Rickenbacker 4001

1977 Black on Black 4001. All original configuration.

I play harder edged rock in larger venues and stages and I need a bass that will compete with some pretty banging drums and turned to 11 guitars. Although I love Rickenbackers and always have I have to say this bass just doesn't cut through the way I need it to. I use a 1976 Fender P-Bass as my main thumper. I play through a 1973 Ampeg SVT rig with 8x10 and it still doesn't have the punch of my "P" which is a pity. On it's own it sounds great though. It's a great practice bass and it's easy and smooth to play. I suppose I could change to hotter pick ups but what's the point? I have used it for recording to great success though.

Great action, thin neck never had a problem with it in any way. I owned a 1973 4001 for quite a while which I regretfully sold, that's why I picked this one up. This Ric is more quiet than the 1973, maybe the toasters weren't gounded as well, I don't know. The 1977 has the dot neck pick up and they seem to work well both seperately and alone. I've used the Ric-O-Sound feature and that's pretty cool especially if you run one channel clean and one through effects.

This bass is built well. Although I wouldn't say Rics are built like tanks, they can take a beating. The tuning machines(especially the old Grovers) and pots are the weak points of these basses. Screws also have a tendency to strip in the wood as well, but after 25+ year of rocking out, any bass will have its issues.

I've dealt with Ric a few times and although the are very nice and responsive, they are also very busy. I've ordered parts through Ric specialty shops and parts were very easy to find.

I've been playing for 17 years, since I was 13. I've owned many basses and never regreted letting any of them go until I sold my 1973 Jet-Glo with checkered binding. I own a 1976 P-Bass which I'll be buried with and that is my baby. Nothing comes close to the sound. The Ric is beautiful and the finish on this bass is very very rare only a few made. Jet-Glow with black plastic and black binding with a thin strip of white on top as an accent, very nice. They seem to be kind of trendy right now, you see all the indie rockers playing them, maybe because the price of vintage Fender is headed in the direction of the automobile buyers market, ie: $$$$$. But I just wish it had more balls so I could rock it out more. Don't get me wrong it's a great bass, just for the sensitive bass player.

The thing I love about this bass is the ability to switch between pickups or even use tham both. This feature alone makes this bass very versatile. I can play the most hardcore punk to the softest jazz with this thing. The only problem is you gotta find your tone your self. I wish I knew what that dang mute is for, its cool anyways so whatever. Two volumes and two tone knobs is also a cool neccssity.

sounds good as long as you know how to play. I can play and this thing cuts. I have heard crap from this bass as well, maybe it was cause I was stoned and wasted

Perfect, except for the unusable double thruss rods.

I dont know if it was just my bass or all of them but most of the screws on this thing are stripped and bolts behind the tuning pegs loosens up all the time, as a matter a fact I lost a bolt.

Never had to deal. I want to though, perhaps buy new pickgaurds or something.

Wonderful. Ive owned this and a fender jazz bass deluxe and loved to use them both til my deluxe got stolen. Now I have to use my second half to my favorite arsenal.

This review is for a 1979 Jetglo 4001 that I obtained in original stock condition in 1984, and has gradually been modified through the years to the ergonomic, tonally sensitive machine it is today. If you are a "Stock Snob", you may want to move on... These basses are by no means "rare", so I had no qualms about modifing mine to my particular tastes. (I will never sell it, needless to say). I don't rate the categories for this reason.
I won't list the well-known stock features, but I will state the modifications I have made over the years that may shed some light on what I considered the shortcomings of the stock model.
First modification was replacing the bridge pickup with a single coil vintage Duncan Telecaster bass Hot model pickup (because it fit and the string spacing was right on- I wanted something hotter than the weak stock pickup). The original Rick bridge pickup was then moved to the neck position (mounted under the pickguard without the usual large metal bezel. Didn't sound as deep as the regular neck pickup did, but I was curious).
Second modification was removing both those pickups, and installing a passive Bartolini humbucker in the bridge position, and eliminating the neck pickup. I designed a special pickguard shape for this, to eliminate the huge chrome bridge pickup ring/void which was a detriment to my playing style. Also gave the bass a very clean, more modern look. (At this point, a Stock Snob would say, "well, just get another bass if you don't want a genuine stock Rick"-- my point here is that this bass was so fundamentally "right", it only took changes in hardware and finish to take it to the next level for me.)
Third modification involved installing a Rick reissue toaster top pickup in the neck position. (Gave a nice vintage vibe, but I wanted more solid mid-low thump).
Final modification was replacing the toaster top neck pickup with the Bartolini direct Rick neck replacement (passive, no preamp).
The body has been re-contoured to eliminate getting a sore/scrapped right forearm, from rubbing against the sharp edge of the binding at the body's upper edge. (Never liked playing it in a t-shirt for that reason). The 4000-series "s" versions have a contoured body with no binding, like the vintage reissues.)

The stock pickups were too limited for me sonic-wise, after I outgrew the usual Squire/Lee initial attraction fifteen-odd years ago... I gradually wanted to be able to do more of a James Jamerson/John Paul Jones-type sound and it just wasn't possible stock. I wanted more swampy thump, but didn't want to switch basses completely since fundamentally this particular Rick has many positive things going for it, including a low action, nice neck profile, great ringing sustain, and overall nice vibe. Each successive pickup change has been an improvement in expanding the tonal possibilies. The passive humbucking Bartolinis are hotter, quieter, and more versatile, while still letting the essential Rick quality come through. The main reason why a Rick sounds the way it does is from the hard maple neck-thru construction, and the placement of the pickups. The ringing sustain and higher-harmonic emphasis will always be there, no matter what pickups you pop in. I felt that the stock pickups were limited by what the bass was really capable of. The stock pickups contribute to the overall classic Rick "sound", but are not the key to it. If you own a Rick and feel you may have outgrown the basic Rick "sound", try replacing the pickups-- you may change your mind. Duncan makes a set also, and I have heard Alembic does as well.
I've always preferred nickel strings on the Rick-- easier on the frets, and less harsh and metallic. Don't be fooled into thinking you need Rotosounds to get a genuine classic Rick tone-- other strings brands don't suffer from out-of-the-pack dead E strings (which I've found with Rotosounds)... D'addario works well for me... I buy single strings in certain gauges to even out the string response.

My particular model is the best Rick bass I've ever tried. Modifying it has made it feel even more intimate to me. These basses vary tremendously from unit to unit. Some are very lively, some seem dead. Some have poor action and faulty necks, and some are set up with very playable low action. If you are new to the Rick world, perhaps your first attempt won't succeed. But then again maybe I just demand more from an instrument than others. I would recommend paying the relatively small amount of money required to have it professionally set up before deciding to buy it. Buying sight unseen, beware! These aren't like bolt-on neck- type Fenders, which are somewhat more uniform. The pickups on Ricks vary throughout the years in output/quality as well. If you essentially are craving that particular classic Rick growl, some recommend to check out the vintage reissues with true horseshoe and toaster top pickups.
I wanted more than that. Modifying my bass has enabled me to keep it as my main bass, even though my style has changed throughout the years. Although the bass is a bit heavy for me, the hard/heavy maple construction is what makes it what it is. The essential Rick character is always there, but I can convincingly mimic other bass sounds if needed a bit better with the modified electronics. I also appreciate the quieter technology of the modern pickups, and keeping them passive does not impart the "hi-fi" sterile modern tone that many active systems seem to have.

The basic construction is very solid and reliable. The stock hardware leaves much to be desired-- the bridge assembly is quaint but hopelessly outdated, and sometimes hard to intonate. (The mute is only necessary for those wanting to imitate McCartney with flatwounds, IMO. Muting roundwounds this way doesn't make sense to me, since adjusting it is pretty tedious, and not a "on the fly" thing at all.) The stock nuts are usually pretty poor, and can transform a so-so bass into a great one if re-done correctly. The antiquated bridge pickup assembly requires way too much wood in the crucial neck-to-bridge area to be routed out, which may compromise the potential sustain allowed, even though it is exceptional as it is with the hard maple/neck-thru construction. I have not replaced the stock bridge, and have no problem muting the strings (as some people have noted) with my palm. In fact, if I replaced it, I might miss having that ridged place to rest my palm for thumb playing in the Jamerson style. I get great sensitivity in being able to mute certain strings with the palm in the stock configuration, so I haven't seen a reason to change it so far. The stock bridge may or may not allow the E string to be intonated correctly, however, since the saddle may not slide back far enough as required.
The stock finish is shiny, happy, nice-looking and durable, but I needed to remove it from the back of the neck to eliminate friction (the feel of smooth bare wood was much preferable to me). I also am not crazy about having the fretboard coated in thick lacquer (they actually spray the lacquer all over the binding and frets, and scrape it off the frets afterward.) Very lacquery feel compared to most other basses, which you may or may not like. (I prefer wood that can "breathe" a bit more, and appreciate that modern bass makers use thinner finishes to allow this).
Luthiers vary in their opinion of the dual truss rods-- make sure whoever works on your Rick knows the proper procedure (the neck needs to be forced into position BEFORE the rods are adjusted). I have never had a problem, although in some set ups I've had, the rods needed to be adjusted so loose that they would vibrate on certain frequencies-- they just needed to be tightened a tiny bit to fix this, but nevertheless, they were at the very end of the adjustability scale, although this varies from bass to bass. That is probably due more to the variability in the physics of neck-thru basses than a comment on Rickenbacker's craftsmanship. Nothing beats a "good" Rick.. but you have to find a good one!
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Never used warranty support, but was surprised to have several mailed responses to my inquiries directly from the company president back in the 1980's (pre-internet) on the classy creme-colored Rickenbacker Inc. stationary.

My first bass was a set-neck Rick 4000s (with a wicked single bridge pickup), and then I moved up to this 4001 which is still my main bass. The ringing sustain has become so much a part of my style/approach, I haven't really been satisfied with other makers, or bolt-on necks at all for that matter. When I want a typical P-Bass thump, I can get that by playing with my thumb and slightly muting the strings with my palm- the Bartolinis are key here. I've learned how to tame the wild ringing natural tone of the bass accordingly. The classic ringing punch is always there at my disposal as well, just by changing my attack on the strings. Although I became dissatisfied with certain design aspects of the stock model, I am able to get a wider range of tones with the humbucker replacements, and the classic single-coil Rick tone is only a switch flick away (coil splitting). Also, I have sanded the original finish off the neck, headstock, and back of the body, replacing it with a very thin layer of poly, and the bass "breathes" so much more and sounds more woody and earthy, unrestricted by the stock thick plastic finish. Upon examining Rick's current model line, it seems I have essentially transformed my 4001 into a current model 4004 (consider that model if you like the basic concept of a Rick bass but are turned off by the sharp binding/limited pickups/heavy chrome aesthetic).
What would I do if someone stole this bass? Ask my parole officer.

The bass was built in California, USA in 1968. Standard 20 fret, four string classic Rickenbacker 4001. Neck through body constuction, maple with walnet board and headwings on larger headstock. Beautiful maplglo finish. Two tone, two volume, and toggle switch. The pickups are the original toaster and horseshoe pickups. I had to glue small magnets undernieth the pickup coils in the horseshoe PU due to the loss of manetism from the horseshoe magnets. Seems to be the same problem McCartney suffered from. It brought the output up tremendously, although it's still a little quieter then the toaster. But since I got the bass with special active pickups (of which I cannot remember the name) I had to redue the electronics. The original PUs and wiring came with the bass so I put back in the original toggle and tone controls. But, being that Ric-o-Sound was not out yet, I wired it in stereo. Other then that it's all stock.

I'm a huge fan of Yes... and I've owned two 4001v63's and a 4001CS and this bass is the closest bass to Squire's sound. I also have that .0047 filter cap which I've heard cuts the bass tremendously out of the treble pickup. It's funny but I get the best Yes tone with the horseshoe pickup tone all the way down! It's very nassally...check out Long-Distance Run Around on "Fragile" and you'll hear THAT tone. The bass has a very good "woody" tone. Very soft and aggressive at the same time. Only thing that I don't like about it is that it's difficult to get that solid bass tone that you need sometimes in a band. But that's why I have a Jazz bass too.

Action is extremely low. Yes it does buzz, but the frets are thrashed too. Once it gets that refret job (about $300!!!) it'll be much better. But then again, I don't really mind the buzz sometimes. The neck had to be readjusted so I read up on the proper method of adjusting old 4001's, which is to bend the neck to the desired spot THEN torque the rods, and the neck is now perfectly straight. Doesn't bow at all. Someone, I don't know when, tried to adjust the rods and didn't do it right and POP went the fret board. It's been repaired, sloppily but strong. The neck is quite thin. Strong enough for use and quite a bit of abuse I imagine, but it's also bendable. But that's the way wood is. It doesn't lose it's strength so it's nothing that anyone should worry about. Just as long as you don't drop it or stand on it it should be fine. I wish RIC still made 'em like this. It's THE most comfortable bass to play.

Like I mentioned above, the neck is quite thin. For those who may not know, there is roughly 200 pounds of string tension on the neck and if you were to drop this bass on the headstock it'd probably break somewhere. If Rick basses were built with the necks this thin now it may hold better due to the newer, more practical truss rod system. It's not that the old rods are no good, but the newer ones can probably cope with more abuse. The finish has lasted great. No ware on the neck at all which is a bit of a shocker. The back of the body has buckle rash and the bass has verious dings, but it's been taken care of obviously. Being that the frets are worn beyond practical use, it's obvious that this bass has been played a lot. But all the hardware is original and in very good condition so it seems that Rickenbacker was using the best stuff around. I will, however, say that the old Kluson tunners have a little slippage. Not bad but it's there. All 'round this bass has proven to be a true warrior lasting 34+ years with little fatigue.

While Rickenbacker does make fine products, they've been building basses that, to me, do not meet the quality and especially the sound of the 1960s 4001 basses. They changed the pickups, and the headstock, and the body, and the feel of the neck, and now it's almost something entirely new. It looks close but it's just not the same. Why would they go and make such a huge effort to change the greatest bass they ever built? I won't buy a new 4003 or 70s 4001. They feel like fat, bulky Gibson basses. And the sound just isn't there. The 4001v63 came just close enough...and that seems to be what they do. Make it just good enough to get by. I've owned 8 Rickenbacker basses and this old one is the best one of them all. If RIC put the same effort into the basses as they do the guitars it may be better. They're guitars are far nicer feeling then the new basses. And what's up with this new 4001c64? Only left-handed headstock? I'd never buy one. Not to bag on McCartney but not all people who like vintage 4001 basses want to look like him. Now for the good things about RIC. They're always responsive to emails and helpful when you call. If you need to order parts or a catalog they're quick to mail it. They have great customer service. They just don't seem to produce quite what people want. If they did, they'd build basses like this one.

If you get the chance, and the cash to buy a vintage (1963-1970) 4001 or 4001S, JUMP ON IT!! I know some people may not like them because "they don't sound like a Fender," but they truly are unique basses that sit in a class all their own. They breath life into bass playing.

1978 rickenbacker 4001. mine is a dark red, almost wine-colored. It's currently equipped with 2 Bartolini Ric 4001 pickups. this bass is passive. it's got 4 knobs: 1 bass volume, 1 treble volume, 1 bass tone, and 1 treble tone. it's also got a regular input, and a "rick-o-sound" input. mine came with a hardshell case. it's also got a neck-through design, which rocks as well.

this bass totally friggin' rocks. i played 2 fenders, 1 alembic, and a modulus before i got this bass. let me tell you, this bass is perfect for rock 'n roll. i was searching for the ultimate balls-to-the-wall tone, and this is it. this thing growls like no other beast. i am currently playing it with an ampeg SVT-4Pro, but that won't be much longer because I should be getting my Mesa Boogie 400+ next week. That will make this thing scream even more. I can't say one bad thing about this bass, i absolutely love it.

When I got it, this bass was tuned really low (i think to BEAD), so when i tuned it up the string tension was nice and the action is incredible. the bridge pickup is a little loose, but i just have to put a piece of foam or felt in there and it'll hold it down a little better. for a 1978, this finish is great. it's in excellent shape. only a couple dings - one near the bridge, one on the back of the neck.. right near the body so it doesn't affect playability, and one small one on the back/top. i must say this bass is in great shape for the year. the tuners and hardware are all in great shape too.

these rics can take a beating! i don't abuse my instruments at all, but i've known guys who toss 'em, step on 'em, and break the strings off of them and they're still playing. i'm gonna treat this thing like a newborn child, it's so beautiful. if people are still buying vintage 4001's, that must say something about reliability and durability! it rocks!

i've never had to deal with ric personally, so i can't say. if i have to call them or any reason, i'm sure all will work out.

in all my years of playing, this bass totally sums up exactly what i want in a bass. i had a fender p-bass, a fender stu hamm urge, an alembic epic 4-string, and my most recent bass, a modulus flea 5. i thought i was content with the flea 5, except it had more of a cold sound to it, and i needed something that growled. the body shape has always caught my eye. it's unique, and gorgeous. i must say, this is the greatest bass i've ever played. if i ever broke this bass, or lost it, or it was stolen, there is no doubt that i would buy another one. maybe even 2, or 3 more. just to be safe. this thing totally rocks. if you are looking for something for pure rock 'n roll, this is it. look no further. i've found my home in rickenbacker.

1974 Rickenbacker 4001, Mapleglo, with all the standard features - two pickups (single coil), toggle switch, volume and tone controls for each pickup, both mono and stereo jacks, neck through construction, standard Rickenbacker bridge with mutes, long scale (34"), etc. Got case with it in good shape. Instrument purchased from Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, and they set it up beautifully.

I play a lot of rock and roll, and love the music of Yes, Rush, Genesis, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, etc. This bass is perfect for those genres. The only effects I use are a Morley Power Wah, and an Ibanez Bass chorus, and the Rick really sings through them. Only problem I find with the Rick is that it isn't useful for a lot of other things, e.g., slapping/popping, jazz stuff, blues, etc. I have a 1973 Fender Jazz for that, as well as a '79 Musicman Stingray. The Rick just doesn't cover that sound well, IMO. This being said, you cannot beat the sound of a Rickenbacker for Rock and Roll. There isn't a bass on the planet that sounds like a Rick. Not even 4003's - I tried a bunch before buying this one (I had owned two 4001s previously in the 70's) and wanted the 4001 sound. The 4003's just don't have it. If you want that sound, buy a 4001.

10 - As noted above, Gruhn's did a wonderful job. Finish is beautiful, 28 years later. Still shiny. Bridge assembly is still shiny as well, though the tuners are a bit faded. Everything still works perfectly, and there is no noise I notice from anything.

I don't play it much now - am not doing the Yes/Rush type stuff to the degree I'd like or prefer. However, I have used it extensively in the past and it holds up well. Finish is still beautiful, with minimal wear - not bad for 28 years. Strap buttons are original and fully functional. I've owned this instrument over 6 years, and haven't had to make a single adjustment to the neck - Thanks, Gruhn's. I'd be more than comfortable to use it on a gig without a backup.

Never had to deal with them. I think that says something about their product

Have been playing over 25 years. I own a Hartke 7000 head, a Hartke 1X15 XL series cabinet, a Gallien-Krueger 4X10 cabinet, and a Hartke 4X4.5 XL series cabinet. I use a Morley Power Wah and an Ibanez Bass Chorus. I would definitely buy another if necessary, if only for nostalgia purposes. I love the sound, even if it is limited to certain musical genres. And it just looks cool!

Neck-through-body-construction, two pick-ups, two tones, two volumes, and an absolutely awesome neck! Good ol' made-in-USA-quality.

The two pick-ups deliver quite a powerful sound. No wonder Lemmy plays RICs. I like a rich, mid-boosted sound, and this baby really does it well. It's a real rock'n'roll monster! It even doesn't cause any unwanted hum or noise. Love it.

My 4001 is way back from 1975 (as old as Motorhead, and way older than me :)), so the finish is showing marks of age, yet looking great, and having a special vintage touch to it. I have a few scratches on it, but they're fortunately on the "wrong" side. Have to admit, the years have treated her well :)

I haven't yet had the opportunity to play this beauty live (working on it though), but after all the rehearsal action it's got through so far, I could trust it with my life. Doesn't even go out of tune. Goes under the classification "Rock Solid" :)

Haven't dealt with 'em. RIC unfortunately doesn't have retail in Finland, so I've bought both of my babies used.

She's a proud example of RIC basses, built to last a lifetime, rock solid, rock'n'roll monster. Forget all the women in the world, all ya need is a RIC.

'77 Autumn-glo Rickenbacker 4001 stock single-pole pickups (passive electronics -- no batteries required). Independent volume and tone controls -- 3 position pickup selector switch.
Famous neck-thru-body design -- what a neck and what a body!
Rick-O-Sound stereo output and mono output.

The distinctive Rick sounds that apparently no one tries to copy -- though I don't know why. Booming (yet cutting) lows on the neck pickup, to twangy (jangly?) tones on the bridge pickup. Nothing else in the world sounds like a Rick -- I love it, always have.
I have plugged it directly into the line input of a 4 track recorder and gotten remarkable tone variety on tape right off the pickup.
I have an old Fender Bassman 100, and a Legend 50W (guitar amp) -- Bass sounds fine through both (not as much bottom from the Legend obviously).
A number of people have noted something that I had never considered before, and strikes me as a truth -- it "cuts through the mix." There is never any doubt that there is a bass present regardless of which tonality you select -- the 4001 sound will not get lost in the sauce.

Purchased used, never have had it adjusted, its has stayed in tune even when tucked away for years. Action is low and quick -- standard Rick "fast" (skinny) neck, I guess you either love it or hate it, again I love it.
Finish had some arm-wear patina when I bought it -- looks wonderful 25 years after manufacture.

Very reliable -- built to last. Purchased it with locking strap, everything is still fine, don't know about original strap buttons. I would use it without a backup no problem.
(Electronics are emitting a bit of static on occaision, could be old solder, or the pots are wearing out -- to be expected after 25 years)

I've only asked Rickenbacher one question via email -- had an answer within 3 hours

I have been playing guitar and bass since I was a teenager (I am in my 40s now), I have owned a number of different brands from the "big-names" to the "no-names." I happen to enjoy Rickenbacker electrics, I just love their sound and the "fast" neck designs. I find the body shapes appealing also. I evolved my "collection" over the years to a 4001 bass, a 360 semi-hollow body, and a 480 solid body electric.
Folks either love 'em or hate 'em I guess, for whatever reason other manufacturers don't try to "copy" Ricks (to my knowledge) like they do Gibson and Fender. When you hear "that sound" you know it is the Real McCoy that is making it, and only a Rick can make "that sound."

I've got a nice '72 fireglo (serial no K018) with checked binding and toaster neck pickup in the original case (with the original trussrod adjustment instructions!) I bought it from the the guy who bought it new, and I must admit it is a gorgeous thing. The only anomaly it has is one of the tuning machines was replaced at some point after they went to "wavy" style tuner. I took the bridge pickup cover off it to facilitate playing, but other than that it is totally stock. My first 4001 was a '73 jetglo (ser. no L444) I bought new - my first high quality bass. Wish I still had it!

Well, it sounds like a ricky, which is a nice full range sound with some real ultra-low stuff. The mute is a real cool thing for recording, you can dial in a little or a lot. I consider this primarily a pick bass - it doesn't like to be hit real hard with your right hand. I only use it occaisionaly on gigs, but it sounds great and the tuning stability is good. I play kind of half-assed biamp setup, an old SVT head through 2 JBL 15's in custom cabinets and a 100w Marshall super lead through 2 12" celestions. The ricky needs a little help to match the level of my fender, so I just run it through a Roland SE-50 to raise the gain a little.

In my estimation, the overall design and setup of the 4001 has stood the test of time pretty well. My biggest complaint about it is you have to take the strings off to adjust the bridge saddles (intonation), then put them back on hoping you got it right or off they come again - pretty much a pain.

These basses are pretty solid and made to be played, but personally I wouldn't go to a gig without something else. Mine had a trussrod problem (stripped) when I bought it that made tuning stability poor -the third guy I took it to finally figured out how to fix it and it's been great ever since, but that required hundreds of dollars (the fingerboard has to come off to get to it). But this is a 30 year old instrument with a thin 1-piece neck, so you're obviously not going to be able to hammer it like, well, a fender or something newer.

The first two I guys I took mine to with the trussrod problem said the factory was sympathetic, but didn't sell replacements, which seems pretty dumb as I think there are a lot of these instruments out there and this is not an uncommon problem.

I've been playing for 30 years, my other basses are Japanese Fender Jazz Specials (2 fretted and 1 fretless), an Engelhart upright, and a 5-string Clevinger solid body upright. There's something very cool about a 4001, maybe I'm nostalgic because it was my first decent bass, but they are beautiful, play well and have a unique sound. As primarily a finger player and a bass beater, the fenders are overall more suited to my style - but every now and then the rick is perfect for something.

I have owned 3 4001's. 1 from the 60's and 2 from the 70's. The 4001 is a 60's design, but it is a classic. A MUST for any serious bass players collection. Solid maple construction. Neck through body. Single coil RIC pickups. Top notch quality made in USA. The Rickenbacker neck is 33 1/4" scale whereas most basses are 34". In conjunction with pickup placement this gives the RIC a unique sound, low notes have a nasty bite and growl and as you go up the neck the sound gets sweeter and less hard edged. The 4001's of the 60's have a thin profile that really fells nice. The 70's RIC's neck got a little fatter and a little more stable. The high gain pickups introduced in the 70's sound better than the old toaster and horseshoe pickups. The 4001 does not have all of the new active electronics that some new basses have but the features that they have are excellent. The older 4001 and 4003 basses have a capacitor that makes the bridge pickup that cuts the low end off from that pickup. I always remove that capacitor for more punch. The 4003 from 1989 on no longer has this capacitor.

The RIC sound is unique. It really cuts through the mix. It has a nice treble bite, good mid punch, with a nice full bottom. I play through a line 6 POD and an Ampeg b2r, with a 1x18" and a 2x10" cabinets. If I use a pick I can get a nice edgy biting sound. If I use my fingers I can get a sweet soft bluesy sound. This bass can do the funky slap, thump, and pop stuff as well.

When I bought my '68 RIC in '74 the neck was out of wack. The dummy that owned it put it in a case that was too small and bent the neck. I took it to a shop and had the the 2 truss rods adjusted and now it is a neck to die for. The neck is stable with no adjustments since 1974. The 2 1970's 4001's that I owned had great necks as well.

Absoultely rock soild. For many years I went with just a 4001 as my only bass. I had one that I bought on ebay that had been repainted, rewired, hotrodded, refinished, and abused. Someboy painted it red and tried to turn it into a jazz bass. Well with a little tlc I restored it fine working order and it looks and plays very good.

I have always bought used RICs and never dealt with RIC's support.

I love the 4001 / 4003 bass. I currently own 2. The 4001 is my main bass. It has a great sound and feel. There is no subistute for Rickenbacker. Every serious bass player should own one.