❌SOLD❌ Rickenbacker 4001FL Fretless Maple Glo 1978

Only available as a special order during the 1960s and based closely on the base 4001  model, the Rickenbacker 4001FL was offered from 1968 until the 4001 was discontinued in 1989.

The key differences between the 4001 and the Rickenbacker 4001FL are in the fingerboard and binding. Naturally, the bound Padouk fingerboard is fretless, but is not a modified fretted board. Some builders will use a fretted board, filling the slots with veneer, giving visible markings an an aid to intonation. This is also the most common way to convert a fretted instrument to fretless. As well, the position markers are dots, rather than the triangle markers used on many other 4001 variants. And unlike fretted models, the fingerboard is bare wood/

The Rickenbacker 4001FL construction is the same as the 4001, normally with a neck-through design of two long Maple sections bracketing a center Walnut strip, and Maple extensions to form the body and headstock ‘wings’. Some model years used Walut for the headstock extensions, and during the 1980’s a few set neck models were built.

Electronics on the Rickenbacker 4001FL match the 4001, sporting a pair of pickups with individual volume and tone controls but no mixer control as found on some guitar models, a pickup selector, and both Mono and Ric-O-Sound outputs. The Ric-O-Sound jack requires a special three-ended cable, matching what’s often sold as an insert cable, and allows each pickup to feed a separate amplifier or mixer input. While this is useful in recording situations, it’s not commonly used in performance.

This bass dates to June of 1978 and was built, like all other Rics, at the Rickenbacker shop in Santa Ana, California.  It is in overall good condition, with only minor wear. There is minor finish chipping on the tail edge of the back, and light marking around the body. The original bridge pickup cover and mute foam are missing – almost everyone removes these parts. The Bass pickup tone control is missing its label and the rear end of the bridge is lifting slightly. It plays well and has recently been set up at The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop.

The Rickenbacker 4001FL is an unusual bass, with the classic Rickenbacker tone, but with the softness and glissando of a fretless.

The original Rickenbacker hard shell case is included.