Should Of Been Rock Stars
THE RICK STORY
“The Rick” was a Rickenbacker model 4001 bass guitar.
Back in 1971, 72, there were 2 music stores in Hawthorne, CA that most musicians in the area hung out at. “Hogan’s House Of Music” and “Melody Music”. Our choice to frequent most was “Melody Music”
I used to stop at Melody Music every day to see what was new with instruments, check out the latest 45 RPM records, and get chords to songs from the sheet music that they sold.
One day when I went in, there it was on display, a brand new, shiny, fire engine red, bass guitar. It was a “Rickenbacker 4001”. I had never seen any guitar so beautiful! I immediately fell in love with it! The problem is they wanted $1200 for it. Hell, that was more than my car cost! There was no way I could afford it.
I would go in every day just to look at it and hold it in my hands. I hoped that nobody bought it and that it would still be there each day. I don’t remember how long this went on, but, one day, I went in to visit her, and she was gone. I was devastated. I thought someone had bought it and I would never see it again! I went to the store manager to inquire about it and he told me that the store had been broken into the night before, and that “The Rick” had been stolen! My heart sank. I was so depressed.
Well, I continued my routine of visiting the store just about every day, when one day, about a month later, the manager called me over to the counter and said “Dennis” “Remember the Rickenbacker?” I said “I will never forget it”! He said, “Well the police recovered it.” I said, with a big smile on my face, “Really? Was it damaged?” He replied, “No, not really. There’s a small ding in the head, but it’s hardly noticeable.” He reached down behind the counter and pulled up a guitar case, placed it on the glass counter top, and opened it. There she was! I got so excited! Then the manager asked, “Would you still like to buy it?” “Sure” I replied, “But I still can’t afford it”. He then told me that the insurance company had already paid the claim for the loss so he wasn’t out any money. “So”, he said, “I’ll let you have it at my cost, $800.” “Really!” I exclaimed. “I’ll take it!” I didn’t have $800, but the manager let me open an account so I could make payments. It was one of the greatest moments of my life!
I kept that guitar in immaculate condition for 25 years. In 2007, we ran into some bad financial luck when we moved to Texas, and though it broke my heart, I had to sell the guitar to pay the house payment one month. I took it to a vintage guitar shop in Austin, where they gave me $1500 for it. The way I look at it today is that “The Rick” returned my love by helping us out of a bind. I will always miss that guitar! Who knows, maybe we’ll be reunited some day!
Dennis Hageman