Electra Rickenbacker Bass Copy

1976 Electra Corsair 2288. It's a cheap imitation of the Rickenbacker 4001 and has reproductions of (almost) all of the 4001 looks and features. 20 frets, 4 strings, 33.25" scale, bolt-on neck. Solid top, as far as I can tell (though the body is at lest two pieces of wood, perhaps more - same goes for the neck). Passive electronics: a toaster style neck pickup (6 poles, covered/shielded), and standard style recessed middle bass pickup with the sharp metal surround (4 screw poles, uncovered/unshielded). A 3 way toggle selector switch, and tone+volume for each pickup. Only one output jack (combined output), so no stereo or "ric-o-sound" output capabilities. Looks like standard type of Ric bridge and open frame tuners, but they're made of cast iron and don't work as well. I don't know what type of woods, but it seems awfully cheap and not properly aged - like it was cut down too soon and not dry enough before sealing/finishing. The body wood is so light so that the thing neck dives from the weight of the cheap tunes. Mine has transparent natural finish throughout, except painted black on the rear of the body, with a natural lacquered fingerboard (NOT rosewood - maybe maple?). Black triangle inlays, black pickguard, black trussrod cover, and white/black checkered binding around the body. Mine has had the the pickguard and trussrod covers replaced - I think they used to be white. Also not stock are the genuine rickenbacker knobs and pickup surround that I installed. Also tried a Hipshot replacement bridge and didn't like it. Oh, and there's a thumbrest.

Looks like a Rickenbacker 4001, but sounds nothing like a real one. I have a few to compare. The neck pickup is so low output that I can't clearly tell what it sounds like; seems to have a scooped midrange response with good detail in the low and high end (e.g. full bass and finger noises). Contrarily, the larger middle pickup has a healthy output and strong midrange punch, with much less low/high end response. Thanks to this middle pickup, and the naturally bright/clear/punchy characteristic of the instruments sound, you can get a nice aggressive sound. The aggressive quality is about the only thing it shares with a Ric, as the tone is completely different. My other complaint is that it's severely lacking in low end presence. Very difficult to produce a low E fundamental without EQ. A real Ric doesn't have these problems. Once I stopped wanting it to sound like a Ric, however, I started to really enjoy its own sound.

Again, it looks like a Ric, but certainly doesn't play/feel like one. The neck is flatter and wider and doesn't sit at the right height from the body, such that the bridge and pickups must always be adjusted to their lowest height to compensate. As such, there's fret buzz and not much room for action adjustment.

I didn't get it from the factory. Purchased from eBay via a second or third generation owner who had partially rebuilt the thing, and I've continued the job. The neck joint, control electronics (done exactly to Ric specs), jack, pickup surround, knobs, pickguard, and trussrod cover are all replacements.

There are definite flaws (e.g. previously mentioned, and the strings not being completely centered on the neck --> E is much closer to the edge than the G), and most seem to be inherent in the design/construction. Mine, however, has a unique flaw caused by one of the design flaws. Because the routed the pickup so close to the bolt on neck, there is almost no room to mount the neck and so it's sawed down real thin to go underneath the pickup and get shorted bolts. It barely makes any contact with the body. Thanks to this weakness, a previous owner snapped off the neck. It has since been dowled, drilled, and glued such that you can't tell, but it's not %100. Good enough for my studio playing, though. This accident could happen to yours!

Despite its handsome looks, I wouldn't use this bass live because of the neck joint vulnerability and the pickups acute ability to amplify lighting, ground hum, and other AC noise. It lives in my studio, always played sitting down. The hardware has lasted 32 years, with noticeable wear, and still works just fine. However, I suspect that the pickup magnets worked much better in decades past (they are now weak), and I can't speak for the control electronics (pots, switches, jack) because they're been replaced. Also, the frets are rather soft and have worn down significantly. The finish also has worn off on parts of the fingerboard, but is completely in tact everywhere else.

From what I can gather, Electra in the 1970s was just another Japanese clone brand based out of the Matsumoku factory. I think they went out of business in the late 80s and therefore customer support is now N/A. Though, I could be wrong... and that would be great! But if I'm not, then you're on your own with this brand, so beware.

I have been playing bass 13 years (mostly hard and extreme rock, some blues, hip hop and funk) and have owned or become familiar with a great variety of electric basses. I bought this Electra as a cheap way to get into the Rickenbacker look and sound, intending to play a lot of traditional funk and also some thrash metal (don't worry, not at the same time!). While it looks great and has a punchy tone of its own, I am quite disappointed with the overall frequency response and playability relative to my roommate's actual Rickenbacker and the other 4001/4003s that I've used. I wish it had proper height alignment of the bridge and neck. I wish it was capable of adequately producing a low E fundamental (40, or even 80Hz, and not just 160Hz!). I wish the neck joint wasn't so flimsy. Then maybe I'd consider keeping it or looking for another. Not recommended! Save up $ for the real thing, or perhaps try a Univox Ric copy - they're supposed to be better.

Probably made in late 70s, early 80s. Fireglo finish, neck-through-body, binding on body and neck. When I bought it it had a Rickenbacker truss rod cover on it, but it only had one truss rod. it also had Bartolini jazz bass pickups in it, crappy tuners, and a black pickguard. The guy i bought it from said it had once been owned by the bassist in the Ben Folds Five. i can't verify that. Univox, Hondo, Ibanez, Greco, Electra and who knows who else all imported Rickenbacker copies like this, but it looks like the one on the Electra website so I'll put it here. I'll also give a 4 for features when I found it and a 9 after i fixed it up.

This bass is actually a frankenstein of three different basses. some Chronology: The first bass was an early 70s Rickenbacker 4001 that I bought for $175 with bad refinishing, missing binding and a permanently warped neck. The action was terrible so i eventually replaced it with (2) a $175 bolt-neck 4001 copy of unknown orgin in which i then installed the bridge pickup from the first "real " 4001. i also added Schaller tuners and a Rickenbacker truss rod cover, just because it didn't have one. i then bought (3), the present "Electra," which I modified with the pickups and jack plate from the "real" Rick, the knobs, pots and bridge from the first "fake" Rick, plus the Schaller tuners and a new pickguard. The result? A bass that plays and sounds just like a classic Rick. I can get the same tones that Bruce Foxton got on the Jam's albums, or Mike Mills on early REM. It's not really good for blues or R&B, but that's why I have a Fender Jazz Bass. It's beetter to play it with a pick because there's no place to rest your thumb.

The action is great, which is good because I can't lower the bridge any farther. When I replaced the bridge i noticed that someone had moved it about 1/4" forward, which meant you couldn't use the understring mute because there was now no room for it. i figured someone moved the bridge for a reason and left it there. the person who installed the Bartolini pickups also drilled a hole through the back of the bass, but it's small and you can't see it from the front. Still, people ought to pay attention to what they're doing. It's probably a good idea to note that since it's a "parts" bass, the scores probably reflect just as much on my (limited) luthering abilities as much as on the quality of the original instrument, i.e., I build it to do what I wanted it to do, and someone else might disagree.

I've played it live for years, and it's never given me any trouble. I took the best bits of each bass, so it should hold up pretty well. there is a small crack between the fingerboard aand the neck on either side off the nut, but it doesn't look too serious. I'll keep an eye on it, though

Electra's gone, and Rickenbacker would probably prefer that i buy a new bass instead of maaking one out of parts. They did send me a new truss rod cover after i sent them the serial number from the "real" rick, so that was nice. i've heard it's a lot harder to get one now, though.

I've been playing about 17 years. I own a Fender jazz bass, a DeArmond Starfire, an Epiphone EB-0 and a Burns/Baldwin bass and play through an ampeg BR2 head and a 15" cab. i use this bass primarily for rock, since the jazz bass sounds better for blues and R&B. If i lost it I guess I'd have to go get an original Rickenbacker.

not shure when made probably around 1970 because it is the same as the real thein except for the bolt on neck and the electra logo on the trus rod cover insted of Rickenbacker. light natural finish top, and dark stained sides and back. four string fat maple neck with triangle inlays. white pickguard. two fat sounding humbuckers, missing metal pickup cover. very light weight. four knobs, two tone & two volume.

real nice fat and lots of thump. lots of output low noise. sounds incredable through a sunn colloseium 880 with 2 single 18" speakers. dislikes would be that the body is so light that the headstock falls down when playing. neck pickup sounds extremely fat and the bridge more low end than what you would think.

the action is horable but puting a shim under the neck leveled out the warp in the neck. the finish looks new and still shines. the hardwear is kind of pitted but it doesen't change the sound. frets are wearing but still plays fine. some of the frets have gloss finish on then so the gloss finish on the neck must have been put on after the frets were put on.

after i went through it is as reliable as it gets. someone had a strap button on the other side to play lefty but i took it off. the jack shorted out a lot. had to mess with the bridge for hours. putting shims under the neck to make it easier to play wasn't easy. some bonehead striped the truss rod. i have played it out before a few times and it hasn't failed me yet.

bought used

sounds incredable, plays fair, looks good, i like it.