Rickenbacker 4001 1970s

About the Rickenbacker 4001 1970s

The 1970s 4001 is a neck-through bass: a maple body, a maple neck laminated with walnut that runs its full length, and a bound board with triangle inlays (rosewood, some bubinga) with 20 frets on a 33 1/4 inch scale. Nuts measure 1 5/8 inch, the radius 7.25 inch, necks about 0.88 to 0.93 inch deep at the first fret; weighed examples come in at about 8.5 to 9.8 lb (3.9 to 4.5 kg). It has two truss rods, two volumes, two tones, a three-way switch and a mono jack, plus the Rick-O-Sound stereo jack, standard from 1971, which sends each pickup out on its own through a TRS splitter cable. Mid and late 1970s basses have Hi-Gain single coils.

The serial on the jack plate dates it: the first letter is the year (L 1972, N 1974, O 1975, P 1976, R 1978, S 1979), the second the month (A January to L December). Checkerboard binding and crushed-pearl inlays are early-1970s features, rare after 1973. Finishes include Fireglo, Jetglo, Mapleglo, Azureglo, Burgundyglo, Autumnglo and white, which yellows. The original case is a blue-lined hard case, often with a polish cloth.

Test both jacks: the stereo circuit is often disconnected or dead. Check for fingerboard separation from wrong truss rod adjustment, repaired neck or headstock cracks, a lifting bridge and cracked pickguards. Common changes are a Badass or Hipshot bridge, new tuners that leave enlarged or extra holes, replaced truss rods, a removed bridge pickup cover and a stripped fingerboard finish.

In one paragraph

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Sellers are asking a median of €3,892 for the Rickenbacker 4001 1970s today, 50% over the €2,600 it actually sells for (19 recorded sales, last 6 months; most sold between €1,900 and €3,050). There are 8 listings live right now across eBay United States, eBay Germany, Reverb, from €2,168 asking. Figures computed 19 October 2026 by Doirado from cross-platform listing data.