Chris Squire Rickenbacker Bass

Ever heard that bassline on “Roundabout” and thought, “Man, that ain’t no regular bass—that’s like a beast talkin’ through wood and wire”? Well, you ain’t wrong, friend. The magic behind that unmistakable tone? Chris Squire’s Rickenbacker bass. Specifically, it’s the 1964 Rickenbacker 4001—a cherry red axe with a bite sharper than a Texas sidewinder in July. This wasn’t just any off-the-rack bass; it was modified with a pickguard swap, custom pickups, and—rumor has it—even a sprinkle of Squire’s own sonic mojo that gave it that growly, violin-like edge nobody’s truly replicated since. The Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass wasn’t just a tool; it was his voice, his fifth limb, his midnight confidant during prog rock’s wildest rides.

Now hold up—before y’all start thinkin’ this piece is just a Squire love letter, let’s talk Geddy Lee real quick. Yeah, the Rush maestro also strapped on a Rickenbacker early on, but he eventually swapped it out for Fender Jazzes and Wal basses. Why? ‘Cause comfort, tone, and practicality started barkin’ louder than nostalgia. Geddy needed something that could handle rapid-fire tapping, 5-string range, and arena-level clarity without fryin’ his fingers. Rickenbackers? Gorgeous, sure—but they’re heavy as a sack of hammers and can be a real neck-twister on long tours. Meanwhile, Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass stayed faithful. Squire *was* the bass—he didn’t bend to ergonomic trends; the world bent to *his* sound.

Let’s not act like ol’ Chris only had one trick up his sleeve. Though the Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass 4001 model is the crown jewel, he also toyed with a few other Ricks over the decades—like the 4001S (the no-fretboard-marker version), and even a custom double-neck 4080 for those wild “The Gates of Delirium” live runs. But here’s the kicker: Squire wasn’t just about the brand. He *customized the hell outta* those instruments—rewired pickups, swapped bridges, even ran them through Alembic preamps to juice that harmonic complexity. So when folks ask, “What kind of bass did Chris Squire use?” the real answer ain’t just “Rickenbacker.” It’s “a Rickenbacker *possessed by angels and overdrive pedals*.”

Seriously? “Is Chris Squire a good bass player?” That’s like askin’ if the Mississippi’s wet or if Elvis had hips. The man didn’t just play bass—he redefined it. While most bassists back in the ‘70s were content thumpin’ root notes like obedient metronomes, Squire was strummin’, slappin’, harmonizing, and soloing like he owned the low end *and* the high end. His use of chorus, distortion, and that Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass tone turned the bass from rhythm section into lead melody. He didn’t walk the line—he built a whole damn highway across it. So yeah, he’s “good.” In fact, if bass playing were a religion, he’d be the patron saint of tone, technique, and tasteful overkill.

What made that Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass sing like nothing else? It’s all in the bones. The 4001’s dual truss rods, maple neck-through-body construction, and those dual pickups (a toaster up top, a horseshoe down low) created a resonance that was both punchy and singing—like a cello plugged into a Marshall stack. Add in Squire’s fingerstyle (he rarely used a pick), his love for roundwound Rotosounds, and his habit of cranking the treble like it owed him money, and boom—you got that liquid-metal growl that defined Yes’s sound. It wasn’t just gear; it was alchemy.

Backstage at a 1975 gig? Chris Squire’s Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass probably had more road miles than a Greyhound bus. But unlike most gear that gets beaten into silence, his Rick *thrived* on abuse. He’d run it through vintage Acoustic 361 amps, later into Hiwatt stacks, and even patched in stereo rigs just to widen that chorus-drenched tone. Live, he’d layer harmonics over chordal bass work like a mad scientist cookin’ up symphonies. And despite the weight—most Rickenbackers tip the scale at 10+ lbs—he wore it like a badge of honor. “If it don’t hurt your shoulder by encore,” he once (allegedly) said, “you ain’t playin’ hard enough.”

Rickenbacker ain’t blind to legacy, y’all. After Chris passed in 2015, the company didn’t just slap his name on a reissue and call it a day. They worked with his estate, studied his original ‘64, even sourced period-correct wood to craft the Chris Squire Signature 4001CS. That model comes with his preferred pickup configuration, neck profile, and—yes—even that iconic pickguard. For fans and players alike, it’s the closest thing to touchin’ lightning. And while it costs a pretty penny (think mid-four figures in USD), it’s not just a collector’s toy—it’s a working instrument built to channel the spirit of the man himself. Every note from a Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass reissue carries a whisper of Wakeman’s synths and Anderson’s falsetto.

Let’s geek out for a sec. Squire’s tone wasn’t just the bass—it was the whole chain. He ran Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass → Rotosound RS66 roundwound strings (gauge .045–.105) → SansAmp (later) → stereo amps with hard panning. Early on, he used an Acoustic 361 with 18” speakers—that’s part of why his tone had that *thump-meets-shimmer* quality. And don’t forget the playing technique: anchoring his thumb on the pickup cover, using the side of his finger for attack, muting strings with his palm like a jazz cat. All of this—gear, hands, amps—fed into that mythic Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass sound. You could hand someone a 4001 today, but without that touch? It’s just wood and wire.

Who’s out there slingin’ Rickenbackers like it’s 1973? Look no further than Geddy Lee (who still breaks ‘em out for “Lakeside Park”), or newer cats like Thundercat (yeah, he’s mostly on Ibanez, but he’s been spotted on Ricks for vibe sessions) or even bass YouTubers like Davie504, who once did a whole tribute track using only a 4001. But the real torchbearers? The prog revival bands—think Haken, Leprous, even TesseracT’s old bassists. They may not all use a Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass outright, but his influence? It’s in every melodic run, every distorted fill, every bass-as-lead moment. You can’t touch prog bass without touchin’ Squire’s shadow.

Thinkin’ of grabbin’ your own Chris Squire Rickenbacker bass? Bless your heart. First off, original ‘60s 4001s? Forget it—unless you got $10k–$20k USD burnin’ a hole in your pocket. But the good news? Rickenbacker still makes the 4003 (modernized 4001) and, of course, the 4001CS signature model. Used market? Keep an eye on Reverb or TalkBass forums—sometimes a well-loved 4003 pops up under $2k. And hey, if you’re just chasin’ the tone, not the wood, plugins like AmpleSound’s Rickenbacker VST or Bias FX’s bass rigs can get you 80% there. For the full experience though? Nothing beats strappin’ on that neck-thru maple beast and crankin’ it like you’re headin’ into “Heart of the Sunrise.” And if you’re lookin’ for more gear deep dives, swing by Giovanni Di Domenico, check out our Instruments section, or dive into our full breakdown on another bass legend in Alex Webster Bass Guitar Essential Gear Guide.

References

• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/greatest-bassists-of-all-time-157412/chris-squire-yes-157431
• https://www.bassplayer.com/artists/chris-squire-yes-bass-gear-and-technique
• https://www.rickenbacker.com/chris-squire-signature-models
• https://www.guitarworld.com/features/how-chris-squire-created-his-iconic-bass-tone