Rickenbacker 4001

Rickenbacker 4001, color: Mapleglo

2 x Single Coil

• 2 × volume
• 2 x tone
• 1 × 3- pick-up selection

The Rickenbacker 4001 is a four-stringed electric bass model of the American musical-instrument company Rickenbacker. At its launch in 1961 it was after the Model 4000 Rickenbacker second bass guitar. In addition, the 4001 after 4000 the second electric bass on the market with a continuous instrument neck was (English: Neck -thru ). Special It became famous Rickenbacker 4001 by Paul McCartney, who played the model since the mid- 1960s in the English band The Beatles and later in his rock band Wings.

• 3.1 The sound of the Rickenbacker 4001
• 3.2 Prominent bassists

History

In 1957 the company had introduced the Rickenbacker 4000 her first bass guitar. The design of this model and its successor comes from ethnic German luthier Roger Rossmeisl, who was employed from 1954 to 1962 at Rickenbacker ( subsequently changed Rossmeisl to competitors Fender ). Rossmeisl had put into his guitar designs for Rickenbacker the design principle of the continuous instrument neck; a construction form that had been developed in 1948 by the U.S. music instrument maker Paul Bigsby with the Bigsby / Travis guitar for series production. In 1956, Rickenbacker had presented his first electric guitar model with neck, developed by Rossmeisl Combo 400 The following year saw the 4000 Rickenbacker on the same principle constructed the first electric bass. The Model 4000 has only an electromagnetic pickup, initially had a one-piece mahogany neck and is generally simpler equipped than its follow-up models.

After Rickenbacker since the late 1950s, some copies of the 4000 had made ​​with expanded features, the Rickenbacker 4001 was introduced in November 1961 and introduced as " Deluxe " version of the 4000 model. This extended version has taken a two pickups, a more complex electrical system and a decorative edging (English: Binding). Around the edges of the front of the instrument body and at the lateral edges of the fingerboard While the fretboard enclosure is kept simple, the body carries a multi-ply binding with checkered pattern (English: Checkerboard, used until 1974).

In 1967, a lavishly equipped special model was released in a limited edition of 4001, which had 4002nd This a separately -built instrument blanket particularly strong grained maple and was equipped with two twin-coil pickups in humbucker design. Other special models were the 4008, which was eight strings instead of the usual four for the model, as well as the double-neck model 4080, which combined the electric bass guitar with a six- or twelve-string electric guitar.

The base model Rickenbacker 4001 was built until the early 1980s until it was temporarily replaced in 1979 by the successor to 4003. Over the years Rickenbacker continuously undertook technical and cosmetic changes to the 4001 and its sister models; so the pickup was moved in bridge position in 1974, closer to the neck pickup. As early as 1984 appeared the first edition of 4001, under the name 4001V63, where the letter V stands for vintage. A reprint of the 2001 with the model name 4001C64 is built up in the presence of Rickenbacker.

The system introduced by Rickenbacker in electric basses design principle of the continuous neck was acquired in later years by some other manufacturers of electric basses and further developed. One among them is the important most, founded in 1969, US-based Alembic that - starting with the E -Bass Alembic Series I - as an inventor and manufacturer of particularly complex produced and high-quality equipped Basses (so called " noble bass " ) applies, the invariably have a continuous neck. A prominent example of a single E- Bass model with this neck construction is of 1963 by the U.S. musical instrument manufacturer Gibson presented Gibson Thunderbird.

Construction

Timber components

The Rickenbacker 4001 has a body made ​​of maple wood. It consists of two wings, which are glued to the neck construction of the left and right. The neck of maple and walnut wood that passes through the entire body, does not have the 1951, introduced in the Fender Precision Bass Long Scale format, but a Rickenbacker self-developed, slightly shorter size, the bass a scale length of 33-1/4 are inches. The upper part of the neck carries a fingerboard made of rosewood, which - is coated with a layer of clear coat - not typical in musical instruments for this type of wood. To adjust the neck curvature and thus the string position, the neck of the 4001 two internal, from the top plate or the upper edge of the fingerboard of adjustable steel rods ( Truss Rod ).

The 1963 introduced export model that was intended for sale in Europe, bears the name 4001S, sometimes also the model name of RM1999. It differs in some details from the American version - so, for example, have the fretboard inlays ( marquetry ) the form of points instead of that used in the U.S. version triangular variant of epoxy resin, and the body mount is missing.

Electrical Equipment

A Rickenbacker typical feature of the early copies of the model 4001 is the pickup in the bridge position, the Horseshoe Pickup ( German: "horseshoe pickup ", see figure at right). The Strings run down by a magnet in a horseshoe shape through which converts the vibrations by means of a coil in electromagnetic pulses. This type of pickup was first on the in 1932 presented by Rickenbacker lap steel guitar Rickenbacker Frying Pan used. Around 1968/1969 the Horseshoe pickup was replaced by a more modern pickups.

The one in the neck position pickup is a 4001 built Einzelspuler (English: Single Coil ) with bottom- ferrite, which was given the nickname " toaster " due to its characteristic, slotted cover chromed metal. The inset in the cabinet front side and covered with a pickguard plastic controller unit of the 4001 consists of two volume and tone controls with knobs made ​​of bakelite and a three-way toggle switch to select the pickups.

The signal of the two pickups is managed by a Rick -O- Sound -called circuit. This allows a second jack in the frame of the instrument separate acceptance from both pickups, so as to be able to control a separate guitar amp with each pickup. This equipment was offered in the first years of production of the 4001 only by special order and only in the 1970s, the standard default. Bridge and tailpiece of the Rickenbacker 4001 consist of a single, made of aluminum (from 1972 zinc ) cast workpiece at which the string height can be adjusted by means of two is recessed screws. The strings can be attenuated to the saddles with screws on adjustable foam rubber cushions. As tuners carries the 4001 open types of manufacturer Kluson ( until the early 1970s, then closed ( sealed ) tuners for the brand Grover ).

The Rickenbacker 4001 in music

The sound of the Rickenbacker 4001

The sound of the Rickenbacker 4001, is described as rich in overtones " wiry " and " pervasive ", " soft " with seemingly deep bass. Due to the less pronounced mids, the sound gets a slightly " hollow" or " nasal" sounding character. The through neck construction and the hard maple used primarily promoted in both the treble of the sound as well as a long Ausschwingdauer of strings (English: Sustain). Especially in the rock music of the lower middle portion of the sound of this instrument is estimated as such overlapping frequencies can be reduced with the sound of electric guitars, which sound impression with the ensemble contributes " transparent " to a. In order to emphasize its sound characteristics musically, some prefer bassist playing the Rickenbacker 4001 a plectrum.

Prominent bassists

One of the first prominent bassists who used a Rickenbacker 4001, Paul McCartney was. In 1965, during the recording of the Beatles album Rubber Soul, he moved from his hitherto played Hofner 500/1-Shortscale-E-Bass to his 1964 - Rickenbacker 4001S, a long scale instrument. The bass had been presented to him in August of the year in Los Angeles during a U.S. tour The Beatles Rickenbacker CEO Francis Hall. The McCartney donated copy was the first left-handed instrument of the model. The change to a bass with a long scale length enabled him to better utilize the fingerboard so that the bass lines were possible in pieces such as Paperback Writer ( 1966). From the year 1967, the 4001S had become McCartney's main instrument in the recording studio. A Beatles album on which the Rickenbacker bass by Paul McCartney is particularly clearly visible on the sound, is the first published in 1967 Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The original body paint his Rickenbackers, " Fireglo " (a variant of the gradient Sunburst) was McCartney early 1969 grind.

Other well-known bass players who play the Rickenbacker or playing are Chris Squire ( bassist of the rock band Yes, playing the Model 4001S ), Roger Glover (Deep Purple) and Cliff Burton ( Metallica ). A well-known German bassist, as its hallmark feature of Rickenbacker 4001 was, has become Hellmut Hattler, known with the rock band Kraan.

A prominent musician who has made the Rickenbacker 4001 and its successor model 4003 became his trademark, is the bassist Lemmy Kilmister of the British rock band Motorhead. Kilmister played throughout his career several special instrument with some elaborately crafted decorative elements.