{"product_id":"rickenbacker-model-4001-owned-by-geddy-lee-solid-body-electric-bass-guitar-1968-13344","title":"Rickenbacker Model 4001 Owned By Geddy Lee Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1968)","description":"Rickenbacker Model 4001 Owned By Geddy Lee Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1968), made in Los Angeles, California, serial # HD-843, mapleglo natural lacquer finish, maple body and neck, padouk fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen one thinks of Rickenbacker basses, one of the players that instantly comes to mind is Geddy Lee. While the Rush bassmaster has used a number of different instruments through the decades, the 4001 remains the instrument most associated with him and the classic sound of the band. In recent years Mr. Lee has put also together an exceptional collection of vintage electric basses, certainly one of the finest ever assembled. This is documented in his fantastic tome \"Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book Of Bass\" which is a must for anyone interested in these instruments; this bass is featured on pages 220 and 221. He VERY rarely parts with basses from the collection, but this beautiful MapleGlo 4001 is one and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a signature piece from the man himself. This bass was traded to us directly from Geddy and comes with a personally signed COA as well as photo documentation of him holding the instrument.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEven apart from this stellar provenance this is a special instrument. It was built in 1968, the first year the 4001 was really made in anything like real quantity. This example dates to the first months of the year (the serial number indicates completion in April '68 and the original pots are dated 6808) and retains some features of earlier '60s models. This notably includes the flanged chrome mounting ring for the horseshoe pickup, which was itself discontinued by the end of the year. Rickenbacker had been making basses since 1957, but it took a decade for them to be widely accepted, especially here in the US. One reason is this was a very expensive instrument, listing at $429.50 plus $59.50 for the case, quite a bit more than even a Custom Color Fender Jazz Bass ($304 in 1968 + $64.50).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 4001 bass sports an all-natural \"MapleGlo\" finish, a standard catalog option but less common than \"FireGlo\" red sunburst. The slim one-piece maple neck has walnut wings forming the early \"long\" headstock and runs completely through the center of the maple body. The profile is a soft C-shape that tapers to a flatter oval in the upper positions; when writing about these basses Geddy specifically mentions loving this '68 neck shape. The lacquered padouk fingerboard has white binding and the beautiful triangle \"crushed pearl\" inlays discontinued in the early '70s. Up top are a set of Kluson tuners, which Rickenbacker used until an ill-fated stint with Slimline Grovers a couple of years along. At the bottom end of the strings is the early pattern chrome bridge\/mute assembly, with the \"gap tooth\" in the middle of the mute housing and only 3 mounting screws hidden under the bridgepiece. The top edge of the body is bound in Rickenbacker's trademark \"checkerboard\" pattern, another characteristic discontinued in the early '70s. The white pickguard carries a Lucite fingerrest and the back edge meets the center pickup housing, more variations from later 4001s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe pickups are the original 1960s style, with the full horseshoe unit in the center (also phased out soon after) and the \"toaster top\" neck pickup, yet another signature of the 4001 lost in the early 1970s. The controls are the standard Rickenbacker pattern, with volume and tone for each pickup and a 3-way switch. As is typical for Rick, the tone knobs are on top and the volumes below. The pickups are routed to a mono single jack, the \"Rick-O-Sound Stereo option was a couple of years away. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEarly pre-1972 4001 basses are rare compared to later models, and 1968 examples are the last ones to retain the full set of 1960s-identified features. Unsurprisingly Geddy Lee's collection has a number of 4001 basses from this year, presumably why this one was allowed back out into the world! We are thrilled to offer this rare bass with such a special provenance behind it.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 45 1\/2 in. (115.6 cm.), 13 1\/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3\/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 33 1\/2 in. (851 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5\/8 in. (41 mm.). \u003cbr\u003eOverall this is a very clean and original bass, one of the nicest from this period we have seen. The all-original finish has only small dings and scuffs and no notable loss except in one small and inexplicable spot. This is a small hole drilled through the back of the body into pickup rout, later filled in with a dowel and lightly finished over. Why this was done is a complete mystery, but the discreet repair is not conspicuous. There is also a small filled screw hole on the tip of upper horn from a quixotic strap button relocation attempt. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eALL hardware remains original including both pickups, the pickguard, pots, switch, the cast bridge\/mute unit, Kluson tuners, headstock logo plate and strap buttons. The plating has some scuffing and a bit of loss to the rear of the bridge housing. The original wiring has a couple of splices and a partially later ground wire. There is a small crack to the pickguard off the top of the neck pickup, through he mounting screw hole. And a tiny crack in the plastic nameplate on the headstock off the upper rear screw hole.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There are no altered or replaced pieces except for some work done to the bridge saddles, and the E string adjustment screw is a replacement. As with nearly all Rickenbacker basses from this era the neck angle to the body has compressed over time; the action is currently comfortable (4\/32\" bass and 3\/32\" treble) due to the bridge saddles having been noticeable grooved with the centers notched deeper than their original configuration to enable lower action settings. The original frets and lacquered fingerboard show very little wear and both truss rods are functional; this bass never had any of the fingerboard separations common on older Rickenbacker's from truss rod overtightening. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith Geddy's own roundwound RotoSound strings still fitted the bass is a solid player and has the bright, powerful sound Rickenbacker basses are revered for, the early Rush recordings being a prime example. It resides in the original black Tolex case with the blue interior, with a signed COA from Geddy Lee, photo of Geddy with the bass and a selection of Geddy's signature Rush-imprinted picks. Overall Excellent - Condition.","brand":"Rickenbacker","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853713100940,"sku":"13344","price":25000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_af9f4e43-a915-4228-bb29-93c2f708a022.jpg?v=1774344302","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/rickenbacker-model-4001-owned-by-geddy-lee-solid-body-electric-bass-guitar-1968-13344","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}