"Roundabout." The sound of that legendary Yes bass line is seared into the auditory memory of many of the musicians here at Music Experience: an early-1960s Rickenbacker 4001S strung with round-wounds. With their punchy treble, solid bottom end, and ringing sustain, Rickenbacker basses helped forge the sound of classic rock in the capable hands of progressive bassists such as Chris Squire and Paul McCartney. It's an iconic sound, and there's only one way to get it. Today's formidable Rickenbacker 4003 delivers those inimitable bass tones, along with stereo output, in a sleek instrument that's primed for a new millennium. Forge your own legendary sound with the Rickenbacker 4003 bass.

All-maple construction for iconic sustain and treble punch

The Rickenbacker 4003 is crafted from high-grade maple. Maple is very stable, aiding in maintaining the structural integrity of the neck, which runs through the entire length of the body. The density of maple — and the neck-through design — is largely responsible for the instrument's famous treble punch and sustain. The thick rosewood fingerboard adds warmth and harmonic complexity, balancing out the bright high end with strong, rich bass. The 4003's body binding and block inlays add a touch of elegance to the traditional Rickenbacker bass look.

Stereo Rick-O-Sound output opens up a palette of sonic possibilities

Rickenbacker spec'd the 4003 bass with two output jacks. The first is a standard mono output. The second is a stereo Rick-O-Sound output, which outputs both pickups as a seperate signal. Why let your guitarist and keyboard player have all the fun? Just think about the possibilities! You could send the neck pickup to one amp, and the bridge pickup to another. Pan the pickups hard left and hard right. Insert different effects pedals in each signal path to craft immersive stereo soundscapes. With the Rickenbacker 4003, you're no longer relegated to simply holding down the bottom end.

What Rickenbacker Says...

The Classic Rickenbacker bass - famous for its ringing sustain, treble punch and solid underlying bass. A subtle strip of binding graces the elegantly curved body and the Rosewood fingerboard. Deluxe triangular inlays and stereo capability are standard features.