp='1354043311' post='1881376']
Absolutely stunning bass - great score! I know you'd been looking for one for ages. Probably the only bass I feel any remaining GAS for, but waaaaaaaay out of my price league, even assuming I could find one......

I had an early '80's 360/12 guit*r for many years (basically the same body design, albeit with a shorter....ahem...."appendage" as the upper horn) - IMHO the most beautiful guitar ever built.
[/quote]

Thanks man, it is stunning, I can't stop looking at it. I love my fenders, and they are beautiful in their own way, and no-one loves a '52 Precision more than me, but I think the 4005 is one of the most visually stunning basses ever made. This example is near mint, and in my colour of choice, its a beaut, and a keeper for sure, its taken me many years to find the right one, so wasnt going to let it slip by, and its going nowhere! Happy man.