Ric 4005

[KrisH]

In another thread I mentioned the guitarist in one of my bands who had a jazz and a ric 4001 he was selling to fund another purchase -- a 1974 Rickenbacker 4005. Well, he got it this week, cleaned it up, and asked me to play it on a couple tunes at practice this morning, because he hadn't heard it in the band context yet. So I obliged. The sound was great, with both pickups wide open. Kinda like the Squire sound, but rounder or "hollower." Yes, I could see using it on some of the early 70s songs I used to like jamming on so long ago. Wonderful! Playability? Well, it felt fine. I think I would've brought the action down a little more but hey -- personal preference. All in all, it's in fine shape, although the elecronic controls had been modified. I won't say what he paid for it. And he's the guitarist!

I know -- no pictures, no bass. I'll see if I can get him to forward a couple to share.

 

[James Hart]

Bassist friend of mine (also from Jersey) just sold his 4005 last summer. Those things are REAL pricey!!!

 

[Rush-2112]

God I wish John Hall would let those beauties go back into production...but from what I've heard, there's no hope of that ever happening

I found this vid a while back of a guy showing his off...



It's not FAIR!

 

[Relic]

Wow that's been a dream of mine since I started playing bass - a 4005. Man they are extremely expensive.
Rush-2112 - just curious as to why you think they'll never go back into production?

 

[Rush-2112]

Wow that's been a dream of mine since I started playing bass - a 4005. Man they are extremely expensive.
Rush-2112 - just curious as to why you think they'll never go back into production?

It's just what I've heard...idk maybe they will reissue it someday

 

[Relic]

It's just what I've heard...idk maybe they will reissue it someday

God I hope so but I can only imagine the cost!
I better start saving now, so if it happens in the next 20 years I MIGHT have enough....

 

[Tom Howland]

The 4005 is my favorite Ric.

Played one loved it.
Never found one to buy? ( Big bucks)

A reissue would be great?

 

[Relic]

The 4005 is my favorite Ric.

Played one loved it.
Never found one to buy? ( Big bucks)

A reissue would be great?

What do they sound like? I've always wondered.
I have seen a few pop up on eBay, but once the price gets to be 5 digits long I'm out
There was one recently on eBay, from Germany I think, that was a fix-me up special. All beat up and missing parts... It STILL went for really big bucks.

 

[martyman5000]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120345988924

 

[Relic]

yep that's the one alright!

 

[Baird6869]

I found this vid a while back of a guy showing his off...

As an aside, is a grown adult standing in his living room, playing bass along with a recording, filming it and posting it on the web for the world to see as weird to all of you as it is to me?

OK, a closeup of a bass neck for instructional purposes is a little less weird, but that video just makes me laugh and creeps me out at the same time.

 

[mellowgerman]

Don't know why, but I have never been too intrigued by these. I've been over to a guy's house a couple of times that has one in fireglo, looks nice... but for some reason I never even bothered to ask to play it...

 

[KPAX]

People post stranger stuff than that.

As an aside, is a grown adult standing in his living room, playing bass along with a recording, filming it and posting it on the web for the world to see as weird to all of you as it is to me?

OK, a closeup of a bass neck for instructional purposes is a little less weird, but that video just makes me laugh and creeps me out at the same time.

 

[martyman5000]

As an aside, is a grown adult standing in his living room, playing bass along with a recording, filming it and posting it on the web for the world to see as weird to all of you as it is to me?

OK, a closeup of a bass neck for instructional purposes is a little less weird, but that video just makes me laugh and creeps me out at the same time.

I have to admit it was shot like porno but I got through it.

 

[Ron Plichta]

I seem to recall reading a few years back that the tooling costs vs. the market demand would make a 4005 reissue prohibitively expensive. And given the backlog the factory had, it would have ben hard to fit in the production cycle.

 

[The Hammer]

If Ric was going to produce another semi-hollowbody this is what they ought to produce

 

[martyman5000]

The guy on myspace with the vintage Ric has nice bass's ...the other vids are quite good.

 

[woodyng]

that black bass above,IIRC, belonged to the deceased heartbreaker bassist in tom petty's band,a custom job not made by rickenbacker. that is one gorgeous instrument. i did own a 4005 for about 6 monthes,just was not into it's upright sound at the time....

 

[The Hammer]

that black bass above,IIRC, belonged to the deceased heartbreaker bassist in tom petty's band,a custom job not made by rickenbacker. that is one gorgeous instrument. i did own a 4005 for about 6 monthes,just was not into it's upright sound at the time....

yep it was the late Howie Epsteins and was advertised as a "Ric prototype" until Ric intervened and made them admit it was a fake. Still a beautiful looking bass nonetheless

 

[sturmvogel]

Over on the Ric Forum, John Hall has replied to wishes of those wanting a 4005 reissue, basically, when hell freezes over. The startup costs wouldn't be worth it for a bass that wouldn't be in big enough demand. He figured he'd have to sell them with a price tag near 5 figures.