The 4000 model, Rickenbacker’s first electric-bass, was introduced in 1955. It was designed by German luthier Roger Rossmeisel. From the very beginning it had several key design features that helped it stand out from other electric basses including: neck-through construction, cresting wave body, bass-bout horn, unique headstock shape, and frets clear of the body.

The Rickenbacker 4001 was made between 1961 and 1986

The Rickenbacker 4001CS was a limited edition series electric bass guitar based on Chris Squire’s 1965 Rickenbacker 4001S (known as export model 1999 in the British market). Only 1000 were made between 1991 and 2000. Features include horseshoe bridge pickup, toaster neck pickup, no body binding, mono output, no neck binding, Cream Colorglo finish.

RICKENBACKER produced the 4001S (known as export model 1999 in Europe) between 1964 and 1967 and also between 1980 and 1986. The "S" stood for Special and the 4001S was a special no-frills version of the two pickup 4001 bass - it had no body binding and an unbound padauk fingerboard wth dot inlays. The pickups were a horse shoe unit at the bridge and a toaster top neck pickup each with its own volume and tone controls. The output was mono and the 4001S had a clear plastic finger rest. The original 1960s 4001S models are relatively rare.

RICKENBACKER produced the 4003 S between 1980 and 1995. It was a stripped down version of the Rickenbacker 4003 model, with no binding, dot inlays on the fingerboard and the output was mono only.

Rickenbacker only made five 4003/5 model five-string basses. It was a prototype for the 4003/S5 model.

RICKENBACKER made the 4003/S5 bass between 1987 and 2002, it was the 5-string (low-B) version of the 4003 and has a the iconic 4001S body style with flowing body contours. The extra tuner nicely fits into the slightly extended headstock, still maintaining the typical 4000 series headstock shape.The Rickenbacker 4003/S5 has a relatively narrow neck for a 5-string bass (measuring 1.875 inches at the nut), fine for plectrum playing but perhaps a bit tight for comfortable fingerstyle playing if you have big hands or are used to wider string spacing.

Production of the 4003/S8 began in 1987 and ended in 2003

RICKENBACKER manufactured the 4004C CHEYENNE between 1993 and 2000

RICKENBACKER produced the 4005 between 1965 and 1984. The two single pickups on the semi-hollow bodied 4005 are spaced as far apart as possible. The rarest version of the 4005 is the 4005 Lightshow: only a handful were made between 1970 and 1975, with colored lights pulsing beneath a translucent plastic body top.

RICKENBACKER manufactured the 4005 WB between 1966 and 1984

The Rickenbacker 4005/6 bass was a six-string version of the 4005 model, introduced in 1965 and made until 1978. The 4005/6 was similar in conception to the Fender VI bass begin tuned EADGBE, but an octave lower than a guitar. The 4005/6, however had a full 33.5 inch scale length (unlike the short scale Fender VI). Both rounded-top and WB (non-rounded bound top) versions of the 4005/6 were made, as well at least one left handed 4005/6. While the six-string bass was offered on price lists from 1967 to '78, very few were made in total.

Production of the 4005/8 began in 1967 and ended in 1984

The 4008 was made between 1972 and 1984

The RICKENBACKER 4080 was a 4001 bass and 480 guitar combined into one double necked instrument. It had two pickups per neck and switchable (between necks) electronics with Rick-O-Sound stereo and mono outputs. Deluxe tuners adorned the laminated maple necks which were bolted to the solid maple body. The fingerboard was bound rosewoodwith pearl triangle inlays. The 4080 was made between 1975 and 1985