NancyJohnson Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I have some serious GAS for a Rickenbacker at the moment, but in a market flooded with fakes, I'm wondering, Ric owners, are there any identifying things I need to look out for to determine the possibility that I'm not about to pick up a faker? Anything I need to look for? P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 The Jack plate has the serial number on which can be checked over at Rickresource.com To be honest Rics are hard to copy properly and Rickenbacker restrict sales of parts quite heavily, it's very unlikely to come across a fake with ric parts etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) Here's the definitive article on spotting fake Rics. [url="http://www.joeysbassnotes.com/Fakericks.htm"]http://www.joeysbass...m/Fakericks.htm[/url] Some really good advice on there. The binding going under the bridge is often the tell tale indicator of a copy. Edited June 17, 2014 by simon1964 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Cheers lads. Bedtime reading! P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 [quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1403035446' post='2479142'] To wit, there are fakers out there, but not a lot of convincing ones. All the Chinese fakers look visually different from the real ones, most notably the placement of the bridge pickup in relation to the bridge and the pickguard. The body dimensions are usually altered as well. [/quote] Agreed. If, for example, you look at the bass in the Jolana D Bass thread, the pickups, pickup cover, bridge and inlays are not even meant to be direct copies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Broadly speaking, absolutely none of the current Rick copies look more than passingly like the real deal. Familiarise yourself with genuine tailpieces, pickups, tuners, pickup covers etc and you can spot a modern copy a mile off. As far as vintage MIJ, Korean, Brazilian & Italian copies are concerned, most of them are pretty easy to spot from the construction - Ricks don't have bolt-necks (apart from the double neck!) or single truss rods. There are only a couple of vintage Fakers that try to get the detals right, but Joey's Bass Notes, linked above, will show you what to look for. I should point out though that ALL the Japanese neck-throughs have the binding gap, exactly like the real thing - I think it's only the Italian Gherson that doesn't - but all the hardware's wrong on that. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 You'll know it's not a real one if it sounds good.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) Ive recently played a brand new Rockinbetter and 4003 and the differences are pretty easy to spot. When I bought my 4001 I PM'd members here for help with sales I was looking at. This keeps things in line with marketplace rules and also keeps the noses of the diddly-donks out with their 'constructive' comments. Get yourself up to that Londinium and make an appointment with Andy Baxter. He always seems to have a slew of vintage Rics in, even if you don't buy you'll get a feel for them and start to know what to look for. But, TBH I think it's pretty easy to spot a faker Edited June 18, 2014 by Billy Apple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsgbass Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 If you do buy, or are looking at a Ric from an authorized Rickenbacker dealer, and may be serious about purchasing that Ric, ask to see the Rickenbacker carton that the Ric Axe and case was shipped in from the Rickenbacker factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 [quote name='gsgbass' timestamp='1403103250' post='2479806'] If you do buy, or are looking at a Ric from an authorized Rickenbacker dealer, and may be serious about purchasing that Ric, ask to see the Rickenbacker carton that the Ric Axe and case was shipped in from the Rickenbacker factory. [/quote] Yup, from what I remember it says 'fragile - glass' on it. Which to a British courier means drop the box a few times to see if it goes crash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiipopes Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Seriously, ask for the serial number. Then you can check it on the factory website serial number aplet to make sure it is genuine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1403033216' post='2479114'] I have some serious GAS for a Rickenbacker at the moment[/quote] I know your pain, mate. I'm obsessed with the bloody things at the moment. Again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 It's been a very slow burn for me. Loved Steve Priest, Geddy, the punk thing...tonally great, visually nope. I'd even considered buying the guts of a 4001/4003 and putting it into something else. I borrowed one for about an hour and I was hooked, ALTHOUGH my Thunderbird obsession got the better of me, but I've decided it's now or never. Hopefully in a couple of weeks. Emails have been exchanged etc. p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1403375071' post='2482249'] It's been a very slow burn for me. Loved Steve Priest, Geddy, the punk thing...tonally great, visually nope. I'd even considered buying the guts of a 4001/4003 and putting it into something else. I borrowed one for about an hour and I was hooked, ALTHOUGH my Thunderbird obsession got the better of me, but I've decided it's now or never. Hopefully in a couple of weeks. Emails have been exchanged etc. p [/quote] From my memories I was convinced that Steve Priest had been a major Rickenbacker user, but on reviewing the Sweet on YouTube it seems that he was using a Jazz on most of the big hits both on TotP and live. Strange then that what sticks with me are the few times he used the Rickenbacker and the Longhorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 Well, I pulled the trigger and am now an owner of a 4003 in Jetglo. Gotta say I'm bowled over. Undoubted, that I'll use this constantly for the next couple of months and then go back to my Thunderbirds, but it's a nice backup option to have. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Great choice,Thunderbirds and Ricks are made for each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Bit of back ground and pics please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1404635140' post='2494235'] Well, I pulled the trigger and am now an owner of a 4003 in Jetglo. Gotta say I'm bowled over. Undoubted, that I'll use this constantly for the next couple of months and then go back to my Thunderbirds, but it's a nice backup option to have. P [/quote] I'm more of a Jazz bass/Stingray guy but I do use a 4003 for the occasional gig. It's a great bass to have in the line up, it just has that tone. Try and hang onto it once the initial newness wears off and bring it out for the odd special occasion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1404635140' post='2494235'] Well, I pulled the trigger and am now an owner of a 4003 in Jetglo. Gotta say I'm bowled over. Undoubted, that I'll use this constantly for the next couple of months and then go back to my Thunderbirds, but it's a nice backup option to have. P [/quote] Give me a shout if you get fed up with it, I'll have it off you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 Grainy phone pic from last Thursday night. I've removed the pickup cover and bought one of those bezel/filler thingies to make the rout look tidier. I've done a little tweaking to set it up more to my taste (lower action/pickups adjusted). Through the Sansamp it sounds pant-wettingly lovely. One other thing - I figured the strap lugs would come out easy so I could screw in some Dunlop Straploks. Wrong. The stock Rickenbacker lugs are Schaller compatible, so you can just get a set of these and just use the strap side parts. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.