Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I did a search and could only find one small photo of one, but I really need to find a good photo of the headstock, so can anyone help? I know these basses are rare, but I hope someone here either has one or at least has some good shots of one.

Roy

Are these basses your own? If so how wide is the neck at the nut? Are they wider than a normal Rickenbacker bass?

Yes, I believe they both belong to Jeff. One he turned into a light show, the other into a 12 string baritone...

jk of course - feeling silly on a Sunday..

I'm sure that the 4005/6 must be the only six string bass in the old sense of the word, which has a longer scale length than the 30' scale length most commonly found on similar instruments like the Gibson EB6, the Danelectro Bariton and the Fender Bass VI.

Does this trans late in a more, how can I put this, wider sound? Short scale basses tend to sound plunky while a long scale has better sustain and allows the string to vibrate more evenly.

Here is my idea. I picked up a 1979 Rick 4001 bass off ebay that turned out to be so modded (EMG P, J pickups active preamp, Kahler bas trem, Sperzel tuners and more mods I don't want to talk about, but I wanted a project to make into a vintage all white 4001 (late 60s early 70s). I just picked up a killer 72 that's all original except it needs a paintjob so it's gonna be white soon, but that leaves this other killed bass needing a cool twist, so I'm thinking 1968 4001/6 (I know it never was made, but it could be cool right?), so I need feedback from some one who ownes one to let me know if it could work.

Yes, Marc is correct, I own both of those 4005/6s.

(in my dreams)

you own the pics!

Well, he has copies of them anyway...

I saw one up-close a few years ago. The string spacing is very tight. Probably unplayable for a finger style bassist. It was tuned like a guitar but an octave down, not in the modern way with a low B.

If it helps, the Fender VI has an A-width neck - 1½" at the nut. Yes, narrower than a P-bass, and still with 6 fat strings. It's tight but I play with a pick and got used to it. Jack Bruce played his VI fingerstyle. I also owned a 1960 Dano 6-string bass, I never measured its nut but I'm pretty sure it was about the same width. Both are 30" scale instruments. The Hofner 500/10 and the Teisco VI were also 30".

Wow, I did not know the VI had an "A" neck. My '72 P-bass neck is an "A" and I have always considered it to be really narrow. I can't imagine six strings in that space! Of course the width of the bridge is also a factor. 70's Jazz Bass necks are even narrower at the nut than an "A" width but they are still quite playable in any style.

I played an early 60's VI quite extensively and found it very comfortable when flatpicking. As for playing fingerstyle, it's got to be near impossible. It's simply not what the instrument was meant for.

Ted, Strats have 6 strings across an A-width nut. And 70's J's have A-width nuts, it's just that they cut the slots closer.