New Model Rickenbacker Bass!?!

[Isaac_James]

Could it be modded to move the bridge closer to the edge to increase the scale length?
then just remove the frets and have a nice semi-hollow fretless.

If you remove the frets, then that solves the intonation issue that repositioning the bridge would cause on a fretted bass. You'd still have holes in the body from the original bridge though, and the pickup spacing would change. You'd also need to deal with the tailpiece.

I've never tried this sort of mod, but it sounds like the sort of thing that would cause more problems than it's trying to solve.

 

[nixdad]

Does anyone have any idea of what Rickenbacker will use for a model designation? 3030W? 3330W? just guessing here. but I sure do like the looks of it in Walnut. my biggest questions are will it be available in a fretless (almost 100% sure NO!) and what choices of strings will be available?

Ben Hall said that it will ship with flatwound strings, but I don't recall if he mentioned the gauges.

The model bumber will be 3030, I imagine the W will only be added to the walnut bodied models.

Now THAT'S interesting. I wish they would have shipped both the 4005XC and 4005V models with flats, but oh well! Better late than never!
So per that information, an entirely new set of strings will need to be created - and seemingly be exclusive to Rickenbacker.

 

[Mister_GothFrak]

If you remove the frets, then that solves the intonation issue that repositioning the bridge would cause on a fretted bass. You'd still have holes in the body from the original bridge though, and the pickup spacing would change. You'd also need to deal with the tailpiece.

I've never tried this sort of mod, but it sounds like the sort of thing that would cause more problems than it's trying to solve.

It's probably as much work as just buying any Rickenbacker guitar already out there, filling in the machine head holes, and replacing the bridge and nut to be for bass.

 

[Mister_GothFrak]

So per that information, an entirely new set of strings will need to be created - and seemingly be exclusive to Rickenbacker.

I order custom sets of strings all the time. There are enough shoppes out there that'll do it if the manufacturer doesn't offer singles directly.

 

[nixdad]

I order custom sets of strings all the time. There are enough shoppes out there that'll do it if the manufacturer doesn't offer singles directly.

The interesting thing here is not the string gauges, it's that they may be a custom scale as well since the bass is a apparently going to be a super-shorty.

 

[Isaac_James]

The interesting thing here is not the string gauges, it's that they may be a custom scale as well since the bass is a apparently going to be a super-shorty.

Not necessarily, the bridge and tailpiece add several inches behind the bridge. It could be that regular short scale bass strings will still work.

 

[Mister_GothFrak]

The interesting thing here is not the string gauges, it's that they may be a custom scale as well since the bass is a apparently going to be a super-shorty.

Ah, right. Well, I haven't had any issues either way with length on any of my basses or guitars. I wish I could get custom length but, I'd probably have to buy bulk quantities.

 

[Isaac_James]

It's probably as much work as just buying any Rickenbacker guitar already out there, filling in the machine head holes, and replacing the bridge and nut to be for bass.

Maybe, but I wouldn't do that either.

 

[Mosthigh]

Posted on the Rickenbacker FB page today. No other info.

 

[MIJ Fender Guy]

Looks way better than their normal offerings

 

[Gunga Din]

Man alive, they look like the little Shaftesbury copies from the '70s.

 

[KohanMike]

When I was all caught up accumulating sub-short scale basses (21" to 24"), I saw the Rick 325, a 22.5" scale guitar. I've had that scale guitars converted to a bass, but I couldn't afford to spend $3000. I ended up finding a knockoff on AliExpress for $250 and had that converted to a bass. I wonder if Rickenbacker saw one of post about it and decided to emulate it in a full size

 

[dlmarquez]

Posted on the Rickenbacker FB page today. No other info.

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I’m quite curious as to the pricing for these and when they will be available!

 

[dlmarquez]

the other problem is that I definitely would want an unlined fretless fingerboard….that would add a few hundred $ to the list price.

 

[sleddogn]

Ric pops into this thread to say hey yeah, but then crickets on colors and price....come on guys cough it up already

 

[nixdad]

Not necessarily, the bridge and tailpiece add several inches behind the bridge. It could be that regular short scale bass strings will still work.

Valid point - we'll see!

 

[Tom Gallo]

I think it's great! Hopefully, if released, it will be a little less expensive than the 4005XC, given the more basic aesthetics.

A little less expensive will only make it extremely unaffordable instead of massively unaffordable.

 

[Dabndug]

Valid point - we'll see!

Comparing a Longhorn with a 330, the distance between the string anchor point and the tuner nearest the nut is virtually identical, so short scale strings should work on the new bass, though you'd need a heavy gauge to ensure usable string tension.

 

[Dabndug]

A little less expensive will only make it extremely unaffordable instead of massively unaffordable.

Absolutely! Add in shipping expenses to Oz (which have quadrupled since the pandemic) and you're talking a whole lot of money.

 

[dlmarquez]

So this thread has been open for 2 months now. Any updates on when the “3030” will be released for the hordes of crazed Ricophiles?