Fireglo or Walnut Ric 4003, and why?

[Ox Boris]

I have a choice, yet cannot choose.

Fireglo: Rare. Instantly recognisable as a Ric. For me, Fireglo is the Ric colour. Looks beautiful.
"Yeah! A Ric, now we're talkin'!"

Walnut: Rarer. Just looks bloody beautiful, on it's own merits, before you clock that it's a Ric. "...and it's a Ric! Wow!"

 

[Ox Boris]

I really like both. I wonder if a darker fretboard on the Walnut would look good. I like the way the dark neck makes the markers pop. Incidentally, the fretmarkers are the reason I'm not interested in an S.

 

[RedVee]

Wow. Before seeing the walnut I would just gave said FireGlo.
That walnut is beautiful though.
Then you went and pointed out the fret marker to fretboard colour detail. Now I'm back to FireGlo.

So, FireGlo.

 

[mapleglo]

Walnut. There's nothing like a maple fretboard. And walnut is so good, it's almost delicious enough to eat.

 

[Skybone]

The Walnut is such a wonderful looking bass, however, I really dislike maple 'boards. I do think it would look superb with a rosewood 'board.

Fireglo... If it were a choice between Mapleglo, Jetglo or Midnight Blue, then I'd be siding with them, Fireglo however, is my least favourite Ric colour option.

IMO, Rickenbacker should start using more "interesting" cuts of maple for the Maplglo's & Fireglo's. Not as high grade / figured as those used on the 4004's, but certainly more interesting pieces than the bland ones they seem to use. No doubt, all the more interesting maples get covered up with the solid colours.

 

[Tari]

"Fireglo: Rare. Instantly recognisable as a Ric. For me, Fireglo is the Ric colour. Looks beautiful."

This. Fireglo is THE classic.

 

[Mertle72]

Both!!!!! If you must choose I'd say walnut, only because I already have a FG!

 

[Boristhespyder]

My personal preference. Also the fret markers on the S in black show up well against the maple. Why is it my preference? It just is. There are no right answers. Only what is right for you.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I prefer the unbound body on walnut.

 

[JELLIS78]

I voted Walnut, but only because I have one and love the feel of the satin neck.... that being said I am currently tempted by adding a fireglo to the collection too!

 

[photogdude]

walnut, cause glossy necks are like glue to my hand

 

[Bob_Ross]

Fireglo, because that makes it look like an archetypal Ric 4001. The Walnut/maple combination looks like they succumbed to peer pressure from the boutique hippie-sandwich crowd.

 

[lfmn16]

Buy the one you like to play the best. Deciding with your eyes is the worst way to make a decision.

 

[gjohnson441496]

I wouldn't go on looks. You've nailed it down to the 2. Go with the one that plays and sounds best for you. I demoed a bunch of Rics and discovered that they are not all equal. For me, I couldn't put the walnut down when I demoed it. Easy action and sounded incredible. Try before you buy.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Hmm. Difficult to choose, but I'd say walnut. I especially like the 4003SW -- there's something very cool about the walnut without binding.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Black!....because I'm too stupid to understand that there are only 2 options.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

I'm a big fan of walnut. But the maple neck looks cheap, to me.

If the walnut one had a dark-wood fretboard/neck....YES!!!

 

[Paul Boyer]

Of course, if you shop around, there are more that two options. Current standard colors are Fireglo, Jetglo (black), Mapleglo (clear), Midnight Blue (dark metallic blue), and Walnut. RIC recently discontinued Ruby (deep metallic red), and every once in a while comes out with a spurt of "Snowglo" - White - but they are hard to find. In the used market, there are a lot more colors from the past.

 

[Kombo]

Walnut. The satin neck finish is to die for.

 

[nixdad]

I love my Fireglo 4003, but am absolutely hoping Ric does a 4003s run in Snowglo!