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Anything About a Rickenbacker 4003?

#101
lazerbrains said:
Yes, you should have exchanged it - it obviously has problems. It sounds like you want a good Rickenbacker so why didn't you send it back to exchange it for a good one? Maybe you just want something to complain about? Or do you really want a good one? If so, exchange it. Do you really think that we are all making this up that we have high quality Rics? No, we are not. You apparently got very unlucky and got two duds in a row - I have never seen a dud ric so I can just assume you got very unlucky. Talk to the store and tell them to INSPECT the third one before sending it out - tell them about your run of bad luck with the exchanges. If you simply keep it, you really can only blame yourself when you have every right for an exchange. It sucks to have to do this, I know - I had the same problem with a Mercedes I bought new - it was a very expensive car (also known for quality I might add). Mine had a very significant flaw - I had to take it back three times to get it fixed. Should I have just "lived with it" - and then complained on forums about how crappy Mercedes are made? No. I wanted a nice Mercedes and I kept on the dealer until the major problem was corrected.
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I contacted RIC, they didn't care... why oh why should I expect them to care, should a 3rd one have issues.
I've got way better things to do than complain... but the O.P. asked us for what to look for, I answered... so far you haven't.
Believe me when I say that I would have much preferred a "good one", but after two not so good, you would be making fun of me, like you are now, for thinking that I "might" get a good one... I see no win for me in carrying on this discussion with you.
Fishheadjoe
 
#102
Dude, no one is "making fun of you" - just offering common sense advise, which is "exchange it" with the retailer. I think most folks would do that if they got a problem instrument. Again, if YOU CHOOSE to keep it despite the problems, instead of exchanging it with the store you bought it from, then you have no one to blame but yourself. I really don't know how more simply to explain that to you.
 
#104
I may be unusual here for two reasons. First, I think I am far less fussy about every last detail of finish than some other TBers. Second, I am not American so don't have the same attachment to American manufacture.

To me, my Rick is a great player, feels nice, and has a unique sound. I've never gone over it with a fine tooth comb and I am not after perfection, just the quality necessary to do the job. I have no doubt if I wanted to look for blemishes I'd find them.

Rick has a different business model to Fender. I think of them as steering more towards a boutique approach, and therefore think of my Rick as a cheap boutique bass rather than an expensive mass produced bass. If I was buying as an accountant I might not buy the Rick, because Fender's business model yields a given quality at a lower price imo. But my American Fender is still not perfect out of the box.

The best-made bass I have ever owned is actually my Ibanez, which was cheaper than either my Fender or my Rick. Sometimes you have to pay a bit more to get a specific sound or feel.

Once I am playing, I don't worry about the imperfections of the instrument. In fact they become part of its mojo, I guess.
 
#105
fingerbun said:
The best-made bass I have ever owned is actually my Ibanez, which was cheaper than either my Fender or my Rick. Sometimes you have to pay a bit more to get a specific sound or feel.
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I'm can't be a "Ric-basher" but I can't be a supporter either, because I also went through the MF Midnite Blue fiasco, and the worst part of that was getting my hopes up REAL high and having them shot down by really poor quality, then getting backordered for 2 years and ending up just getting a refund. I can't hate cuz I wasn't screwed, I was just back to square one, and I no longer had the desire for one.

At the same time, my $500 Ibanez SR506 came fresh from the factory without a single issue or blemish. Same for the limited-run Koa top Ibanez ATK, and even the old cheap Ibanez SR400 I got in a trade from a fellow TBer, came in the mail ready to be played. The Ric, upon receiving it, was unplayable, and after a full weekend and many hours of tinkering with it, was still unplayable and had to be shipped back. Then they promised me a new one that Thursday, which got pushed to Friday, to Monday, to backordered to 2013. So yeah, left a rather sour taste in my mouth for both MF and Ric.

Somehow I bet the Ibanez lawsuit Ric copies they made back in the day had less QC issues than real Ric's made today. Congratulations if you've never seen one with inherent flaws... thats really completely irrelevant, considering you've seen a limited number of Rics over a vast amount of time, while these were a huge number of Rics being rated by people who obviously were biased towards liking it, but were still dissuaded by obvious QC issues. You shouldn't have to try 3 times on the same instrument to get a non-lemon, especially one $1000+.

Any yeah, the guy complaining about the scruff on the pickguard was alittle absurd, but most of the other complaints had real merit, while a handful (like mine) were honestly unplayable. If you had that bass in your hands you'd be singin a different tune, I'm only chiming in cuz I actually experienced it.

But yeah, if you get a winner, its a winner.
 
#106
Toastfuzz said:
I'm can't be a "Ric-basher" but I can't be a supporter either, because I also went through the MF Midnite Blue fiasco, and the worst part of that was getting my hopes up REAL high and having them shot down by really poor quality, then getting backordered for 2 years and ending up just getting a refund. I can't hate cuz I wasn't screwed, I was just back to square one, and I no longer had the desire for one.

At the same time, my $500 Ibanez SR506 came fresh from the factory without a single issue or blemish. Same for the limited-run Koa top Ibanez ATK, and even the old cheap Ibanez SR400 I got in a trade from a fellow TBer, came in the mail ready to be played. The Ric, upon receiving it, was unplayable, and after a full weekend and many hours of tinkering with it, was still unplayable and had to be shipped back. Then they promised me a new one that Thursday, which got pushed to Friday, to Monday, to backordered to 2013. So yeah, left a rather sour taste in my mouth for both MF and Ric.

Somehow I bet the Ibanez lawsuit Ric copies they made back in the day had less QC issues than real Ric's made today. Congratulations if you've never seen one with inherent flaws... thats really completely irrelevant, considering you've seen a limited number of Rics over a vast amount of time, while these were a huge number of Rics being rated by people who obviously were biased towards liking it, but were still dissuaded by obvious QC issues. You shouldn't have to try 3 times on the same instrument to get a non-lemon, especially one $1000+.

Any yeah, the guy complaining about the scruff on the pickguard was alittle absurd, but most of the other complaints had real merit, while a handful (like mine) were honestly unplayable. If you had that bass in your hands you'd be singin a different tune, I'm only chiming in cuz I actually experienced it.

But yeah, if you get a winner, its a winner.
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I have owned two Ricks, both bought second hand, which obviously makes a difference.

I wonder what future Rick has. Fender basses keep evolving, but Rick to me seems to really be surviving on the 4003 which is really just an update of the 4001. Their other designs don't seem to get traction in the market.

You are right about the lawsuit Ibanezes...the best of them are really good. As well as my "best bass ever" Ibanez (which is a 1980 Musician fretless), I own an early 70s Ibanez jazz, which is ok, but it's from before they really hit their stride. I know one very successful guitarist who would take a late 70s Ibanez Les Paul over a late 70s Gibson any day. And by the way, I played a truly awesome Japanese Fender Jaguar a couple of weeks ago. The Japanese know how to make really good stuff. Not sure why they don't play more in the top end.
 
#107
Fishheadjoe said:
Should I have rolled the dice and tried for a third? There is more to the story than simply returning it and given that this thread is not about me or my RIC troubles, I have not included them so as to not hi-jack this thread any more than I have.
Suffice to say that given my location and the costs of shipping and borkerage/taxes, keeping it was the lesser of two evils... plus, should I finnaly get fed up, I can sell it locally for much more than I paid for it.
Fishheadjoe
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I have owned over 20 Rics in my life, and I have worked on dozens more ... and you seem to have had more problems with your 3 than I had with all the ones I owned and worked on.

But then again you might think some of mine are defective.
 
#108
aztomr said:
I play a 1999 4003, had it for a lttle more than a year, I think. I had one issue, the neck pick up has pole pieces that stick up a little, I have a heavy right hand and would ground out the strings on the pick up, making an annoying click sound. I didn't lower the pick up because thats where my thumb sits.
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You know you can adjust each pole piece individually, right? Just turn it with an allen wrench. On the bass pup it's easy; on the treble pup the pup cover gets in the way and you have to remove it to get the wrench on the pup.
 
#111
fingerbun said:
I have owned two Ricks, both bought second hand, which obviously makes a difference.

I wonder what future Rick has. Fender basses keep evolving, but Rick to me seems to really be surviving on the 4003 which is really just an update of the 4001. Their other designs don't seem to get traction in the market.

You are right about the lawsuit Ibanezes...the best of them are really good. As well as my "best bass ever" Ibanez (which is a 1980 Musician fretless), I own an early 70s Ibanez jazz, which is ok, but it's from before they really hit their stride. I know one very successful guitarist who would take a late 70s Ibanez Les Paul over a late 70s Gibson any day. And by the way, I played a truly awesome Japanese Fender Jaguar a couple of weeks ago. The Japanese know how to make really good stuff. Not sure why they don't play more in the top end.
Click to expand...

Its a stigma, I know I've been raised to believe Asian made = worse than American made, but really its just as hit or miss from either market (not talking basses, products in general.) I think thats an outdated philosophy though.
 
#114
fingerbun said:
.....Rick has a different business model to Fender. I think of them as steering more towards a boutique approach, and therefore think of my Rick as a cheap boutique bass rather than an expensive mass produced bass. If I was buying as an accountant I might not buy the Rick, because Fender's business model yields a given quality at a lower price imo. But my American Fender is still not perfect out of the box.

The best-made bass I have ever owned is actually my Ibanez, which was cheaper than either my Fender or my Rick. Sometimes you have to pay a bit more to get a specific sound or feel.

Once I am playing, I don't worry about the imperfections of the instrument. In fact they become part of its mojo, I guess.
Click to expand...

RIC has a two year backlog, no loans or debt, no shareholders other than the family, so basically no wolf at the door. No one to report to. Other companies have to satisfy not only customers, but banks, investors, etc., etc. Which model is better? Hard to say. But if QC and innovation are problematic, then their current model has problems.

I think one thing that hurts RIC is the CEO/Owner has been there since the 1950's, and the production manager is another family member. Family business's are tough animals to tame. Group think, family dynamics, the list goes on and on. Compare that to overseas companies. Many of those companies were wiped out in WWII and had to employ very innovative controls to get back up to speed. Many use a method referred to "Deming" a different way to run a company that address everything from worker relations to quality control. I doubt RIC a very sophisticated business structure, or quality assurance method, probably because it hasn't been needed with their backlog. But what happens if or when the backlog ends? Only time will tell.
 
#115
I own four Ricks (4001, 2 X 4003 and 4003 s8 ) the only problems I've had were with the 4003 I bought from MF in 2008. As delivered, the bassed badly needed a good set up - easily fixed. The bridge was a bit faulty, so I bought a new one from Pick of the Ricks and was sorted out. In all, though, I have been very happy with the bass.
 

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