Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I am interested in hearing comments from owners of the Chris Squire Model 4001CS. This is a beautiful looking bass that is now sold out. To see where some of these instruments reside around the world you may check out the Chris Squire Registry

Peter, in regards to your post on the 4001CS, I think it's an outstanding bass guitar, the very early versions, cir April, May of 1991 have a deeper hue to the creme (yellow) finish than the later models, the fret board has a nice "wide open" feel to it. This particular model was "spec'd" to Squire's original RM - 1999 (4001s). Being a "ltd. edition", produced from 1991 thru 2000, I think it had the longest run of any of the "ltd" series.

I love my 4001CS, it sounds and plays perfect. I love the neck profile too. It does not sound exactly like Chris Squire's original bass, but what other Rickenbacker bass does?..It's sound is "more up to date" sort of. Modern or new electronics maybe?? If I could save the money up again, I would buy another one, why not!! But they are no longer made.. ):

I would like to hear comments from some of you 4001CS players about the neck on that bass. I believe that Chris Squire spec'd a different neck shape than a standard Rick 4001/4003. I love Rick necks but I was wondering how you all like the CS neck after having a chance to play it for awhile?

I liked the regular 4001v63 neck a little bit better than the Chris Squire...I have small hands so that may be why...
I bought mine and sold it to a friend who painted it autobody Black!?!?!!!!!
He sold it to a friend and It was stolen, he got it back and sold it to another friend who pawned it and lost it and it got sold to a music store and I ended up getting it back real cheap 350.00...I sanded it down and got all the black out of the grain (no finger prints for a month) I had a very good luthier refinish it in
a Fireglo type finish (I know what your saying' "why did he do that" why not off white, I like McCartney better sorry) it turned out looking really good, I got tired of it and I had a music store here, place it on Ebay for me and we sold it to another music store, who knew the whole story (I wont mention the name). they sold it to a guy out in CA and I saw it on Ebay about 3 weeks ago so I emailed the guy and asked him some questions about it and found out it was my old one, I kinda wanted it back, but he wanted 1000.00 for it, i just couldnt give that knowing what I know ....he didnt know it was refinished, he does now, should I have told him? I hated to bust the guys bubble....the music store probably told him that the bass was original or they sold it to someone that told this guy that....it has my name somewhere hidden in/on the bass...unless the guy scraped my name off, he knows the deal....
so if you've bought a real looking Fireglo chris Squire, thats the one....FYI.....

pete,
how do I get rid of that ---->(tom)<-----?

In the posting above the bass that I had refinished fireglo was a 91-92 Chris Squire 4001cs that had been spray painted black when I bought it for a second time, not a 4001v63...
I was refering to neck sizes when I talked about a 4001v63 and just stated that i prefered the 4001v63 neck over the Squire neck....
A guy that saw the post who has the bass now and bought it from someone else, has emailed me concerned that it isnt a Squire bass and I just wanted to state for the record that it is a real Rick Chris Squire...
I dont know yet if he is the guy that I told to look for my name on/in the bass or if he is another person, I hope not...that would be unfortunate if someone sold it as original for a 2nd time...I shouldnt have to worry about an instrument that I told the people I sold it to the story and they knew full well it had been refinished, why would I leave my name in it if I didnt tell the story to them? it has been through 2 or 3 other people and i havent owned it for over a year....what are you suppose to do in a case like that? i tried to buy it back and get it off the streets plus I kinda wanted it back, like I need it... but I couldnt afford it back at the price the guy had it for sale at...I sold it for 600.00 and the guy was asking 1000.00 for it...
thats what I get for being Mr. Niceguy, trying to warn you folks, but most of you know that Rickenbacker didnt make Chris Squires in Fireglo RIGHT?.....
I wish he had seen this before he bought it from who ever told him it was original....now he doesnt think its a real Chris squire model...it is, its just refinished...

In reading the posts I could not help but share that when I took delivery of my 4001CS (LH) in 1992 I was the one who broke the seal on the box and cracked the case open for the 1st time. When I removed the bass from the box and played it,it was in TUNE. I have never had that happen before; all the across the US and It was in tune. I thought that was just so cool. Nine years later all I've done is lower the action a little bit and of course change the strings.

Leftybass, I bought a 4003 in November. I had it shipped via UPS from a dealer in New York to San Diego. It took 7 days for UPS to deliver it. I opened the case, and not only did it have the "Rick-O-Smell", my bass was in tune also! It still has the original strings, but I just bought some Pyramids and will give them a try when they arrive.

Pete Mac.,Sorry Ive not been in touch I would like to add my comments on the 4001cs.Ive had my bass ten years having been lucky enough to buy the one that was used at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 1991 to launch the model.After gigging with it constantly and playing it at every spare minute I can safely say that the 4001cs improves wth age.The neck profile is different to the original 60s models and feels more curved at the edge of the fretboard.Sound..does it sound like Chris Squires bass?YES it does and its a beautiful bass to own and play.But I have to say that Chris is right when he points out that a great part of his sound comes from his hands. So I recommend that anyone trying to emulate that sound takes account of the attitude that makes up the sound not just the equipment.Finally could you find out for me wether my 4001cs H36407 really is a prototype or whatever? I would be most grateful to know more of its history prior to the Frankfurt Fair.Kind regards Pete G.

As a new owner of a 4001CS I can say that my fretboard is one of the ugliest I have ever seen. The wood is very open-pored and the finish is lifting near the frets. There is polishing compound in the space between some frets-I'm thinking the fretboard might have been refinished. There are small cracks in the finish near the heel of the neck. Still it was a good deal and as an earlier model the color is a shade darker creme than ones that I have seen. The neck is fantastic and seems slimmer than my 4001V63 & 4003.

The finish cracking on the heel of the neck is a common problem on the earlier 4001CS basses. What year is that bass?

Greg-I believe the 4001CS is a '91. I think the peeling fretboard finish is a common thing as my other 4001V63 had the makings. It was a '97 tho...

jnbass: You have to be kidding, the width of the neck on the CS bass is the WIDEST that Rick has ever made ! It was built according to Chris Squire's specs, and he has "huge" hands. I'd take another look, or some measurements perhaps mite convince you.

jlajr: You're right, I measured the width @ the 12th fret and it is 3-1/8"-same as my 4001V63's and 4003! I also measured the circumference-same too. Maybe I'm measuring wrong.. Or maybe its the neck contour. How does your CS feel?