Lemmy Kilmister

Prior to getting his signature model, Lemmy used several Rickenbacker 4000 series basses. As early as his time with Hawkwind, photos show Lemmy with a 4001 in "mapleglo" (natural) finish, already adorned with what appears (an educated guess based on Lemmy's interest in Nazi memorabilia and given the low quality of the photos by today's standards) to be a sticker of a Nazi Reichsadler on the pickguard. https://davidwills.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/bbspeakers03.jpg

Later photos and videos show Lemmy with another, altogether more iconic 4001 with a maple fretboard sporting star shaped inlays, a black pickguard and decals or stickers of an iron cross, some stars and the words "Born to lose, out to lunch". Since neither the fretboard nor the pickguard (and certainly not the stickers) were stock features of the Rickenbacker, this instrument was clearly heavily modified or custom. Motorhead's "The Young Ones" appearance, broadcast in May 1984, shows a bass featuring the "Born to lose, out to lunch" sticker, but with different inlays (conventional dots - the lowest three markers are large Nazi-era German air force crosses, but probably not actual inlays given the size and colouration, which includes the white outline) - most likely this same bass was Lemmy's primary instrument at the time and simply accumulated its various decorations over the course of the '80s.

Lemmy's bass tech, Tim Butcher, refers in one article to having added a fret to Lemmy's 4004LK signature; it appears the same modification was made to the "out to lunch" Ric - in several photos the fretboard either side of the final, uninlayed 21st fret (the 4001 bass usually has 20, and by the traditional pattern of inlaying the 21st fret would be marked) appears visibly darker than the rest of the board. Additionally, the fretboard extends slightly into what would normally be the pickguard. Supposedly, this extra fret is used for the song Metropolis. Since the recognisable modifications seem to appear in the '80s, and it's difficult to identify it with certainty with any pre-modification basses, it's not entirely clear whether this is, indeed, a 4001 model or a 4003, but given the level of modification it's probably a moot point.

In this photo Lemmy is clearly seen playing his signature Rickenbacker 4004LK.

Lemmy played on a Gibson Thunderbird Bass during some concerts with his old group Hawkwind, but rare are the photos where Lemmy does not play on Rickenbacker.

In this video you can see lemmy using a Hagström 8-string bass.

Lemmy said it was given to him by Jimi Hendrix when he was his roadie, this was confirmed in this interview with Lemmy's roadie.

In a user-uploaded photo on Minarikguitars, Lemmy Kilmister is seen playing a personalized Minarik Inferno Bass.

In one of Lemmy's last interviews, he can be seen with a 4003 Rickenbacker in an Autumnglo (Sunburst) Finish.

In this interview he also explains playing-style and other things that contribute to his sound.

In this user-uploaded photo, Lemmy Kilmister is performing live with a Gibson SG bass guitar.

In this video at 13:37 we can see Lemmy on a poster for Motorhead where he is holding a Washburn B-20 Bass

A still shot of this poster can be seen here.

In this photo Lemmy can be seen using a Black Vantage VS600B Bass.

This photo was taken during a show with Twisted Sister as some of the band members can be seen in the background.

In the YouTube video "Lemmy Kilmister: The Man, The Myth, The Bass Rig" by Which Bass, it is mentioned that the Hopf Studio Bass Guitar was Lemmy Kilmister's first bass.

In this photo (Apperantly on someone's phone) Lemmy can be seen playing a B.C. Rich Mockingbird Bass.

This is the only photo of him with this bass.

Lemmy Kilmister's Minarik Lemmy Kilmister Medusa Bass, featured in a video by The Tone King at Winter NAMM 2016, was a prototype signature bass designed for him shortly before his passing.

This is a heavily modified Rickenbaker 4000 which was owned and used by Lemmy. It has a Maple Neck and Fretboard that contain Star Inlays and a Maple Body with a Sticker that reads "Born To Lose, Out To Lunch".

This Bass was used heavily over many years and was used on many prefromances, most notably on "The Young Ones"

In this video at 14:44 we can briefly see a photo of Lemmy with a Burns Bison.

Lemmy Kilmister is seen using a Burns Bison Bass in this user-uploaded photo.

In a 2006 photo shared by HeadCat, Lemmy Kilmister is seen holding a James Trussart Steelcaster Bass, showcasing his signature bold style.