Rickenbacker 4001

Alright, this is a 1977 4001 that I picked up used for $400 CDN. The main reason for the bargain price was the fact that the headstock had been cracked (snapped may be a better word) and screwed/glued back together. After visiting it a couple of times and spending a few hours trying it out, it seemed like the action and intonation were still good, so I picked it up. Rickenbacker 4001? Four hundred dollars? How could I go wrong?

Eight years later, I still consider it a fantastic investment. I've had some work done on it, but haven't had any real problems. Yeah!

It's got the classic Rickenbacker versatility - from a deep, dark, clear punch to a snarly growl. I've used it with a number of different amp heads, with a wide variety of results. The most interesting is my little 30-watt Lancer Little Rock tube head. With the "bright" knob pulled out, this bass wails out Cliff Burton "Anesthesia" tones without even needing my wah pedal.

Depending on the setting, I may or may not get some hum from the pickups. Even at its worst, it's never overwhelming and is pretty much par for the course for single-coils, as I understand.

I've had some work done on the bass; like others here I won't touch it myself but instead take it to a professional. As noted above, the headstock was broken and pieced back together. I've had a couple of luthiers examine the instrument, shrug and say that the repair doesn't seem to have affected it in the least. For a long time I had some minor buzz around the fifth fret, although raising the action a hair and having the frets recrowned basically took care of that (being a 4001, this bass was never designed for roundwound strings).

I like my action low, but had to raise it a bit to eliminate the buzz. No big deal to me; I've adapted.

The neck tends to move around a bit with the seasons, but that's nothing out of the ordinary (particularly in Manitoba where the seasons are so pronounced: from +40C to -40C in a matter of months). I generally have a full set-up done twice a year, in late spring and late fall.

It should also be noted that nothing short of a nuclear explosion seems to knock this bass out of tune. I can tune it, then play it for days on end, leave it sitting for a week, and the tuning will still be dead on.

It was built in 1977. The headstock was broken and rebuilt. It still plays and sounds great. Do I need to say any more?

I've never dealt with RIC by phone, but I've ordered a few parts from them through their website and never had any problems - delivery was prompt and they got the order right, too!

I'm seriously considering investing in a new 4003, and stumbled across this website while doing some preliminary research. Based on what I've read, people's experiences with RIC are all over the board, although it seems like there are more satisfied people than not. My 4001 is fantastic, considering that it is now 27 years old and has obviously taken more abuse than most. If I can get a 4003 with the same quality and durability, I'll be one happy camper...

Classic Rick 4001 purchased new in 85'. I bought the bass simply because of Geddy Lee. Heard him play one and coughed up $900.00. Simple as that. My bass was black with white pick guard. It came with Rick hard shell case. A nice set up for the money. You know the features. Dual pickups with distinct Rick sound. Rush bass tone a mystery? It was Rickenbacker and/or Fender! Plus Rickenbacker was the only bass maker to have stereo inputs. Not familiar? Listen to any
Man-o-war tracks and indulge yourself in a real stereo bass players illusion. Joey Dimaio rips a pick on a Rickenbacker through stereo amps.Warning: sounds as if it's a guitar! In-fricken-credible!

This bass sounded great as with anything you just handed over large bills for. Quality for days......

Perfect workmanship!

100% American! Enough said.............

N/A

I have played for 21 years. Not good, just play. I have owned many basses. Some, American made such as the Rick, Peavey, Fender and G&L. I must admit the Rick has the reputation and nastalgia of a true American bass. However, I traded it because of two main issues. The bass was too heavy for me (sack of bricks) and the pickup guard over the bridge pickup was in the perfectly, wrong place. I play with fingers only and rest my thumb on the neck pickup. This was in direct contrast to the location of the chrome pickup cover. I had no room to perform my Steve Harris imitations. Not wanting to take away from the beautiful bass, I left the guard on and traded it. It may just be me, but why complicate life. Play the originals, Fender and Ampeg!

Its a 75 4001...Need i say anymore? Made in California USA, this 20 fret 4 string bass would be any bass players dream! With 2 volume and 2 tone controls, uve got complete control over your sound! An all maple solid body and neck with beutiful inlays on the fret board! Plus i got the origianl hard case...BEAT THAT! And lets not forget teh Rick-O-Sound, i tried that bad boy feature just a week ago, not only will you get THE clearest best sounding bass possible...you will have bass playing friends relitave or even people int he croud, DROOLING over what ur holding in your hands!

Now we all know about Rickenbackers famous ring! Although the sound of this bass could never be douplicated, i have to agree, its not as versitile for all the types of music a GOOD bass player should be familiar with. Its not the greatest for deeper Regee type music, but if u wanna rock out on it there is no better bass!Right now im using a beutiful Ampeg that makes the guitar sound like something from heaven! Although this bass is the most beutiful thing ive ever heard, when your pouring yourself out on stage, its really embarassing to hit the toggle switch undernethe the back pickups and go straight to pure treble...

well teh only problems ive ever had wiht this bass is the treble tone adjustment knob came loose...but that is an EXTREMELY easy fix, anyone with a brain and a flat wrench can fix it! But the cover over the back pickups...not only was it annoying and ugly, but a bitch to get off...but once it was off, it still looked like no other! The finish ont his bass still looks like it came stright off the floor, mint condition, no chips nothing!it gleams like no other!

I was playing at a frinds house and droped it (luckily on very think carpet!!!!!) but not a chip dent or scratch on the thing, i would play a gig with this guitar no backup needed, its rock solid body and neck are almost indestructable!

Ive never had to call Rickenbacker so seriously i wouldnt knwo, this is a well built guitar that will rarely if not NEVER need any repairs.

Overall this is a better guitar than any other...i literaly SOLD my P-Bass cause i had no more needfor it...this would be the perfect item for any great players collection!
But i am having problems with my pickups, my strings keep touching them if im not carefull, and im scared to raise the bridge in case of striping or breaking something. I u have any hints or tips PLZ e-mail me!

My 4001 was made in August 1973 - i recently bought it used.

You all know what a Ricky 4001 is so i wont bother with ALL the details........ The control layout of 3 way selector plus volume and tone knob for each pickup is to me the best layout of any bass.

As Rickenbackers bass design is so different from everything else, i have given its features a 9, as its a unique design that does what it is meant to. Execpt that darn bridge. Looks cool - what what a piece of sh*t. And the bass cut cap. Equally sh*t..and dont even start on those truss rods! And,,,,that pickup cover! :( hmmm

Mine has a Jetglo (black) finish which has developed a slight green tint due to the ageing of the varnish - also the white binding is now a nice puss yellow colour.

This 4001 is of particular interest as its probably part of the last batch to be fitted with the "toaster" neck pickup.

Rickenbackers have such a distinctive sound - you can usually pick it out on a record. No joke. It has such personality that its not really usable in many styles of music - particularly something like reggae/dub, where the fat dark tones of a Fender Precision are far more suitable. But for crunchy rock and roll there is no substitute.

The older Rickys like this one have underwound pickups - that is they have less output and mid thump, but a greater "bark" and clarity than the modern 4003's. The bass sounds amazing in the mix but on its own is way too clanky. The pickups detect WAY more overtones and string noise than most.

The pickups are single coil but are suprisingly quiet. The only problem these old 4001's have as far as sound is the stupid bass cut cap fitted to the bridge pickup. The idea is that the neck pickup provides the full bass sound, whilst the bridge pickup ONLY picks up treble. The problem here is that the neck pickups never have enough output (especially if like mine you have a toaster pickup). Once this capacitor is removed and replaced with a run of wire, the bridge pickup is loud and meaty and totally wins over the neck pickup.

These basses CAN play great, they have very low action due to their thin necks and small frets. Im good at repairing/setting up guitars tho, so my opinion is biased.

The wood is top quality maple - the neck through construction is great.

The finsihes are supreme.
Now to the flaws:

?Truss rods. Awful. Need to often be completely rebuilt. If you attempt to adjust those dual truss rods like any other bass, you will chew up the nuts/threads, the nuts will lock against the wood and you cant get the wrench on them. The fretboard will separate from the neck!! AAARGH!!!! Thankfully this is all avoided if you know what your doing.

? bridge. 4001's of this era have the brisge positioned wrong. So all the saddles must be moved all the way back to acheive correct intonation. On mine, i had to file down the E to allow further backward travel. Also the bridge plate snaps backwards thus ruining your setup. This is corrected by wedgeing screws under it.

?The back ends of the tailpieces curl upwards after years of string pressure. They still are stable and work,but hmmmm

? That thing over the strings atop of the bridge pickup is so annoying. Yes your left with a gapping hole but TAKE IT OFF!!!

These basses perform well and are solid as a rock.

However you need to know about them in depth to adjust them correctly to get them right. If you cant be bothered dealing with as these issues get a 4003.

Ive never owned a new one so N/A

Unbeatable look/sound/vibe

But the non standard features and adjustments let them down. Nice that RIC has now addressed most of these issues

This is a late sixty's ric 4001 built in the US. It has twenty frets and four strings. This bass was given to me by mt father who was in a band and bought it used in the early seventies. The bass is all original except for the bridge pickup cover, which was removed because it was ugly.

I have never played a bass which sounds better. I have searched extensively for a bass that can match this one, however they just don't make them like they used to. It's highs are phenomenal, I love it but lower tones are kind of hard too achieve. I don't regularly use the neck pickup, but i think that the reasom for low tones being difficult to attain is that i am running it through a 15w guitar amp.

This bass is imaculate. It is probably about thirty-five years old and it is still mint stucturally and electronically. The only flaws are cosmetic and that is because it has been in and out of every bar in New York. This bass is so sturdilly built that when my strap broke at a friends house, it dropped to the floor and left a dent in his hardwood floor without any damage whatsoever to the bass. Try that with a p-bass.

I can describe how sturdy this bass is with one word. Maple. I would play it without a backup. The only problem that i have with it is that after a few hours of playing, the strap buttons become loose. However, these are just screwed back in without dificulty.

This bass is so well built that i never had to use customer support. However, as a thank you to those over at Ric for building such a great instrument, i will give them, a 10.

I have been playing for four years, i don't own any other basses, if it were stolen, i would hunt the culprit down to the ends of the earth and introduce it to the terrible world of pain. I love everything about it, i hate nothing about it, and my favorite feature is the fact that it has been built and i have had the opportunity to own and use such a fine instrument.

The same as it's always been.

Nothing else sounds like it. This is the model that is responsible more than any other that RIC ever made for the Rickenbacker bass sound that became part of 60's and 70's classic rock. The 4003 is similar, but the neck was strengthened to handle heavier strings. The sound changed somewhat. Nothing else sounds like the 4001/4003 bass. It's a good sound, but it's not the most versatile bass sound in the world. This bass is a "must have" for cover bands wishing to emulate certain rock groups. Paul McCartney, Geddy Lee, and Chris Squire are just three that used this bass extensively to great effect. However, I expect a great bass to cover lots of territory, and the 4001 falls a bit short compared to numerous other basses that have a wider range of tonal capability. In this respect it is like a P-bass, only different sounding. I'll give it 8 for the sake of nostalgia. It mates very well to that bastion of 70's bass amp tone, the Ampeg SVT. It also mates extremely well with Eden amplification, but what good bass doesn't? For modern bass players, there are far more versatile basses, unless you just want to be different from the crowd. I prefer the 4004 for more modern tone, as long as a more bassy character is what you want. Do not mate the 4001 with a bright toned amp, or your sound can get wiry and irritating. You buy this bass because nothing else sounds like it.

Rickenbacker finish is usually well done and very durable, since they use conversion instead of faster finishing methods like lacquer, polyester, or polyurethane. The action is usually where it suffers. John Entwistle said he didn't use them because he felt the necks were weak, and I must agree. RIC tapers the neck in width, but not in thickness. It is a thin neck to begin with, so any lack of strength in the wood or failure to keep the neck almost straight with frequent truss rod checks and adjustment will often result in too much bow near the heel of the neck where the stress is greatest. That is why a large percentage of Rickenbackers cannot achieve low action without fret buzz up near the nut, or else the action is very high above the 8th nut or so. Keep the truss rod adjusted and never use heavier than medium strings.

It seems to do OK, except for the neck that bears watching closely. I put medium light strings on my to protect the neck.

RIC is not many people's favorite company for customer service.

This bass works best in a music style that lets the piano like ring and midrange growl work to best effect. What is does it does well, like a P-bass. To cover a wide range of music, I would rather use my Spector NS-2 bass. I keep my Rick bass around for special use.

I own 2 4001's. A 1980 and a 1963 model. It is interesting to see the evolution of the 4001 by comparing these two basses. They have the same basic body shape and are both bound. The '63 has checkerboard binding on the body while the '80 is done in solid white. The headstocks are similar in shape but the '63 is about 1 inch longer and perhaps 1/2 inch wider than the '80. The '80 has the standard humbuckers and the '63 has a toaster at the neck and a horseshoe in the treble postion. The '80 has standard and stereo outputs where the '63 is mono only. Rick-o-sound was available in '63 but as a special option. It did not become standard until some time after '64. Both are made primarily of maple but the '63 has walnut wings on the headstock and the '80 has a narrow walnut stripe down the center of the body. The '80 is Autumnglo and the '63 is Fireglo. Both have rosewood fingerboards. The '80 has orangish fingerboard while the '63 has a very dark brown one. The fret markers are triangular on both but the '63 has the crushed pearl type that go from edge to edge on the neck. The '80 has the standard (glass?) markers that sit well inside the rectangle of the fret. The '80 has an updated version of the tailpiece featured on the '63. The adjustable mute is present on both tailpieces which are similar but I don't think the parts are interchangable. The '80 comes a lot closer to playing in tune but the intonation error on the '63 is too small to notice most of the time. The tuners are nearly identical. The posts of the '80 are slightly larger in diameter and are surrounded by a plastic grommet. The posts on the '63 are surrounded only by the wood of the headstock. Both instruments stay in tune for weeks on end. The necks differ greatly. The '63 has a very-very thin neck. Not narrow but thin. The '80 is at least half again as thick. The headstock-neck joint on the '63 is very fragile looking and I suspect it would not take much of a shot to break it clean through. The '80 has a much more robust construction. The frets seem to be unchanged over the years.

Despite the differences in electronics, these basses are remarkably similar in the sound department. The old pickups are surprisingly hot. Both basses have that classic Rickenbacker growl and they can also produce rich, warm tones. The '63 is a bit warmer and deeper perhaps because it does not have the extra tone capacitor and because the strings run closer to the pickups (about 3mm closer). The '80 is dead silent when not being played but the '63 has a small hum that is probably due to old electronics or a sloppy rewiring job. The horseshoe pickup is a bit if a challenge to adjust in that when lowered to move the pole pieces away from the strings the top part of the horseshoe magnet gets closer to the top of the strings. The gap between the magnet and the polepieces is a bit narrow. The strings will rattle against either the polepieces or the magnet if not adjusted properly. The horseshoe produces a strong, growly tone ala Squire more so than the under-string pickup of the 1980. The only problem is that the horseshoe magnet gets in the way. Though I pluck in many places, the sweet spot on the 4001 is right over the treble pickup which is not reachable on the '63.

I bought both basses used so I inhertited the setups. Both have good action with the '63 being a bit faster because of the very thin neck. The Fireglo on the '63 is amazingly bright after 40 years but there are obvious signs of fading here and there. Red pigments don't hold up well to UV. Autumnglo from the '70's/'80s is a matte finish that will gloss up in places where it is touched often. I can take it or leave it. The color is nice though.

The '63's thin neck appears to be quite fragile. I understand that Chris Squire snapped his headstock off once and had it repaired by the factory. This does not surprise me as the wood under the nut is only about half as thick as that of the '80. I would take the '80 anywhere but the '63 is better off at home. Both are as solid as any other Rick I have ever played. The strap buttons on both basses are the typical knurled-head machine screws that Rickenbacker has used forever. They are very solid and not likely to come loose or break. I almost never have to adjust the trusses on the '80 and I have not had the '63 long enough to know all of it's seasonal tendancies. Would I gig them without a backup? Yes.

I have had several pleasant dealings with Rickenbacker but none regarding these basses.

I have been playing nearly 25 years. Though I don't gig anymore I enjoy collecting guitars and playing when I can. I have 3 other Rickenbacker basses and one guitar in addition to 2 old Ibanez guitars and a Gibson acoustic. I use a Laney BC75 amp for bass and guitar though I plan to buy a real guitar amp some day. I have always loved the sound of the Rickenbacker bass. McCartney, Squire, and Lee have really showcased the tonal range and qualtiy of these wonderful instruments. Granted, they are not for everyone but for me they are a perfect fit. I have owned a few Fenders ( which I loved) and quite a few other Ricks. Some day I would love to own a older Gibson Thunderbird bass.

Ok, This is an 81 Rickenbacker (USA) I bought on 2nd hand, a 4 string bass guitar. It has the so called Rick-o-sound wich means that you can plug it into 2 amps and get a stereo sound. I've used that once, and think it's not worth it...you can check the rickenbacker online so you get all it's other features. mine is on natural color and it's really beautiful, I'm a rickenbacker fan and this one it's in a really good shape. the best sounding I've ever heard.

I play Rock mostly with this bass using an ampeg B2, and I must tell ya, if your into rock this bass sounds amazing, just couldn't be happier. I'm happier with it day after day. It is really a rock bass, but if you want variety then this is not for you. You have to play it the way it is suposed to play, rock and that's it. I've bought it a couple of months ago and I haven't been into the studio, but on stage it's brilliant!

It's action is really great. It's really easy to play it but you've got to play it well cause you hear everything..the finish is great it's a really "hand made" bass guitar, I just would like to raise or low a bit more the neck pickup, but it's not a big issue...ohh it's a bit noisy I have to solve that...

This is an 81 bass, and it's perfect, the hardware is pretty solid, and It seems that I can depend on it...just bought it 2 months ago so can tell you much.

Haven't used.

I've been playing for 6 years now with a Cort, and for a few I had this bass in my mind, i'm from portugal, and it's quite hard to find it here even in 2nd hand, so maybe I paid a little high value for it in britain compared to the US prices, but It was a lifetime buy, do I don't care. I'm still in heaven with it, I just love it playability and mostly it's sound and it's look as well. Wouldn't own 2, cause one is enough to me but if I were stolen I would cry and get another one as soon as possible!

I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF A 1978 4001 NATURAL MAPLE RICKY.
NEED I SAY MORE?
IT IS A TIMELESS PIECE WITH A RANGE OF SOUNDS LIKE NO OTHER BASS AVAIALBLE.IT HAS THE TWIN PICK /INPUT RICKOSOUND THAT ROCKS LIKE NO OTHER.ALTHOUGH IT HAD SEEN 8 YRS AS A RENTAL BEFORE I GOT MY HANDS ON IT, I THINK I'VE ONLY HAD TO TUNE IT TWICE A YER SINCE I BOUHGT IT IN 1985.THE BODY , WEIGHT AND SYLE ARE UNMATCHABLE BY ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE TODAY- LET ALONE THE SOUND!!!

I STARTED PLAYING BASS IN 1984 WITH A FENEDR JAZZMASTER.THAT WAS ALRIGHT UNITL MY BUDDY WANTED IT BACK. WHEN I RENTED THE RICKY FOR THE FIRST MONTH, I KNEW I HAD TO OWN IT.IT WAS WHEN I GOT IT THAT I BECAME SERIOUS ABOUT BASS PLAYING.WITH THE PUNCHY TREBLE P/U YOU CAN PLAY ANYTHING FROM PUNK TO COUNTRY.ON THE BASS P/U BLUES ARE A BREEZE.ON THE COMBO SETTING , ANYTHING ROCKS FROM HARD ROCK TO RPOGRESSIVE STYLINGS OF MIKE RUTHERFORD OR CHRIS SQUIRE.ULTIMATELY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DOUBLE NECK 12 STRING/BASS BUT I HAVEN/T WON THE LOTTERY YET.I PLAYED IT IN SEVERAL LIVE GIGS WITH PEOPLE SWARMING AROUND AND YOU KNOW, IT JUST TAKES A SHIT KICKIN AND KEEPS ON CLICKIN.I

BEING A USSED RENTAL BASS , WHEN I AQUIRED IT , IT HAD A FEW KNICKS END DENTS.BUT FROM THE MOMENT I GOT IT IT THE ACTION WAS INCREDIBLY SMOOTH AND FAST.I FOUND CRYOGENICALLY FROZEN STRINGS (DEAN MARKLEY-BLUE STEEL) GAVE ME THE MOST VERSATILE SOUND AND EXCELLENT PLAYABILITY.ALTHOUGH ITS 25 YRS OLD NOW, THE FINISH IS BRILLIANT ASIDE FROM WHERE SOMEONE PUT A HOT CUP OF COFFE ON IT ON THE BACK OF THE BODY. GUESS I MUST HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OUT OF TUNE WHEN THAT HAPPENED.

AS I MENTIONED BEFORE - LIVE PLAYING IS WORRY FREE WITH THIS INSTRUMENT.CYMBAL BASHING WITH THE NECK , OR JUST PLAIN FALLING DOWN WITH THE BASS HASN'T AFFECTED ANY OF ITS UNIQUE PLAYABILTIY AND SOUND
OVER THE PAST FEW YAERS DUE TO CHILD REARING , I HAVE NOT HAD MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY, BUT EACH TIME I TAKE OUT OF ITS CUSTOM CASE
ITS ALWAYS IN TUNE.I WOULD NEVER WORRY ABOUT A BACK UP AT A GIG.

I'VE ONLY DEALT WITH RICKY ONCE, AND THAT WAS TO CHECK MY SERIAL #
RESPONSE WAS IMMEDIATE , AND I WAS CALLING FROM TORONTO.
DID HAVE TO HAVE A HUMMING NOISE REPAIRRED AT A LOCAL SHOP,
NOTHING MAJOR - BAD GROUND

I'VE BEEN PLAYING BASS FOR 20 YRS, AND GUITAR FOR 22 YRS.
MY GUITAR IS 1989 FENDER MONTARA ACOUSTIC/ELECTRIC (MINT- NICE)
IF MY RICKY WERE TO BE LOST OR STOLEN, I'D BE REALLY PISSED!
BUT I WOULD NEED A LOTTERY WIN TO REPLACE IT SADLY.
I LOVE THE WEIGHT AND THE NECK ON THIS BASS AND WITH THE SHAPE OF THE BODY YOU CAN JUST PICK IT UP BY THE HORN AND WALK ANYWHRE WITH IT.
I/VE PLAYED A COUPLE OF OTHER FENDER BASSES BUT YOU KNOW WHAT,
THAY JUST DON'T CUT IT FOR VERSATILTTY OF SOUNDS. THROW ON A WAH WAH PEDAL, AN ENVELOPE FILTER AND A COSMO CHORUS , AND YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.

Built in 1973
Fretless (looks to be original).
Classic Ricky look with the blond finish.
I switched the bridge pickup to a jazz pickup for more punch.
Now has the jazz pick up at the bridge and then the single coil at the neck.
Passive Elec. of course.
The neck is rosewood, and the body is...actually, I don't even know, but I'm sure it's the standard for this era of 4001.
Neck through body, again, the usual.

I never liked the Rickenbacker sound, but I love the feel. It was only recently after years of dickering around, that I have found a way to make it sound the way I want it to. I did this by putting in a j-bass pickup at the bridge, replasing the old single coil that is there. This allows a definitive edge into the tone that can be identified even in the most noisy and busy situations. However, I'm still trying to perfect the tone. I think that I need an overhaul of the electronics. The last time this happened was probably when the damn thing was built.

I play jazz, rock, folk and whatever else happens to be going on. Not much slapping or shredding, though. This bass between being fretless and a Rickenbacker is applicable to mabye half of what I do, or even less. I rely on my P-bass for the grunt work, but pull this axe out for more melodic and laid back types of music.

The classic Rickenbacker sound is extremely unique. Kind of an articulate woof. Does that make sense? Not for everybody. Not for me, hence the pick up change. I may even change the neck pickup one day.

My bass is thirty years old. There tons of wear and tear on the thing. The finish is cracked throughout, the electronics are badly in need of cleaning, etc. But what does someone expect from an axe this old? Considering the age of the instrument, it's in good conidition. Playability is incredible. My ideal bass would have a Rickenbacker neck attached to a deluxe P-bass.

I had the encasement for the bridge pickup (where the metal cover attaches over top of the strings)cut so I could have the action lowered even further. Now between my ultra low action, nylon covered strings and the flat rickenbacker neck, the bass plays like nothing else.

The bridge is not easy to adjust for intonation because the strings cover the screws that move the saddles. Requires some deft handwork to get the job done.

Let me tell you a story. One day there was this punk 19 year old who was borrowing his brother's 67 Chrysler 300 to drive to band practice. Said punk neglected to place bass in trunk prior to moving vehicle. Said vehicle drove over a speed bump previously unencountered before. Said speed bump was in actuality a 1973 Fretless Rickenbacker. Said Rickenbacker found a secret place in closet for next three years in which to reside in all it splintered fallen glory.

That story will haunt me for years to come. Friends tend to bring the occassion up when conversations get boring. Yes, I drove over my precious Rickenbacker. However, two years ago, my wife convinced me to have a luthier take a look at it. For $200 US I found a violin maker in Edmonton, AB Canada, who fixed it. The stupid thing plays better now then it ever did. Aside from a tuning key that was bent back into shape and buzzes in harmony with certain frequencies, the bass is in great shape.

The company sent me a little bag of goodies a couple of years that I ordered. Ordering was easy, and delivery was prompt. Compared to Fender, Rickenbacker is leagues ahead in the customer service department.

I've been playing for nine years. I learned on this bass. It's a great instrument that draws a lot of attention when I bring it out (although, I'm sick of people assuming that I can play Jaco-licks because I have a fretless).

My favorite feature is the neck. Nothing else like it! Smooooth and Fast fast fast!

I did not like the classic sound, and so I changed the pickups.