How to make a Rickenbacker lighter

[Pauly 4001]

Cover it with psychedelic wallpaper, get sick of it, and have a guy plane it off. Repeat. Worked for Chris Squire.

McCartney too except that he may have stripped it himself and he was removing psychedelic paint instead of wallpaper.

 

[ardgedee]

Given that the OP has back problems what about a player stand that holds the guitar so you don't have to. (I know that they are out there, but could not find a link to save myself).

I believe the original was called the Gracie guitar stand. I don't know if there was or is a specific model for bass. I don't see a current website for Gracie, but it looks like there may still be a Facebook.

I found models from K&M 14760 Guitar performer stand | König & Meyer US (k-m.de) and Vicking Guitars Performance Stand - Acoustic & Electric Stand Up Guitar Holder (vikingguitarstands.com)

Vicking Guitar shows a custom bass model and says to contact for custom stands.

iirc @kesslari uses a stand. Tagging him to see if he has any advice or recommendations.

 

[DaveParker39]

Hipshot Ultralites?

 

[Pops OB]

Lots of sensible suggestions, but the guaranteed way to lighten the load is to offload it.

 

[Thumpin6string]

You could do something like this.

 

[MrAB4003]

Get a 4004 Cheyenne in Walnut, it's their lightest.

Good luck finding one of those! As much as I want one, I can't find one because they're becoming rare and expensive.

 

[E2942]

I passed on buying one for $1,750 many years ago & still figuratively kick myself once in awhile.

 

[fig]

When you need a Rickenbacker lighter, it's best to ask for it by name.

Yeah, I know...this joke's played out. Couldn't resist.

@wattsman, just curious, how much does your 4003 weigh? Might give some folk in here some idea if the multiple changes mentioned in here could get it in a usable range for you.

Also, are you of a mind to resell it later (negating destructive changes), or are you like me and willing to do whatever it takes to make it to your liking (you're OK with destructive changes)?

I wonder if Rickenbacker has a spare light wood body they'd sell you. Swap the neck and other stuff from yours to the new body. Hopefully, neck dive wouldn't be an issue. Might be worth asking 'em.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I wonder if Rickenbacker has a spare light wood body they'd sell you. Swap the neck and other stuff from yours to the new body. Hopefully, neck dive wouldn't be an issue. Might be worth asking 'em.

I'd love to be able to listen in on that conversation!

 

[J Posega]

Have every single bit of wood routed out that you possibly can under the pickup cover and pickguard. Or have someone route a bunch of wood out from the back and fashion a plate to cover it all up.

Or contact a talented luthier to built you something lightweight with Ric pickups/electronics in it. If they don't post it all over the internet, John Hall won't send a cease-and-desist.

 

[skycruiser]

When you need a Rickenbacker lighter, it's best to ask for it by name.
View attachment 4994263

Yeah, I know...this joke's played out. Couldn't resist.

@wattsman, just curious, how much does your 4003 weigh? Might give some folk in here some idea if the multiple changes mentioned in here could get it in a usable range for you.

Also, are you of a mind to resell it later (negating destructive changes), or are you like me and willing to do whatever it takes to make it to your liking (you're OK with destructive changes)?

I wonder if Rickenbacker has a spare light wood body they'd sell you. Swap the neck and other stuff from yours to the new body. Hopefully, neck dive wouldn't be an issue. Might be worth asking 'em.

Nice graphic! You spent at least a few minutes on that.

 

[fig]

Nice graphic! You spent at least a few minutes on that.

LOL! Yeah, I didn't think of the names until after I made the previous Bic post, and then it's like, I gotta do something with these names. I know the 'lighter' joke is old, but I gotta do something with these names. Our pics just lent themselves to these names. Can't help it if I'm easily amused LOL.

I am curious about the weight of the OP's 4003. Even with a lighter bridge, tuners, and wood removed, I wonder how much weight could be shed. Maybe 1 pound total? No more than 2, I'd think. Just guessing here.

I started selling the heavy stuff over 15 years ago as the ravages of aging started whispering. 4x10 cab, Ovation Magnum 2 bass (hated selling that one), some other stuff.

If I were him, I'd sell and get a lighter bass, as others have suggested. No fuss, no muss. But he really seems set on keeping the Ric, and that's cool, too. Hope he gets it sorted.

 

[devnulljp]

Drill big holes all over the body?

 

[kesslari]

iirc @kesslari uses a stand. Tagging him to see if he has any advice or recommendations.

I use an Mbrace. They're currently not in production and their website is gone. Sigh. Motor City Guitars seems to have one in stock at a non-ridiculous price.
I thought I'd just use it while recovering from surgery but really preferred it and never went back - and bass weight became a total non-issue.
You can see it in this video. It's a bit odd at first that your bass doesn't move with you, but easy to get used to.

 

[GIBrat51]

I own 2 of the things - a '73 4001 and an '01 4003 - and both weigh about 9.3 lbs. On my shoulder, neither come close to qualifying as unbalanced or neck divers, but - that's hung off my shoulder. From the comments that never seem to stop on TB? YMMV - a lot... In any case... I have to agree with most of the comments and suggestions here. The stock bridge/tailpiece is not very heavy, really. And, replacing it will entail a fairly oddly shaped piece of wood to fill the hole that the stock one lives in. Replacing those Schaller BM-4 tuners with some lightweight ones will certainly lighten the headstock, but it won't turn a 4003 into a lightweight bass. So, other than turning it into a maple/walnut piece of Swiss cheese? Hate to say it, but... the only real choices are; live with it - or replace it with something else. Personally? I'd consider my Danelectro DC59 Pros as reasonably viable, lightweight substitutes. The one I own with Fender 9050Ls on it, can sound fairly Rickenbacker-ish, and it weighs a whopping 6.1 lbs....

 

[KidAmnesia]

I wonder if Rickenbacker has a spare light wood body they'd sell you. Swap the neck and other stuff from yours to the new body. Hopefully, neck dive wouldn't be an issue. Might be worth asking 'em.

Rics are necktroughs, there is no way of swapping the body without rebuilding the bass. They are also either maple or walnut, no particularly light wood. And they are not known for their customer service afaik.

 

[fig]

Rics are necktroughs, there is no way of swapping the body without rebuilding the bass. They are also either maple or walnut, no particularly light wood. And they are not known for their customer service afaik.

LMFAO! Oopsy. 40+ years of playing and I've never owned a Ric. Thanks for the correction. No wonder @Jeff Scott wanted to be in on that conversation.