Beedster, you are spot on with your observation with the strings not lining up with the pole piece on the pickups, this is a recent thing and to be honest it is laziness on whoever put that bass together, some say it does not matter if the string lines up or not, well i disagree i want my string right in the middle of the pole. and it is a simple thing to rectify, it should not be happening !!! full stop, and QC at Rickenbacker should be picking up on that, i emailed them myself . they are defo better now than they were 2 or 3 years ago, but i wouldn't buy one blind. I sold Paul Gray a really nice 77 maple 4001 a few months back and he was chuffed with it.