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4003AC. OK.
- Thread starter user362432
- Start date
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,006
- 1
- 31,700
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
The MSRP is a joke, Dave's Guitars quoted me $2375 shipped on one the other day
A couple of observations.
1) I do not see information on this bass on the official Rickenbacker International Corporation website. Why not?
2) I bet some people are buying those basses as an investment. I remember 15 years ago I had a chance to buy a used Chris Squire bass for $900. Now they sell for $3,500.
3) Finally they get a bridge that you can actually intonate. I to wonder if it will become available as a replacement part.
4) The guy holding that bass is incredibly handsome!
1) I do not see information on this bass on the official Rickenbacker International Corporation website. Why not?
2) I bet some people are buying those basses as an investment. I remember 15 years ago I had a chance to buy a used Chris Squire bass for $900. Now they sell for $3,500.
3) Finally they get a bridge that you can actually intonate. I to wonder if it will become available as a replacement part.
4) The guy holding that bass is incredibly handsome!
I'm by no means a Ric fan. I give them credit for launching this. IMO is a testbed. WE are being tested. They have introduced a number of changes to the tried-and-true successful 400X instrument to throw the whole thing into a whirlwind. But wait - it's a limited thing for a limited audience. If you don't like it you weren't invited anyways. Right? But tell them what you DO like so they can stretch the boundaries next time without revolt from the bass playing community. As suggested previously some of these changes will resurface down the line. Some will disappear to never be seen again. Those decisions are being made right now. Have to say if they come up with a breakthrough bass, I will try & maybe buy one. This one ain't it but there are things about this bass I like over other rics. Just my $.02
They were selling for around $1500, or thereabouts, on the used market until Matt Malley paid $5000 for one in the mid '00s.
Ric's website? Ha ha ha ha ha. No listing for the new 4003/5, either (or strings for it). What do you see on there? Fretless 4003? Check. Various models of 4004? Check. 5002V58 mandolin? Check. When do you think their website was last updated?
Matt Malley ruined the streak!!!?
At that same time couple people had said Danny Carey (yes the drummer of Tool) bought theirs as well as going around buying any other CS's he could find as well as Wal basses too.
So there must have been a little frenzy started.
That's the shop where I bought my AC. Go see Ian, he's an awesome dude! They received two of them, I got the 2nd one.
You know, I like this bass, green inlays included. The fact that so many people are getting riled about it is even better. And you can take the covers off if you really want to, so there.
The more I look at it the more I like it, that's the best shot yet.
Ben Hall and I go back and forth on things now and then. Most of our talk is of the new S5. I was working on getting RIC to build me one out of AAA maple (4004 stock) in trans red, and he was very receptive, but higher powers put the kybosh on it. He's done me a few favors here and there, but it's kinda like having a genie. You don't know how many times you can rub the lamp. I don't know anything about the new bridge that hasn't already been discussed here.
That is awesome, congrats! I think the green inlays are odd only because of the wood finish on the rest of the bass, but they are growing on me. Definitely leave the knobs!
Those were my thoughts. I do like em, and totally understand the choice. I liked em from the start but they've grown on me every time I look at pics.
I'd just remove the bridge pup cover if I wanted more room. Love that Ric is venturing out, even if just for a sig bass.
Yes this is the main takeaway for me. I'm not really in the market for this bass, but I like seeing Ric breaking out a bit.
Now that pot is legal most places, they really ought to submerge some under transparent green epoxy as the new "sparkle" inlays on the AC. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it!
For those getting all upset about this, don't worry...the world still abounds in P and J basses, and that's all anyone ever needs right?
I don't know why he started with Rics, but Al has used Rics exclusively (to my knowledge) for a long time. Also, these days every other doom/stoner band has a bass player on a Ric...probably because of Al. So regardless of how he chose Ric, the two are linked forever in the minds of a whole lot of people.
I've seen Al play this several times, and he has kept the covers on. Probably because his right hand never goes near the pickups anyway.
I’m 58 and try to keep my ears open, it’s hard to veer my taste much from what I heard as a teenager. Today’s Doom fans may find themselves bemoaning whatever crap the kids are listening to in 2030, the inevitable Old Fart Effect. Still, why a Ric? I’m not hearing anything particularly Ric-like in that tone. With that amount of dirt, it could be virtually anything, I highly doubt a blind listening would be able to discern what bass was being played under that blanket of distortion. Or maybe I’m just an Old Fart chasing these crazy kids off my lawn.
I don't know why he started with Rics, but Al has used Rics exclusively (to my knowledge) for a long time. Also, these days every other doom/stoner band has a bass player on a Ric...probably because of Al. So regardless of how he chose Ric, the two are linked forever in the minds of a whole lot of people.
I've seen Al play this several times, and he has kept the covers on. Probably because his right hand never goes near the pickups anyway.
At first sight, I did not get the bass. The more I look at it and read about it, the more I believe it really is something special.
