Earlier this week, Rickenbacker unveiled a new custom Rickenbacker 4000V Bass that they had specially made for Geddy Lee to use on Rush's upcoming Fifty Something tour. From the Instagram post reveal:
Very special bass we made for Geddy Lee per his specs. Turquoise Blue finish with an unfinished neck and stringer. A true throwback to the earliest of the 4000 Series bass line. Look out for it on the upcoming Rush tour!
No Treble reached out to Rickenbacker and obtained a few more details about the bass, which they reveal in this article:
... "The Rickenbacker 4000V CB TB was handcrafted by Richard Cannata here at the Rickenbacker factory to Geddy Lee's requested specs," they write.
It harkens back to the company's earliest bass models while blending in aspects from throughout the years. The Turquoise Blue finish, originally offered on the late '50s combo series instruments, is accented with checkerboard binding around the body. Another notable throwback is the bridge, which is the 425 style with four saddles as found in the early 4000 and 4005 models. Custom acrylic mounts accommodate the uber cool bridge cover. Rickenbacker also used old-stock knurled knobs found on the 650 and 4004L instruments that were introduced in 1992.
The maple body is matched with a maple-and-walnut neck. Although most Rickenbacker basses would continue the finish from the body to the back of the neck, Lee requested it be unfinished with a stinger finish transition at the base of the neck. Its bound rosewood fingerboard holds 20 frets with Triangle Pearlescent inlays.
The 4000V CB TB is fitted with a Vintage Single Coil Toaster Top and a Bass Horseshoe pickup. Rather than volume and tone controls, Lee requested two volume knobs (one for each pickup) that are wired to a mono output. Other unique features include gold-painted plastics, a 33.25-inch scale, vintage spec ½" neck pickup spacing, and a Vintage spec cloth wiring harness. ...
