Rickenbacker · 4000 · 1957–1984
Rickenbacker 4000
Rickenbacker's first bass appeared in sales kits in 1957 and on the price list the next year. Roger Rossmeisl drew the shape, factory manager Paul Barth made the hardware and F.C. Hall worked out the circuit. It was neck-through with twin truss rods, deep cutaways, the cresting-wave headstock and a single horseshoe pickup at the bridge. Sales started slowly. James Kirkland, bassist for Ricky Nelson, told author Martin Kelly that Hall gave him one in early 1958, making him one of the first to get one. In 1960 the center piece switched from mahogany or walnut to maple, and in 1961 the horns grew, the same year the two-pickup 4001 arrived. The 4000 stayed on as the plain one-pickup model until 1984, and later ones used an under-string pickup in place of the horseshoe. It has the same slim neck as the 4001 and the same cautions. Early horseshoe 4000s are the scarce ones. If you want one to play, buy a straight-necked later 4000 with its original pickup.
4001 (two pickups, bound, triangle inlays)4001S (two pickups, unbound, dots)
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Rickenbacker
- Model
- 4000
- Family
- 4000 series bass
- Type
- Bass
- Years covered
- 1957–1984
- Made in
- USA (Los Angeles until 1964, then Santa Ana, California)
- Pickups
- One bridge pickup: a horseshoe at first, later an under-string single-coil
- Body
- Neck-through center with glued-on wings and deep cutaways; horns enlarged in 1961
- Neck
- Neck-through with twin truss rods, mahogany or walnut until 1960 and maple after, unbound board with dot inlays, 20 frets
- Era
- 1950s
- Typical eBay ask (Oct 11, 2026)
- $8,775–$10,525
How to date one
Early 4000s carry a B-prefix serial that Rickenbacker's online decoder recognizes, and from 1961 the usual year-letter, month-letter code applies. A horseshoe pickup and a mahogany or walnut center strip point to the 1950s, since maple took over in 1960.
What to check before you buy
The 4000 shares the 4001's slim neck and old-style twin truss rods, so roundwound strings and careless adjustment can bow the neck or lift the fingerboard. Check the pickup suits the year, since a horseshoe and the later under-string pickup are very different parts.
- 01Serial: Ask for a sharp photo of the jackplate. The serial should decode to a date that fits the pickup and neck wood.
- 02Pickup: Ask for a close photo of the bridge pickup. A horseshoe arching over the strings fits an early bass, an under-string pickup a later one.
- 03Center strip: Look at the neck-through center in the photos. Dark mahogany or walnut means 1950s, and maple means 1960 or later.
- 04Neck relief: Ask the seller to sight down the neck with strings on. It should be close to straight, with no twist and no gap under the fingerboard.
- 05Mute: Ask whether the bridge mute still moves. It should slide forward to deaden the strings and back to let them ring.
- 06Headstock: Ask for photos of the headstock front, back and sides. No glue lines, cracks or touch-up means no break.
Buying guide
Which one to buy
§ Oct 11, 2026There are only about 3 listings here, and they're one 1973 Jetglo 4000 offered by three Japanese dealers at $8,627, $8,956 and $12,090 delivered, so the $8,775–10,525 band isn't a market read. If you want it, compare the photos to confirm it's the same bass, buy from the dealer asking least, and budget for import duty. Ask for a sharp jackplate photo and run the serial through Rickenbacker's online decoder, check whether the bridge pickup is a horseshoe or the later under-string type and that the center strip is maple, and ask the seller to sight down the neck for relief and any gap under the fingerboard. Pay only through eBay checkout.
- Listed now
- 3
- For parts
- 0
- Typical ask
- $8,775–$10,525
- Full range
- $8,627–$12,090
Snapshot
For sale on eBay
3 of 3 listedChecked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used- Check the seller
Rickenbacker 4000 Jetglo Black 1973
$8,627.00delivered
$8,627.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$8,627.00
Check the seller
Same 1973 Jetglo bass two other Japanese dealers list at $8,956 and $12,090. The lowest of the three asks.
Seller: spp-international
99.3% positive
Used- Check the seller
Rickenbacker 4000 Jetglo Black 1973 *Gt161
$8,955.79est. delivered
$8,738.43 + $217.36 shipping
Buy It Now$8,738.43
Check the seller
Same 1973 Jetglo bass two other Japanese dealers list at $8,627 and $12,090.
Seller: japan_holic
100% positive
Used- Check the seller
Rickenbacker 4000 Jetglo 1973 Used Bass Guitar 1973
$12,090.10delivered
$12,090.10 · free shipping
Buy It Now$12,090.10
Check the seller
Same 1973 Jetglo bass, about $3,460 over the lowest of the three listings.
Seller: eastislandcrew
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 11, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchCompare with
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