1968 RICKENBACKER 4001 BASS
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In 1968 most basses included a mono input jack plate, but after May an additional ric-o-sound stereo input jack was occasionally introduced. In 1968 the chrome pickup surround occasionally had very sharply squared corners.
1968 Ric 4001 features: cresting wave shaped headstock with walnut wings, Kluson riveted reverse tuners with flathead screws, logo on plexiglass truss rod cover, dual truss rods, full width maple neck through body design, full width triangle crushed pearloid fret markers, 20 frets, checkered binding, toaster shaped neck pickup, horseshoe bridge pickup with chrome surround, white pickguard, clear plexiglass thumb rest, heptagonal shaped knobs with silver top and black lettering, CTS potentiometers, cloth wiring, molded blue capacitors, pots cavity marking, 3 way pickup toggle switch, chrome "gaptooth" bridge assembly including mutes, Tolex silver case with blue interior or black Tolex case with pink or blue interior, literature.
The letters on the chrome input jack plate determine the year and month of production. The digits indicate the number of production. Some examples of 1968 Rickenbacker serial numbers are:
| HA xx | 1968 January |
| HB xx | 1968 February |
| HC xx | 1968 March |
| HD 84x | 1968 April |
| HE 100x | 1968 May |
| HF xx | 1968 June |
| HG xx | 1968 July |
| HH 132x | 1968 August |
| HI 141x | 1968 September |
| HJ xx | 1968 October |
| HK xx | 1968 November |
| HL xx | 1968 December |