Its History
From nostalgic vintage sounds to modern, heavy, explosive tones—the timeless Rickenbacker remains a favorite among bassists of all genres!
Right now, THE Used Instrument Store’s bass section is spotlighting Rickenbacker! We’re currently offering top prices for trade-ins.
Also, in this “Rickenbacker Research Lab,” updated once a month, I’d like to explore and report on Rickenbackers from various angles—partly for my own learning as well.
To kick things off, here’s the first installment: “So That’s How It Was! The Origin of the Rickenbacker Name.”
The opening of Haneda Airport (1931)
The story begins in 1931 at a small Los Angeles company called “Lopat Inc.” Engineers George Beecham and Paul Barth, who had consistently sought to increase the volume of electric guitars in preparation for the world’s first mass-market release, teamed up with Adolf Rickenbacker, who ran a hardware manufacturing business.The electric guitars they created overturned conventional notions of musical instruments and were powerful enough to completely transform the music scene itself. The following year, in 1932, Beecham developed the “Flying Pan,” an electric steel guitar equipped with a horseshoe pickup.
The name “steel guitar” derives from the use of steel strings, which were still rare at the time. In the early 1900s, slide guitar became a huge craze alongside the popularity of Hawaiian music.Initially, it seems acoustic guitars were used as substitutes (players would rest the guitar on their lap, tune it to open tuning, and use the back of a knife or similar object for slide playing), but steel strings were adopted to achieve greater sustain, and the neck was made thicker to withstand the high tension of the steel strings. However, slide playing had the problem of producing lower volume compared to standard chord strumming, and players reportedly faced the constant difficulty of barely being able to hear their own performances.
Amid these challenges, the acoustic steel guitar—which featured a neck designed to function acoustically, much like the body—was developed. However, within an ensemble, it inevitably got drowned out by other instruments, so this did not resolve the fundamental problem.
As dissatisfaction with existing steel guitars gradually grew, Rickenbacker finally developed the electric steel guitar. It’s surprising to learn that the starting point for this now world-famous, long-established instrument manufacturer was simply the need for greater volume.
Later, in 1934, the company changed its name to “Electro-String Instrument Corporation” and branded the instrument as the “Rickenbacker Electro.” This was because, prior to founding the company, Adolf Rickenbacker had run a die-casting factory that was successful for its time; it appears he was the one who financially supported the company and also made significant contributions to its manufacturing operations.Furthermore, since the name “Rickenbacker” was already famous thanks to Adolf’s cousin, Eddie Rickenbacker—a World War I ace pilot whose name had become legendary as a hero—they wanted to capitalize on the name’s existing recognition. Subsequently, everyone began referring to Electro-String Corporation simply as “Rickenbacker.”
The Arrival of the Bass
It’s gotten quite a bit warmer, and pollen season is finally here. How are you all holding up? Normally, I’d be the one with a runny nose without fail, but miraculously, it hasn’t been that bad so far this year! Actually, I think I know why—I’ve been drinking sweet tea since quite early this year. It’s called lemongrass sweet tea, and it tastes just like lemon tea. It’s even slightly sweet without adding any sugar! But I wonder if my nose will start running again once the season is in full swing?
Last time, we covered the history of Rickenbacker and the origin of its name,
this time I’d like to continue that discussion and explore the debut of Rickenbacker’s first bass guitar.
Figure 1
By the late 1930s, many professional musicians were already using Rickenbackers, and thanks to their influence, the company began selling large numbers of instruments to amateur players as well. Unfortunately, however, in 1942, the company found itself in a situation where it had no choice but to cease instrument production. It was World War II.While other instrument manufacturers were switching to the war effort one after another, Electro-String continued to manufacture instruments and amplifiers. At that time, procuring the parts and materials necessary for instrument production had already become extremely difficult. They devoted themselves desperately to securing parts and managed to continue instrument production until June 1942, but in July, they were finally forced to switch to the war effort.
In early 1946, after the war ended, they were once again able to focus on instrument manufacturing. However, around this time, Adolf Rickenbacker began to sense that the popularity of the guitar was waning and started considering selling the rights to the instrument business.Rickenbacker, who had rapidly risen to prominence in the musical instrument industry with the invention of the electric steel guitar, entered a period of stagnation until the arrival of F.C. Hall, a businessman who purchased the business rights from Adolf in 1953.
By the early 1950s, the Hawaiian music boom had faded, and sales of steel guitars were on the decline. By the time Hall acquired Electro-String, the company was already becoming obsolete. (In fact, Hall was well aware of this.) However, Hall set his sights on the popularity of Spanish guitars and took on the challenge of developing a new Rickenbacker.He brought in German-born instrument craftsman Roger Rosemiles, and together they produced a series of new solid-body guitars, such as the Capri, Combo 600, 800, and 400. Furthermore, Hall utilized the sales network of his own company, Radio and Television Equipment, to expand sales nationwide. This laid the foundation for Rickenbacker’s new direction and its roots in recent years.
Rickenbacker’s first bass was released in 1957—a time when construction of the Tokyo Tower had begun in Japan, and Elvis was dominating the top of the charts in the United States. The solid-body electric bass, the 4000, was launched.
(Fig. 1)
It featured a solid maple body, a mahogany through-neck, and 20 frets. The body was quite thick, and the neck had a notably thick profile. The pickguard was made of anodized aluminum. (Anodizing is a corrosion-resistant treatment; this was also a period of rapid growth for the aluminum industry.Fender’s PRECISION BASS also switched to an anodized pickguard that same year.) One volume and one tone control. The knobs were “flying saucer” knobs, which were directly repurposed from steel guitars. It featured large Kluson tuners and a single horseshoe pickup. Additionally, the horn on the 4-string side was quite short.
The following year, in 1958, there were significant specification changes: the neck was made of walnut, the truss rod was doubled, the pickguard was changed to gold-backed Lucite (acrylic), and metal knobs and a finger rest were added. The bridge cover was designed to mute the strings when slid.
Trivia:
The COMBO400 solid-body guitar, released in 1956, featured a construction where screws were driven through the side of the body to bolt it to the neck, ensuring a strong bond. Furthermore, it is said that a saxophone strap was used to hang the guitar around the neck.
Introducing the Lineup
Last time, I touched on the introduction of the Rickenbacker Bass. When you think of Rickenbacker Basses, models like the 4001 and 4003 probably come to mind right away, don’t they? However, since its release in 1957, numerous models have been introduced, and yet the design has remained virtually unchanged. So, starting with this post, I’ll be introducing the various models in order over the next few posts.
[4001]
Body: Maple, Neck: Maple/Walnut, Fingerboard: Rosewood, Frets: 20, Pickups: Toaster Top (front), High Gain (back), Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Pickup Selector
Since its release in 1961, this has been Rickenbacker’s most iconic model. For 25 long years—until production ceased in 1986—it reigned as the face of Rickenbacker basses. Its main features include triangular position marks and checkerboard binding. Compared to the 4000 model covered last time, the horn on the 4-string side extends to the 12th fret (1962), and the pickguard design features white acrylic.In 1964, the position marks were changed to crash pearl (until 1973), and in 1966, a volute was added to the back of the headstock. (This is a reinforcement knob at the junction of the headstock and neck; previous models lacked structural strength due to the cutout for the truss rod adjustment.) In 1974, the checkerboard binding was discontinued and replaced with white binding.
[4003]
BODY: Maple, NECK: Maple, Fretboard: Rosewood, Number of Frets: 20, Pickups: High-Gain (Front/Rear), Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Pickup Selector
This model, too, is a successor to the 4001 and has long been—and continues to be—a legendary staple in the Rickenbacker Bass lineup.
The 4003 was released in 1979 as a reinforced truss rod version of the 4001, and in 1984, its specifications were updated to a new-type truss rod. This was because, at the time, the industry was shifting from flat-wound strings to round-wound strings, which have higher tension.
On models manufactured before 1984, the fingerboard rested directly on top of the truss rod slot, so if the truss rod was tightened too forcefully, the fingerboard would peel away.
I didn’t realize that! (4001, 4001S, 4003, 4003S)
The 4001S model was released simultaneously with the 4001. This was the standard version of the 4001, featuring a body without binding and dot position marks. Initially, it had a through-neck construction, but in 1973, it was changed to a set-neck design along with the 4000. BODY, NECK: Maple; headstock and wings: Mahogany.
It is also famous for being the model used by Paul McCartney and Chris Squire. Additionally, the 4003S—the standard version of the 4003—was released in 1980. It is essentially similar to the 4001S but features a through-neck construction.
[4002]
BODY: Maple; NECK: Maple/Walnut (3-piece), Walnut (headstock and wings); Fretboard: Ebony; Number of frets: 21; Pickups: 2 Hum-Canceling pickups; Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Pickup Selector
Released in 1981 as the deluxe version of the 4001. It featured a bird’s-eye maple body with black checkerboard binding on the top (black on the outside, checkerboard on the inside). The neck was a 3-piece maple, and the headstock wings were walnut. The neck and headstock featured black binding, and—surprisingly—the fingerboard was ebony with triangle inlays.Further details included a nameplate with a white logo on a black background and a black 4-ply pickguard. The crowning touch was the inclusion of a Cannon-Out jack, making this a rather rare configuration.
The following year, in 1982, it underwent a minor redesign: the pickups were upgraded to low-noise types. The pickup positions were changed from front and rear to center and rear, and the position markers were changed to dots. (The photo shows the model after the minor redesign.)
5-string, 8-string, Double-neck
Last time, I introduced the Rickenbacker bass lineup; this is the second part of that series. 5-string, 8-string, double-neck… while these aren’t particularly rare nowadays…
Rickenbacker in the 1960s commercialized some particularly unconventional ideas.Examples include the string converter attached to a 12-string guitar (see right: a device that hooks and holds down the extra strings to turn it into a 6-string guitar) and the “slant fret”—where the nut and frets are set at a diagonal angle (it was said to make it easier to play certain chords, such as those requiring a tight grip on the neck, but apparently it never gained widespread popularity). I’m truly amazed by the outlandish ideas of the great innovators of the past.
[4005]
BODY: Maple, NECK: Maple/Walnut 3-piece, Fretboard: Rosewood, Number of Frets: 20, Pickups: 2 x Toaster Top, Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Pickup Selector, Balancer
The 4005 hollow-body model was released in 1965. Its body is based on the rounded-edge body of the semi-acoustic 360 guitar, scaled down to Bass size. It features a maple hollow body with checkerboard binding on the back. The neck is a three-piece construction with maple sandwiching walnut.Furthermore, the headstock is a 5-piece design featuring walnut wings (maple wings from 1973 onward). It features crash pearl triangle inlays, and the neck is also bound. The “R”-shaped tailpiece really tickles the imagination.
[4005WB]
BODY: Maple, NECK: Maple/Walnut 3-piece, Fingerboard: Rosewood, Number of Frets: 20, Pickups: 2 Toaster Top pickups, Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Pickup Selector, Balancer
This model features a double-binding design with binding on both the body top and back. The 4005WB generally did not feature checkerboard binding. Like the 4005, it is equipped with a balancer, which allows you to boost the output of one of the two pickups when both are set to maximum volume. This is likely intended to compensate for the weaker output of the rear pickup, which incorporates a low-cut capacitor.
[4005/8WB]
BODY: Maple, NECK: Maple/Walnut 3-piece, Headstock Wings: Walnut, Fingerboard: Rosewood, Number of Frets: 20, Pickups: 2 Toaster Top pickups, Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Pickup Selector, Balancer
This is the 8-string version of the 4005, which debuted in 1966.Both the body top and back feature binding. A distinctive feature is the headstock’s truly unique shape. In fact, it’s designed to accommodate all eight tuning pegs within the smallest possible space. Furthermore, Bass-style pegs are used for the main strings, while guitar-style pegs are used for the auxiliary strings. Also, while the standard 4005 series is typically equipped with two output jacks—one for Rick O’Sound and one for Standard—this model features only the Standard output jack.
Trivia
Actually, the 4005 series also included models such as the 4005/6 and the 4005L. The 4005/6 is, as the name suggests, a 6-string Bass—specifically, a long-scale Baritone Bass. The 4005L is often featured in guitar reference materials; it’s a model known as the “Light Show,” which has a shiny, glowing light source built into its translucent plastic body. It’s definitely something I’d love to see in person at least once.
[3000]
Body: Maple, Neck: Maple, Fingerboard: Rosewood, Number of Frets: 21, Pickups: Hum-canceling pickups, Controls: 1 Volume, 1 Tone
Rickenbacker’s first short-scale Bass. Released in 1971, it featured a bolt-on single-piece maple neck. The fingerboard was made of African rosewood. It had 21 frets, and the position marks were dots. The headstock design was identical to that of the guitars.
[4080/12]
BODY: Maple, NECK: 3-piece Maple/Walnut (BASS section), 1-piece Maple (GUITAR section), Number of frets: 20 (BASS), 24 (GUITAR), Pickups: High-gain (front and rear, for both BASS and GUITAR), Controls: Neck selector, Pickup selector, 2 Volume, 2 Tone, Balancer
A double-neck model featuring a 4-string bass and a 12-string guitar, released in 1977.It featured a bolt-on neck joint. Originally, two types of double-neck models were released in 1975: a 4-string bass and 6-string guitar (4080), and a 12-string and 6-string guitar (326/12). The 326/12 featured a hollow body with checkerboard binding and a cat’s-eye soundhole. It looks like it would be quite a challenge to master.
Pickup Miscellany
They say this summer is going to be unusually hot. Apparently, it’s due to the “such-and-such” phenomenon, but for someone like me who really can’t stand the heat, this was the worst news imaginable—I couldn’t believe my ears. On top of that, the new place I just moved into is on the top floor with plenty of sunlight! Having experienced warped bass and guitar necks during a heat wave a few years ago, I’m already worried about how my instruments will hold up in the middle of summer.
I can’t exactly leave the AC on all the time, though.
Now, for this fifth installment, I’d like to talk about pickups.
Horseshoe Pickup
In the early 1930s, the “Flying Pan” (see Part 1)—arguably the world’s first electric guitar—was equipped with a horseshoe pickup. It was named for its U-shaped plate, which resembles a horseshoe.
First, let me briefly explain its structure: the plate-like object that looks like a pickup cover at first glance is actually a magnet. When the iron strings pass through the magnetic field and vibrate, the flow of magnetic flux changes, creating vibrations that are transmitted to the ferrite core, causing a current to flow through the coil.Furthermore, by enclosing the coil itself with magnets from above and below, noise from the top and bottom of the pickup is eliminated. It’s a remarkable design because the lead wires are wound around the outer circumference of the coil, which also blocks noise from the sides. Additionally, since the magnet’s magnetic field is generated vertically relative to the strings passing through the pickup, the strings themselves are less affected by the magnetic field. In other words, this minimizes the loss of string vibration, which contributes to increased sustain.Furthermore, the pole pieces are cylindrical steel pieces that gradually increase in height from the 6th string to the 1st string. This is not intended to balance the individual strings, but rather seems to serve the purpose of changing the tone from a soft sound to a sharp one as the strings progress from the 6th to the 1st. Later, Fender achieved a similar effect by mounting the pickup body at an angle relative to the strings.
However, because they interfered with picking, the design shifted to high-gain pickups in 1968. Although a reissue model was released in 1984, the horseshoe-shaped plate had become merely a pickup cover (with the pole pieces now serving as the magnets). Furthermore, U-shaped magnets like these are almost never used in pickups today. This is because magnets capable of generating much stronger magnetic fields than those available at the time are now manufactured.
Toaster Top Pickup
It earned this name because its appearance resembles the slot of a toaster.
It contains six pole pieces, and guitar pickups are often adapted for use on Basses as well. It is characterized by a clear, well-defined sound. Compared to later high-gain pickups, its sustain feels slightly more subdued. Visually, this is my personal favorite.
High-Gain Pickup
This pickup is quite the opposite of the Toaster Top.While the Toaster Top pickup’s pole pieces are magnets, the High-Gain pickup’s pole pieces have no magnetic force—instead, a magnet is attached beneath the bobbin—giving it a richer tone than the Horseshoe pickup. Developed as the successor to the ’68 Horseshoe pickup for use as a Bass bridge pickup, it was frequently adopted as a guitar pickup in ’69 due to its excellent sustain.
A pickup developed in the 1990s. Its humbucking design minimizes noise, and the interior is filled with resin to eliminate sound degradation caused by the vibration of the pole pieces.
Pickup Comparison Research Report
Hey there! These muggy days just keep coming, don’t they? I can’t go a night without a beer. Plus, maybe because I overindulged in food and drink during our company trip last month, my stomach seems to have gotten bigger—it’s all bulging out… Lately, I’ve been showing signs of a bit of a potbelly, and my wife’s been giving me the stink eye.
Anyway, last time I wrote about pickups, but as I was wondering what to cover this time, I rummaged through my toolbox…
Huh?!!! That’s right—I’ve got a Rickenbacker pickup I’ve been saving as a replacement! Alright, I’ll use this one this time…
So, keeping the theme of pickups but taking a slightly different approach than usual, here’s a pickup comparison study report.
The pickups I’m using this time are Seymour Duncan Rickenbacker pickups—the one in the foreground is the SRB-1n (for the front), and the one in the background is the SRB-1b (for the rear).
The front pickup uses a ceramic magnet, while the rear one uses an Alnico magnet—they have different magnet types.
And for this test, I’ll be using a 2002 Rickenbacker 4003 FG. It’s gotten pretty hard to find even current models these days, hasn’t it?
So, let’s open it up right away and remove the original pickups. Both the front and rear positions are equipped with high-gain pickups.
As a quick recap from last time, the pole pieces themselves have no magnetic force; the magnets are attached beneath the bobbins.
Here’s where a problem arises!
The original Rickenbacker pickup mounting screws don’t fit the Duncan ones! I could handle it if it were just the length, but how can the diameter not match?! (Special screws are included.) The one for the bridge fit just fine since it came with a matching screw, but there’s no screw for the neck pickup.
Oh! The original screws fit the front! …Or so I thought—but they’re too short! I feel like I’m being made a fool of.
Somehow, I managed to get it installed without any major issues.
So, let’s do a sound check right away… Whoa!! It’s different! It’s different! I can clearly tell the difference! (Of course I can!) I haven’t adjusted the tone or anything, but my first impression is that the sound is louder. It feels warm yet well-defined. It’s powerful, and this one seems to have a wider dynamic range. I think it’s easier to add expression to the tone with this one.
Duncan pickups produce what you might call a hi-fi sound (which is great, of course), so they’re definitely different from that uniquely Rickenbacker sound—which is a bit hard to pin down. Duncan pickups are a pleasure to play; Rickenbacker pickups have more character. That’s the impression I got. I thought it might be fun to switch between them for recording and live performances.
By the way, regarding the Duncan pickups I tried this time, one distinctive feature is that the front and rear pickups use different magnets.
The front pickup uses a ceramic magnet, and its special coil winding ensures that the entire frequency range is evenly emphasized. It also reduces hum and noise. On the other hand, the rear pickup uses an Alnico magnet and is arranged in a humbucker-style configuration, so it delivers not only more power but also better sustain than the original.
See you next time...