1979 Rickenbacker 4005
| Year | 1979 |
|---|---|
| Make | Rickenbacker |
| Model | 4005 Bass |
| Condition | Near Mint |
$11,495.00
Description
The Model 4005 bass is one of Rickenbacker’s less heralded creations, a hollowbody 4-string companion to their extremely popular 300 series guitars that never quite caught on. Nevertheless this is a stunning bass to behold and a great instrument to play, with what seems like miles of unencumbered neck and a sound that can range from deep to very bright with the twist of a knob. Starting in 1964 Rickenbacker was prodded primarily by Rose-Morris in England to come up with a hollow body bass, as that was the dominant style preferred by many “beat group” players there. The company’s 4000/4001 eventually became hugely popular with UK musicians but in 1964-5 was seen with only a few top pro players. The 4005 was the result, built on a somewhat elongated 360-style guitar body, with a full 33 1/2″ scale neck and deluxe inlay like the 4001. The bass was first mentioned in Rickenbacker’s summer 1965 price lists, but few were delivered before 1966. The 4005 has a bevy of unusual features for a hollow body bass, most notably that long very slim neck and the carved solid maple body with a flat back. Essentially it simply combines features from other Rickenbacker instruments; The headstock and neck shapes were carried over from the 4001, the ‘toaster-top” pickups and bridge were modified guitar fittings. The bound slash soundhole and checkerboard binding on the back were identical to the Model 360 guitar. Most other hollow body basses are short 30″ scale instruments; Rickenbacker went a step farther in creating this unusual full-scale model in 1965. The two pickups are very widely spaced, controlled by the standard 5-knob Rickenbacker rig including the fifth “blend” knob that actually is quite useful on this bass. Despite the deluxe trim the 4005 is normally wired in mono, but this late example is equipped w/a “Rick-O-Sound” stereo circuit. The rich Bright Blue “Azurglo” has a lovely effect as its truly near mint w/no fade at all and the triangular pearl inlaid fingerboard feels great ! Today these unique and rare basses have a dedicated cult following among adventurous bassists. Their totally unique feel and sound has never been duplicated and original clean custom colored examples are considered the cream of the crop. This 1979 4005 shows only the slightest wear but plays perfectly; it can sound monstrous when pushed at high volume but also offers a delicately flavored semi-acoustic timbre at lower volumes. This is a superb collectible example of this rare and somewhat eccentric bass. It’s truly near mint overall & comes in a very cool huge Rick Turner hard case.
Below is a conversation from a fellow bass collector named Lucky. Luck found it in an abscure tiny shop in Italy & apparently never used:
Dear Craig,
As you now own my previous 4005 azureglo, I’d like to tell you about it. Especially as some idiots on the fb Rick groups advanced doubts on it.
I am the first and sole owner, as I’ve bought it NOS in the early 2000s.
I was on a theatre tour with some famous comedians, their names Cochi e Renato.
We were in the city of Campobasso, a very small town in a remote south central area of Italy.
Those days, having the chance to tour the whole country, I was digging every town, especially the remote ones, for some rare stuff.
Well, I am in Campobasso, checked the yellow pages, internet, everything. Asked some locals at the theatre. Apparently there were only two musical shops in town. I dug both. Nothing relevant.
Later same day, we were at the restaurant and the PS service truck driver told me “hye Lucky, did you see that BLUE bass?”
I said I went to both music shops in town and there were no trace of a blue bass.
He carried on: it’s blue and it’s very big! with a hole in the body…
I told him to take me to that BLUE bass. we went up and down some narrow and wider roads, then he entered a small aisle between two shops on a main road. no sing of a music shop at all. the aisle was Z shaped. after two 90degress curves between some old shops selling house furnitures, bed sheets, blankets, here a music shop appears. the window displayed only books, methods, a couple of cheap student guitars. maybe a clarinet and an accordion. that’s all.
we entered the shop and here it was! on a stand, near a wall.
I immediately understood what was goin on.
An old lady was behind the desk.
So the conversation starts, after me diggin for the serial number and finding out it was a ’79.
To cut a long story short, her husband bought the bass brand new in, maybe 1980, thinking to play it, but as it was very expensive, the lady never let him use it and put it for sale in the shop. The bass sat in the shop from 1980 until 2000 circa. She said she can’t make the price, I have to talk to her husband.
So we called him on the phone. “ah, a lot of people came to see it, even from Rome, but it’s too expensive, nobody wanted to pay the price”.
After insisting for a good 30 minutes, as he did not really wanted to tell me the price, he finally said it and…the bass left the shop with me.
not cheap, I admit, but cheaper than the real value.
I have played it very seldomly as it’s so untouched that I did not really wanted to take it here and there, having many other real vintage nice basses.
So, if anybody ever doubt on this bass, I can witness the whole story!
Guitar hunting in Italy ain’t easy. not much stuff. many hunters. but that day I was lucky for sure.
Best Regards, Luck
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