Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I think this is the "tragic band" incarnation of Van Vliet's backing musicians, but regardless, the bass player is getting some wonderfully fat tone from his '72-ish Mapleglo 4001 here:



This tune is from Beefheart's Unconditionally Guaranteed, an album that he apparently hated.

great close-up of the bass at the 4:00 minute mark.....and it sounds wonderful throughout.....looks very similar to a bass i had decades ago,and had repainted the front a deep blue. (left the back mapleglo).

it's probably a '73 due to the absence of finger rest holes in the pickguard. i had an identical one #MD-1252...i thought it was my bass until i saw he had installed a lucite thumb rest which he's using in the vid.