Rickenbacker 4001

The Rickenbacker 4001 is an electric bass guitar produced by Rickenbacker International Corporation from 1961 onward, known for its distinctive cresting wave body shape, through-neck construction, and naturally aggressive midrange tone. Its dual single-coil pickups deliver a bright, cutting character that sits higher in a mix than most bass guitars, making it particularly effective in loud, guitar-heavy contexts where a conventional bass might get buried. Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead played Rickenbacker basses — primarily the 4001 and later the 4003 — as his primary instrument throughout the band's career, modifying them extensively and running them through a Marshall Super Bass with midrange cranked to create the signature Motorhead bass tone. Chris Squire of Yes and Paul McCartney are among the instrument's other notable players.