Rickenbacker 4001
| Rickenbacker 4001 | |
|---|---|
 Rickenbacker 4001, color: Mapleglo |
|
| General | |
| Type | Electric bass |
| Manufacturer | Rickenbacker ; United States |
| production | 1961–1981 (4001), since 1981 (4003) |
| Construction and materials | |
| Scale length | 33.25 inches (845 mm) |
| Body | Solid body made of maple |
| neck | Full neck made of maple and walnut |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood , 20 frets |
| saddle | Plastic , width: 42.9 mm |
| Mechanics | 2 × left, 2 × right; open |
| Footbridge / bridge | Fixed, one-piece metal bridge with individual saddles |
| Weight | approx. 4.1 kg |
| Pickups and Electronics | |
| Pickups |
2 × single coil |
| Tone control | passive
|
| Unless otherwise stated, the data come from the manufacturer's website (as of December 29, 2013) | |
The Rickenbacker 4001 is a four-string electric bass model from the US musical instrument manufacturer Rickenbacker . When it was launched in 1961, it was Rickenbacker's second electric bass after the 4000 model . In addition, after the 4000 , the 4001 was the second electric bass on the market with a continuous instrument neck ( English : Neck-thru ). The Rickenbacker 4001 gained particular fame through Paul McCartney , who played the model in the English band The Beatles and later in his rock band Wings since the mid-1960s .
history
Production period
In 1957, the Rickenbacker company presented their first electric bass, the 4000 . The design of this model and its successors comes from the German-born guitar maker Roger Rossmeisl , who was employed by Rickenbacker from 1954 to 1962 (afterwards Rossmeisl switched to rival Fender ). In his guitar designs for Rickenbacker, Rossmeisl implemented the construction principle of the continuous instrument neck; a form of construction that had been developed for series production in 1948 by the American musical instrument maker Paul Bigsby with the Bigsby / Travis guitar . In 1956 Rickenbacker presented his first electric guitar model with a full neck, the Combo 400 developed by Rossmeisl . The following year followed with the 4000 Rickenbackers, the first electric bass constructed according to the same principle. The model 4000 has only one electromagnetic pickup , initially had a one-piece neck made of mahogany and is generally more simply equipped than its successor models .
After Rickenbacker had been making a few copies of the 4000 with extended equipment since the late 1950s , the Rickenbacker 4001 was introduced in November 1961 and presented as a "deluxe" version of the 4000 model. This extended version has two pickups instead of one, more elaborate electronics and a decorative binding ( binding ) on the edges of the front of the instrument body and on the side edges of the fingerboard . While the fretboard border is kept simple, the body has a multi-layer binding with a checkerboard pattern ( English checkerboard ; used until 1974).
In 1967 a lavishly equipped special model of the 4001 appeared in a limited edition, the 4002 . This had a separately made instrument top made of particularly strongly grained maple wood and was equipped with two double- coil pickups in humbucker design. Other special models were the 4008 , which carried eight strings instead of the four usual for the model, as well as the double neck model 4080 , which combined the electric bass with a six or twelve-string electric guitar.
The basic model Rickenbacker 4001 was built until the beginning of the 1980s, while it was successively replaced by the successor 4003 from 1979 . In this case both models differed primarily by the type of truss rod design used (ger .: truss rod ). Over the years, Rickenbacker made technical and cosmetic changes to the 4001 and its sister models. In 1974 the pickup was moved closer to the bridge pickup in the neck position, the pickguard was reduced in size, and the shape and size of the headstock were slightly changed. The eye-catching walnut side parts of the headstock have also been replaced by maple ones.
New editions
At the beginning of the 1980s, there was a steadily growing interest in the "classic" American electric guitars and basses of the 1950s and 1960s that has continued to this day on the musical instrument market. Following the example of the musical instrument manufacturer Fender , who had successfully brought reproductions of its guitar and bass models from the 1950s / 1960s onto the market for some time, the first new edition of the 4001 appeared shortly after the official end of production, in 1984 4001V63 , where the letter V stands for vintage . A new edition from 2001 with the model designation 4001C64 is still being built by Rickenbacker to this day. From a technical point of view, however, these "new editions" were only variants of the (current) 4003 based on the export model 4001S , since z. B. whose truss rod principle has been adopted unchanged. There was no return to the old production methods and other technical details of the 4001 models - in stark contrast to the Fender Vintage series, where the greatest importance was attached to authenticity even in the smallest details. It is therefore not entirely unjustified to regard model names such as 4001V63 and 4001C64 as at least partially misleading.
Influence on other manufacturers
The design principle of the continuous neck introduced by Rickenbacker for electric basses was adopted and further developed in later years by some other manufacturers of electric basses. One of the most important of these is the US company Alembic , founded in 1969 , which - starting with the Alembic Series I electric bass - is considered to be the inventor and manufacturer of particularly elaborately produced and well-equipped electric basses (so-called "noble basses") without exception have a continuous neck. Another prominent example of an electric bass model with this neck construction is the Gibson Thunderbird introduced by the US musical instrument manufacturer Gibson in 1963 .
construction
Wooden components
The Rickenbacker 4001 has a body made of maple wood. This consists of two wings that are glued to the left and right of the neck construction. The neck, which is also made of maple and runs through the entire body, was initially in one piece, but was eventually replaced by a three-piece construction. For this purpose, a continuous, relatively narrow walnut wood strip was inserted between 2 wider maple strips. The scale does not have the 1951 with the Fender Precision Bass , introduced long scale format, but a Rickenbacker self-developed, slightly shorter measure that the Bass a scale length of 33-1 / 4 inches are. The upper part of the neck has a rosewood fingerboard , which - atypical for this type of wood in musical instrument making - is covered with a layer of clear varnish. To regulate the curvature of the neck and thus the position of the strings , the neck of the 4001 has two internal steel rods ( neck tension rod ) that can be adjusted from the headstock or the upper edge of the fingerboard . The special functional principle of these steel rods, which in turn consist of two rods welded together on the body side, often leads to tensions in the area of the adjusting nuts on the end of the fingerboard on the headstock side if handled improperly. As a result, the fingerboard occasionally comes off the neck. The advantage of this construction, however, is that once the neck curvature has been set, it remains constant even with changes in weather and temperature, and a defective neck tensioning rod can be easily replaced.
The export model presented in 1963, which was intended for sale in Europe, was called the 4001S . The instruments imported to Great Britain by the London company Rose-Morris were given their own model number, RM1999 , but were otherwise identical to the 4001S models. This export version differs in some details from the American one - for example, the fretboard inlays ( inlays ) have the shape of dots instead of the triangular epoxy resin variant used in the US version , and the body and fingerboard surrounds are also missing.
Electrical equipment
A Rickenbacker-typical feature of the early models of the 4001 model is the pickup in the bridge position, the Horseshoe Pickup (German: " Horseshoe pickup"; see illustration on the right). The strings run through a magnet in the shape of a horseshoe, which converts their vibrations into electromagnetic pulses by means of a coil . This type of pickup was first used by Rickenbacker on their lapsteel guitar, the Rickenbacker Frying Pan , which was introduced in 1932 . Around 1968/1969 the Horseshoe pickup was replaced by a more modern pickup. This version, called Hi-Gain , dispensed with horseshoe magnets, as these had the property of demagnetizing themselves over time. Instead, a more conventional solution was used in the form of a bar magnet attached below the coil. The familiar appearance has been retained by a chrome-plated plastic bracket, which has no function apart from a negligible electromagnetic shielding effect. Many bass players find this bracket rather annoying and therefore remove it.
A single coil was installed as a neck pickup until 1974 , which was taken over from guitar production without any changes. Therefore, instead of the 4 (or 8) bar magnets that are usual for bass applications, this type of pickup has 6 bar magnets, which run vertically through the coil body. This pickup was given the nickname "Toaster" due to its characteristic, 2-slotted cover made of chromed metal, which completely covers the individual magnets and only shows parts of the black coil body. In 1974 the "toaster" was replaced by a newly developed single coil pickup, also called "Hi-Gain" due to the higher output power: Instead of the original 6 individual magnets, there is now a bar magnet below the coil, which in turn has 4 screw-like metal pins fixed in the coil body magnetized. This pickup was also given a chrome-plated cover similar to the “toaster” - but the middle “bridge” was removed to make space for the metal pins that are now used.
With regard to the different pickups, it can be stated that the later "Hi-Gain" combination is often said to have better transmission properties, but (not least because of the optics) the combination of "Horse Shoe" and "Toaster" is popular with enthusiasts of the larger ones Pleased with popularity.
The control unit of the 4001, mounted on a pickguard and embedded in the front of the body, consists of two volume and tone controls each with rotary knobs made of Bakelite , as well as a three-way toggle switch for selecting the pickups.
The signals of the two pickups are managed by an otherwise rarely found circuit option. In addition to a conventional (mono) jack socket, which transmits the entire signal from both pickups, a second (stereo) jack socket called "Rick-O-Sound" enables separate tapping in order to control a separate guitar amplifier or effects device with each pickup to be able to. This equipment was only offered as a special version in the first few years of production of the 4001, and was not standard until the 1970s. To use this circuit variant, however, a so-called "Rick-O-Sound Kit" is required, which basically consists of a stereo jack cable and a corresponding distribution box and can be built by (almost) anyone with a little technical skill. The use of a mono jack cable in the “Rick-O-Sound” output, however, causes the neck pickup to close to ground, which is why only the bridge pickup can be heard.
hardware
The bridge and tailpiece of the Rickenbacker 4001 consist of two individual assemblies cast from aluminum (from 1972 from zinc ). The bridge unit with its 4 lengthways adjustable saddles rests, supported on 2 grub screws (which ensure the height adjustment) and almost exclusively fixed by the string tension, in a corresponding recess in the tailpiece, which is designed in the form of a base plate. To fix the tailpiece to the body initially 3, from 1972 a total of 5 wood screws were used, of which only 2 of the latter are visible. 3 screws are always covered by the bar unit. A common phenomenon is the property of the zinc base plate to give way to the tension of the strings and to warp ( tail lift ), whereby the rear end, where the strings are anchored, bends upwards (away from the body). Although this is harmless to a minor extent, in particularly severe cases it can lead to the entire bar unit being unusable. The special design of the original horse shoe bridge pickup makes it difficult to dampen the strings with the heel of the hand ( palm muting ), so instead they can be dampened with a foam rubber pad integrated into the base plate and adjustable via 2 large knurled screws .
Until the early 1970s, the 4001 wore open types from the manufacturer Kluson as tuning machines . After that, closed (encapsulated) tuners from the Grover brand are used , later open types from Schaller , the latter being given the "Rickenbacker" name.
The strap buttons represent a special feature: they are identical to the knurled screws that are used to adjust the height of the string damper.
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 "penetrating", with "soft" seeming deep bass. The less pronounced (low) mid-range gives the sound a slightly “hollow” or “nasal” character. The continuous neck construction and the hard maple mainly used to promote both the treble of the sound as well as a long Ausschwingdauer the strings (ger .: Sustain ). The .0047uF capacitor used as standard, which is connected in series with the bridge pickup, is also of particular importance. Since it acts like a high pass filter, it gives the bridge pickup an even greater degree of assertiveness in the high frequencies. Bassists who prefer a rounder, fuller tone often remove or bypass this capacitor.
The lower middle part of the sound of this instrument is particularly valued in rock music , as this reduces frequency overlaps with the sound of electric guitars, which contributes to a “more transparent” sound impression when playing ensembles. In order to be able to further emphasize its sound characteristics, some bass players prefer a pick when playing the Rickenbacker 4001 .
Prominent bass players
One of the first prominent bass players to use a Rickenbacker 4001 was Paul McCartney . In 1965, during the recording of the Beatles album Rubber Soul , he moved from his previously played Höfner 500/1 - Short Scale E-Bass to his 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S, a long scale -instrument. The bass had been presented to him by Rickenbacker's managing director Francis Hall in August that year in Los Angeles during a US tour of the Beatles. The McCartney gift was the first left-handed instrument in the range. Switching to a long-scale bass enabled him to make better use of the fingerboard, making the bass lines possible in pieces such as Paperback Writer (1966). By 1967, the 4001S had become McCartney's main instrument in the recording studio . A Beatles album on which Paul McCartney's Rickenbacker bass can be clearly identified by the sound is Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band , released in 1967 . The instrument has been subjected to various modifications and repair measures over the years, some of which were carried out by the manufacturer himself. McCartney had the original body finish, "Fireglo" (a "fire red" variant of the sunburst color gradient ) sanded off in early 1969. Approx. In 1970/71, the shape of the body horns ( cutaways ) on the inside was revised or smoothed. In the mid-1970s, the now unusable “horse shoe” pickup was exchanged for the more up-to-date “Hi-Gain” version and the aluminum bridge unit was replaced by the zinc version. In addition, a zero collar was installed later , as McCartney was used to from the Höfner 500/1 . The Rickenbacker special model 4001C64S is essentially based on McCartney's modified copy.
Other well-known bassists who play or played the Rickenbacker are Chris Squire (bassist of the rock band Yes , plays the export model RM1999), Roger Glover ( Deep Purple ) and Cliff Burton ( Metallica ). A special model based on Squire's copy was launched in a limited edition of 1000 pieces under the designation 4001CS . A well-known German bassist, whose distinguishing feature was the Rickenbacker 4001, is Hellmut Hattler , who became known with the rock group Kraan .
A prominent musician who made the Rickenbacker 4001 and its successor 4003 his trademark was bassist Lemmy Kilmister from the English rock band Motörhead . In the course of his career, Kilmister played several custom-made instruments, some with elaborately crafted decorative elements.
Successor type 4003
The basic model Rickenbacker 4001 was built until the beginning of the 1980s, while it was successively replaced by the successor 4003 from 1979 . In this case both models of the truss rod design used primarily distinguished by the type ( English truss rod ) and one-piece a return, but still solid maple neck. The visual appearance of the predecessor type 4001 was retained. The most noticeable distinguishing feature, however, was the (temporarily) two-part pickguard, which simplified access to the truss rod adjusting nuts now attached to the body.
The complete electrical equipment was initially taken over from the 4001, and changed slightly in the following years. The tone control of the bridge pickup, which is now implemented as a switching potentiometer, is primarily to be mentioned, which now enables a .0047uF capacitor connected in series with this pickup to be bridged. This allows the proportion of low frequencies in the amplified tone to be varied. The "Hi-Gain" pickups, which are still in use, have also been modified over the years: The output power has been further increased, and the 4 previously fixed, magnetic metal pins are now height-adjustable using an Allen key.
As was previously the case with the 4001, the 4003 is also subject to continuous model updates. In addition to less obvious construction details, such as B. the adjusting nuts of the two truss rods, now located at the upper end of the neck, also changed the shape and size of the body horns in favor of a slimmer design. The side parts of the headstock, which have been made of maple for a long time, are regularly made of walnut again. The current model variant 4003 WN has, in contrast to the standard maple version, body wings made of walnut wood, as well as a maple fingerboard that was previously rarely found on Rickenbacker basses. Furthermore, under the model name 4003 S, a variant that looks like the former export model 4001S / RM1999 is offered today, which does not have a body or fingerboard bezel.
literature
- Tony Bacon: Guitar classics - all models and manufacturers . Premio Verlag 2007. ISBN 978-3-86706-050-9
- Tony Bacon: The Rickenbacker Book - A Complete History of Rickenbacker
Electric Guitars . GPI-Books, San Francisco 1994. ISBN 0-87930-329-8 - Tony Bacon, Barry Moorhouse: The Bass Book - a complete illustrated history of bass guitars . German edition, Balafon Books, London 1996
- Jim Roberts: American Basses - an illustrated history and player's guide . Backbeat Books, San Francisco 2003. ISBN 0-87930-721-8
- Jogi Sweers: Rickenbacker History. Two-part article on the history of the Rickenbacker 4000 and 4001 models in: Bass Professor , specialist journal for bass players. Issues No. 51 (2/2009), p. 108 ff. And No. 52 (3/2009), p. 124 ff. ISSN 1431-7648
Web links
- Official Rickenbacker company website accessed on February 22, 2012
- The Rickenbacker 4001 on Björn Eriksson's Rickenbacker Page with detailed information about the model 4001 accessed on February 22, 2012
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Jim Roberts: American Basses . P. 156 ff.
- ↑ a b Jogi Sweers: Rickenbacker History . In: Bass Professor , Issue No. 51 (2/2009), p. 108 ff.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Jogi Sweers: Rickenbacker History . In: Bass Professor , Issue No. 52 (3/2009), p. 124 ff.
- ↑ a b c d e f Dirk Groll: Traditional alternative - Rickenbacker 4001 Bass . In: Electric Guitars; Special issue of the magazine Guitar & Bass on the history of the electric guitar, p. 166 f. MM-Musik-Media-Verlag, Ulm 2004.
- ↑ a b c d vintage guitars . Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ↑ Rickbeat, accessed July 2, 2011.
- ↑ Rickenbacker product page. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ↑ Jim Roberts: American Basses , p. 158
- ↑ Manfred Nabinger: Frying pan & Hawaiian shirt - Rickenbacker Frying Pan & Gibson EH-150 . In: Stromgitarren , special issue of the guitar & bass magazine on the history of the electric guitar, p. 122 ff. MM-Musik-Media-Verlag, Ulm 2004.
- ↑ Andy Babiuk: The Beatles Sound. The Fab Four and its instruments - on stage and in the studio , p. 168. PPV Presse Project Verlag, Bergkirchen 2002, ISBN 3-932275-36-5
- ↑ Evolution of rock bass playing . ( Memento of the original from June 29, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ Bacon, Moorhouse: The Bass Book , p. 34
- ↑ Andy Babiuk: The Beatles Sound , p. 216.
- ↑ Interview with Chris Squire. ( Memento of the original from October 21, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ↑ Interview with Roger Clover. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ Metallicaworld . ( Memento of the original from April 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
- ^ Bert Gerecht: Hellmut Hattler - Bass in the 21st Century . Interview in: Bass Professor , Heft 4/2000, p. 12 ff. ISSN 1431-7648
- ↑ Lemmy Kilmister on rickenbacker.com , with photos of a Rickenbacker special model (English; accessed on February 22, 2012)
