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Rickenbacker 1976 4001FL Factory Fretless & Original Case
£1900
Lancaster

ash

By ash,
in Basses For Sale

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ash Grand Master

ash

Posted
Posted (edited)

For sale this all original 1976 Rickenbacker 4001FL factory Fretless in a dark fireglo finish. 

It’s a beautiful instrument and comes with the original Ric case and the bridge pickup cover.

I got this some time before I had my hand operation as a substitute for my old upright. Unfortunately the now permanent issues with my fretting hand means this is one of the longer scale instruments I can no longer play comfortably. 

If you’ve not heard a fretless Rickenbacker before check out Chris Brubeck who is seriously brilliant and uses one as his main instrument. 

This one is strung with Thomastik flats and really sings. On the neck binding there is an inlaid dot that corresponds to the correct fret position making it a bit easier to intonate if you are new to fretless.

The neck is really skinny and comfortable on this one it’s also nice and straight with a low action. Truss rods are both working as they ought to but I haven’t needed to tweak them. 

The bass sounds fantastic as you would expect and the Ric ‘growl’ is surprisingly well suited to fretless. It’s not a heavy bass either at around 4kgs. 

There are dings a plenty but nothing that gets in the way of playing, a few finish touch ups here and there but not bad for a 48 year old gigged instrument. The case is in decent condition too with all the latches working properly.

Not sure how to price this as it is a bit of a niche instrument, I’ll put something up but I’m  open to negotiations. I’m not looking for trades unless you had a Ric 4000 knocking about (as if) or even better a Ric 3000 shortscale. 

I definitely would prefer pickup on this but would be happy for you to arrange your own insured reputable courier at a mutually convenient time. UK only of course. 

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Edited by ash
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  • 2 weeks later...
Beedster Grand Master

Beedster

Posted
Posted

I wish I could justify buying this, it’s a really special instrument, it just wouldn’t have a role in anything I’m currently playing or will be in the foreseeable future. Nothing sounds quite like this bass through an SVT 👍

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Beedster Grand Master

Beedster

Posted
Posted
On 29/12/2024 at 14:01, Beedster said:

I wish I could justify buying this, it’s a really special instrument …., 👍

…. but do let me know if you have need of any decent digital studio gear 🙂

ash Grand Master

ash

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 hours ago, dmz said:

Looks the bees knees - I note Bass Bros have a Jetglo 1973 4000 up for grabs atm - if you hadn’t noticed…..

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/product/1973-rickenbacker-4000/

I chased that Ric 4000 when it was on sale in another guitar shop. I dithered because of the longer scale - it subsequently sold and has reappeared several times since. I keep reminding myself that longer scale instruments are no longer feasible for me. I’d no doubt buy it and not play it - like my fretless. Better stay sensible! 

Beedster Grand Master

Beedster

Posted
Posted (edited)

One of the most sublime moments I've experienced playing music was a small gig in a music room in Canterbury. The band almost outnumbered the audience, but the audience seriously out-qualified the band in terms of musicianship, several musicians, engineers, luthiers, and real music fans among them. It was a covers band with some originals thrown in, first track was Whole Lotta Love. I was playing my 4003FL through a Mesa M-Pulse 600 and two Bag End 1x12s. We arranged it slightly differently to recorded; the guitarist opened up with that glorious riff, singer sang a few lines, and then I came in with that iconic bassline. And f*** me did I get the audiences's (and the band's) attention. It was the first time I'd played the bass in anger and wow, it was a tone to die for, hard to describe but the blend of the presence of the back PUP and the lazieness of the front PUP, plus the lovely slow build of a fretless strung with tapewounds. Lovely, just lovely 👍 

Edited by Beedster
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Shaggy Veteran

Shaggy

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Beedster said:

Greg, perhaps we need to form a consortium :)

 

Lol I think youv'e got a plan there Chris.....:i-m_so_happy:  The 4003FL you mentioned above I also owned for a while too of course, and have to agree it was a pretty special sound, like no other fretless I've played.   Plus this one would look so nice next to my fretted '73 FG 4001......9_9   

 

Just that I've already got 3 nice FL basses not being played - I do keep coming back to this one though, how is it still here? :scratch_one-s_head:

 

 

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Beedster Grand Master

Beedster

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

I do keep coming back to this one though, how is it still here? :scratch_one-s_head:

 

 

 Very few people play Rics, even fewer play FL Rics, this is a niche instrument by all standards. But yes, I'm surprised it's still here also. BTW I read somewhere that you should never have an odd number of FLs :) 

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ash Grand Master

ash

Posted
  • Author
Posted
23 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

 

Lol I think youv'e got a plan there Chris.....:i-m_so_happy:  The 4003FL you mentioned above I also owned for a while too of course, and have to agree it was a pretty special sound, like no other fretless I've played.   Plus this one would look so nice next to my fretted '73 FG 4001......9_9   

 

Just that I've already got 3 nice FL basses not being played - I do keep coming back to this one though, how is it still here? :scratch_one-s_head:

 

 

Ha ha there has been offers and interest but I haven’t seen any money yet so it’s still here! 

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