NBD: Rickenbacker 4005V

#27
Anachronism said:
This is not a midlife crisis bass. It is a midlife-actually-things-are-going-pretty-well bass. I have wanted a Rickenbacker 4005 for years, but the vintage market was painfully expensive. I did get the 4005XC when they released it a few years ago. It is a nice bass, but quite different from the classic 4005. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and assumed that it was as close as I would get to a classic 4005. Then, after years of insisting that the classic 4005 was never coming back, the folks at Rickenbacker started to tease a reissue. When they officially announced it, I decided to go for it. I went to Wildwood again, and they again offered a great price and excellent service.
After months of waiting, the bass finally arrived. Here is my review

Appearance: Beautiful. Rickenbacker pulled out all the stops again, from the checkerboard binding and crushed pearl inlays to the R tailpiece (which was not part of the 4005XC, though I added one later). I picked the iconic fireglo finish and have no regrets about it, though the black and natural finishes also looked good.
Fit and Finish: Perfect so far.
Ergonomics: With the standard Rick scale and frets, this bass feels more like a regular Rick than the 4005XC. The contoured front is more comfortable than the XC--not that I ever found the XC or even a regular 4003 to be that uncomfortable;. At 9 pounds it is comfortable on a regular suede strap with no neck dive.
Playability: The neck profile is excellent, and it plays very smoothly (I did lower the action a little, which was easy to do).
Tone: I'm going to need a bit more time to fully explore the different tonal options, but it is certainly a Rick tone. Unplugged it is very sweet and resonant. Plugged in, the neck pickup is a monster with a lot of low end available, and the bridge is more useful on its own than might be expected given its position. Growl and fret clank are certainly available for those who chase that sort of Rick tone.
Overall: Rick got this 4005 reissue right. Comparisons to the 4005XC are natural, and my view is that the 4005V is a better instrument for most players who love Ricks, though I have to give a slight edge to the XC on style. I still really like the XC, but with its short scale, 24-fret neck with small frets it feels more like a quirky two-seater sports car, while the 4005 is a refined but powerful luxury sedan or suchlike (folks who know cars can fill in the analogy).
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I agree with everything you said…I just love mine! I switched out my knobs and added the Ric tug bar just because I can’t leave anything alone. Lol
Joe
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#30
HofnerVox said:
I agree with everything you said…I just love mine! I switched out my knobs and added the Ric tug bar just because I can’t leave anything alone. Lol
Joe
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LOVE the addition of the silver top knobs and tug bar!
I have the Pickguardian tug bar as well, but am waiting for the additional knobs I've ordered to experiment with a few different looks before I decide whether or not I'll install it.
 
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#33
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