Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

RobRick wrote:

bartyclue wrote:What does the C64 actually designate? I presume the C64S is in reference to the dotted fret board??

This has been asked many times and speculated upon by minds much more in the know than mine.

I believe the 64 refers to the year of 4001 bass the model is based on, since that was the same year of make of McCartney's, and the C? Who knows? "Classic?"

bluewhale wrote:I will try to post pics shortly...bluewhale

RobRick wrote:

bartyclue wrote:What does the C64 actually designate? I presume the C64S is in reference to the dotted fret board??

This has been asked many times and speculated upon by minds much more in the know than mine.

I believe the 64 refers to the year of 4001 bass the model is based on, since that was the same year of make of McCartney's, and the C? Who knows? "Classic?"

Ric N. Backer wrote:I believe the letter "C" stands for "Correct" It, the model, represents the correct recreation of the bass guitar. I heard that from Gary over at North Coast Music some time ago.

bluewhale wrote:

Ric N. Backer wrote:I believe the letter "C" stands for "Correct" It, the model, represents the correct recreation of the bass guitar. I heard that from Gary over at North Coast Music some time ago.

Although I don't have much to go on, I don't believe that the "C" in "C Series" stands for "Correct."

On the RIC corporate forum, there is a section called "Deja Vu," a resting place for recurring or already-covered topics. In that section there is a locked thread containing 504 posts on this question. RIC CEO John Hall's post dated 12 October 2007 seems to say that "C" stands for something composed of eleven letters. (He also advises readers to resign themselves to the fact that they aren't going to tell.) See also Ben Hall's post in the same thread from three days before.

bluewhale wrote:Great pictures, bartyclue, and congratulations on the 4001C64!

How does it compare with the others?

bluewhale wrote:Forumites, please join me in celebrating the arrival of my new 4001C64 MG. I also would like to share my early impressions of this bass.

My first impression on plugging in, and using the factory roundwound strings, was that the C64 is very trebly. I cut the hi-mid on my amp, and that takes care of it. But the big impression is that the C64 gets me closer than I've ever been to Chris Squire's old sound, like in "Long Distance Runaround," where I think his bass's unaltered sound really comes through. I roll the neck pickup volume back a little, but then I pick right over it, which I think gives a nice balance.

The neck is the thinnest I've ever played on a Ric. The fingerboard makes up such a large part of the neck that I wonder if it partly explains the difference in sound with other basses I've played.

As an owner of a '97 4001V63, I hadn't intended to buy a C64, but my defenses fell. I was opposed to the reverse headstock, and in design terms, I still think it's a loser. On the other hand, when I play the C64, there is that homage to Paul McCartney and a palpable connection with the Beatles. In that way the reverse headstock on my bass is something I can be proud of. I also like the looks of that horseshoe pickup cover. It makes a direct link to Rickenbacker's oldest instruments like no other guitar in the current catalog.

Thanks for reading. I will try to post pics shortly.


bluewhale

bluewhale wrote:

Ric N. Backer wrote:I believe the letter "C" stands for "Correct" It, the model, represents the correct recreation of the bass guitar. I heard that from Gary over at North Coast Music some time ago.

Although I don't have much to go on, I don't believe that the "C" in "C Series" stands for "Correct."

On the RIC corporate forum, there is a section called "Deja Vu," a resting place for recurring or already-covered topics. In that section there is a locked thread containing 504 posts on this question. RIC CEO John Hall's post dated 12 October 2007 seems to say that "C" stands for something composed of eleven letters. (He also advises readers to resign themselves to the fact that they aren't going to tell.) See also Ben Hall's post in the same thread from three days before.