Rickenbacker celebrates 90 years with new guitar and bass models
Rickenbacker celebrate their 90th Anniversary with two limited editions
Rickenbacker is one of the oldest manufacturers in the electric guitar business, founded in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacker. That’s 90 years making guitars and basses played by The Byrds, The Beatles, Lemmy and many others. To celebrate its 90th anniversary, Rickenbacker has just announced two limited edition models, the 480XC guitar and 4005XC bass. While these two models look very different, they also seem strangely familiar, as though a guitar and a bass blueprint were switched around at the factory!
Rickenbacker 480XC and 4005XC
A first look at the images of the new models shows the 480XC guitar – which looks a lot like a Rickenbacker bass guitar design – and the 4005XC bass, which smacks of a regular guitar but is actually a 4-string bass.
The 480XC is a version of the Model 480, which was last made in 1984. is There’s a Schaller bridge, rather than the covered bridge of the originals. The guitar comes with black hardware and the signature checkerboard binding, plus a nice dark Macassar ebony fingerboard.
Rickenbacker 480XC limited edition
Toaster Jangle
The pickups are a pair of Rickenbacker’s classic hot wound Toaster pickup, so this guitar should have the typical jangle you would expect from a Rickie. This model will be available in either a Tobacco Glo and JetGlo finish and come with a nice vintage-style reissue case.
RRP: GBP 3599
Rickenbacker 4005XC
Next up is the new 4005XC bass. This intirguing model blends elements of the 300 Series guitars with the hardware and electronics of the 4005 hollow-body bass. 
Rickenbacker 4005XC limited edition
Stereo Outs
The specifications are a 30.5” scale length, a set of vintage Rickenbacker pickups and the signature checkerboard binding. As ever with Rickenbacker, the website is a little sparse on details. But some dealers have listed this model as offering a stereo output, with neck and bridge pickups routed to their own individual outputs. This one also comes with a vintage-style reissue case.
RRP – GBP 3888
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More Information
- Rickenbacker 480XC limited edition: Rickenbacker
- Rickenbacker 4005XC limited edition : Rickenbacker
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