Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey guys. I will admit that I don't usualy frequent the bass sections of this forum as I am a guitar player and haven't purchased my first Rickenbacker bass yet. However, I HAVE noticed the devotion that you guys share for the 4005 models. My favorite guitar is the 331 Lightshow, and while flipping through the Smith book I can across a picture on page 91 showing a 4005L, or 4005 Lightshow. I was wondering if anyone knew the production totals on 4005L's, and does anyone have one on the forum they would be willing to take pictures of. You wanna talk about rare 4005's, this is it guys! Anyone?

I suspect only a handful were ever made. Rickenbacker production totals for most eras are unknown. The numbers published in the Smith book only reflect the totals from one of the operating companies in the 60's. Rickenbacker was at least two separate operating companies for a while. Smith only had access to the records of one of them so the numbers are likely to be incomplete. To the best of my knowledge, no one really knows the totals for any of the production models. JH says they have dusty boxes of invoices but no time to sort or count them. Even in the computer era, the only totals RIC will discuss are the certified special editions.

A number of years ago, JH reported that only 5 have been reported. That number may have changed but I haven't heard about it.

Five is correct and I believe all are accounted for.

Any idea how many 331's were made? They turn up for sale fairly often, it seems.

Here's My Favorite 331LS, not mine, however. Azureglo, anyone?
I have pics of one of the 5 4005LS basses on my work computer.

John Hall,
If five were only made and accounted for, were they specially made for groups or were they production models that no one ordered? I know one was made in 1971 for the group that played in Vegas (according to the Smith book) but were any of the others for popular bands? Thanks. Ben

I recall seeing a pic of John Entwistle with a 4005L. However it wasn't in the book of his guitar collection or his estate auction. Does anyone know where it might have went?

Here's a pic of John Entwistle with his 4005L.

I would have thought that it remained in his collection being so rare, but maybe he sold it on as he did with quite a bit of his collection.

simply wonderful

That's the pic - thanks Martin! Any Who historians know what year the picture's from?

Would it be considered blasphemy on my part if I were to say that it's a bit tacky?

Looks like the paint is dry to me.

Hi Steve - I think the Entwistle pic is probably 1973 - he was using the bass (and had THAT hairstyle!) on a 73 Old Grey Whistle Test music show here to publicise his "rigor mortis sets in" solo stuff...in that Japanese Rittor music book John says he liked his 4005's and used them to record/jam quite alot, especially for his first rock n roll flavoured solo album stuff ...alas he had a lesser opinion of 4001's after his first one had a bit of neck movement, and doesn't seem to have recorded a 4005 with the Who other than a run through of "the Seeker"...(anyone know if they cropped up elsewhere with the Who? please let me know!) That same maple 4005 (which I managed to buy)is the one in a german Beat Club Tommy special, and a colour clip of it in a mime of "I can see for miles" is around, too.

I will admit it looks DIFFERENT, but I bet if that thing were shown lit up you would say AWESOME! Mr. Hall, were they custom ordered instruments?