| Rickenbacker 4001 | |
| Manufacturer: | Rickenbacker |
| Period: | 1961–1981, 1980-present (4003) |
| Bodytype: | Solid |
| Necktype: | Bound (or unbound maple 4001S model) |
| Scale: | 33.25inches (long scale) 30.5inches (short scale) |
| Woodbody: | Bound maple (and unbound maple 4001S Model), Walnut (4003W model) |
| Woodneck: | Maple, Walnut |
| Woodfingerboard: | Bubinga, Rosewood, Maple |
| Pickups: | 2 single coil toaster/horseshoe pickups (early models), 2 single coil Hi-Gain pickups (later models) |
| Colors: | Fireglo (Cherry Sunburst), Autumnglo (Tobacco Sunburst), Burgundyglo (Red), Jetglo (black), Mapleglo (natural) and Azureglo (blue) |
The Rickenbacker 4001 is an electric bass that was manufactured by Rickenbacker as a two-pickup "deluxe" version of their first production bass, the single-pickup model 4000. This design, created by Roger Rossmeisl, was manufactured between 1961 and 1981, when it was replaced by an updated version dubbed the Rickenbacker 4003.[1] Variant models of the 4001 include the 4001S, 4001LH, 1999 (European model), 4001V63 (reissue), 4001CS (a limited edition series based on Chris Squire's 1965 British model RM1999) and the 4001C64 and 4001C64S: the C Series is a recreation of Paul McCartney's left-handed 4001S with a reversed headstock. There are also Al Cisneros (4003 AC) and Lemmy Kilmister (4004 LK) signature versions of the instrument.
The 4001 model features a neck-through construction, a full-wood body, fretboard with metal strings (originally flat-wound, though many players replaced them with round-wounds), twin truss rods, triangle inlays, two single coil pickups, two volume and two tone dials, selector switch,[2] and wiring for Rick-O-Sound (standard after 1971).[3] Models that feature Rick-O-Sound have the capability to "split" the instrument's dual pickup signals between two separate amplifiers.
Unlike most two-pickup electric basses, the 4001's pickups are of two different designs. The 4001 has a small neck pickup, colloquially referred to as a "toaster pickup" due to the distinctive metal covers found on 1960s models. The bridge pickup is larger in size and mounted on a metal plate. Earlier models are referred to as "horseshoe pickups", as the bridge pickup is enclosed between two metal-covered horseshoe magnets. Later 4001 models as well as the modern 4003 redesign replaced the toaster and horseshoe pickups with so-called Hi-Gain pickups. The Hi-Gain bridge pickup is of a more conventional design than the horseshoe pickup. The bridge pickup also features a removable metal bridge cover designed to emulate the look of the original horseshoe magnets.
Rickenbacker also produced six-string and 12 string guitars and a short-scale bass, the 3000 model.[2] The 4001's bridge is of a fairly unusual design, both in aesthetics and in function, featuring removable saddles as well as a built-in adjustible foam mute.
The 4001S, 4003S and 1999 models have been produced as cheaper, streamlined versions which feature unbound, contoured bodies, unbound fretboards with simpler dot inlays as well as a conventional mono output jack instead of the dual Rick-O-Sound system..[2]
The Rickenbacker 4003, which replaced the 4001, differs in the truss rod design and introduces a fret wire that better withstands the wear from round-wound strings (fast fret wear was a common complaint for many years, and Rickenbacker strived to address the issue). The pickups are also higher in output, and the bridge pickup, a so-called "horseshoe" pickup, was entirely remodelled, featuring a more conventional design, although the "horseshoe", albeit removable is still part of the construction, for aesthetic purposes. More recent 4003 models also feature a push-pull switch on one of the tone knobs, which diminishes the output of the bridge pickup to more closely resemble the original 4001 tone. Other features remained similar to its forebear.
Rickenbacker has also produced five-string 4003 basses. Earlier examples were generally faithful to the original model in terms of parts and electronics, whereas newer models feature a more conventional bridge, smaller Schaller machine heads and distinctive triangular pickups. Both versions retain the Rickenbacker's signature 33" scale length, an unusual design for a five-string instrument.
Between the years 1993 and 2018 Rickenbacker also manufactured a streamlined model, named the 4004, that used the 4001's trademark shape but featured smaller pickups, a simplified control layout, a more conventional bridge system and eschewed the use of aesthetic details such as binding or a pickguard. In the early 2020s, the 4003 model was given a slight overhaul with a more conventional single truss rod-system as well as a redesigned bridge with individually adjustable saddles.
