Just played a Rick 4003

[Jim Roseberry]

I played an early '80s 4001 and Guitar Center and I loved the tone of it played pickstyle, below where the pickup cover is. Great rock tone. The slightly shorter scale was fun to play on too.

I thought it felt a slight bit shorter...

I always imagined the body would be thicker/heavier...
It was surprisingly trim/light
For performing, that would definitely be a plus.


Jim Roseberry
www.studiocat.com
[email protected]

 

[Panda Licker]

Buy it buy it buy it

you know you want to

its gonna eat at you

I played a '73 4001 once and was obsessed for the next year until I finally got my own 4003 (the 4001 I played was signed by John Entwistle, oddly enough)

String it with flats, lose the cover and play with a pick and you'll have the best rock tone going

 

[willsellout]

I am getting a Midnight Blue Ric in about a month or so from a friend on a different forum who bought two when MF was having a sale. I'm getting it for a steal of a price and can't wait. I've been intrigued by Ric's for a long time.


Dan

 

[Jim Roseberry]

Buy it buy it buy it

you know you want to

its gonna eat at you

I played a '73 4001 once and was obsessed for the next year until I finally got my own 4003 (the 4001 I played was signed by John Entwistle, oddly enough)

String it with flats, lose the cover and play with a pick and you'll have the best rock tone going

I know... (you're killing me here)
Maybe I could put half down on it...


Jim Roseberry
www.studiocat.com
[email protected]

 

[davedamage]

rick with a pick?!?!?!
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never!!!

 

[Kenny Allyn]

One of the truly unique tones in bass guitardom

True ... playing one of the new 4003 series was an eye-opener for me. I had a 4001 back in the day, and it didn't make me want to give up my P-bass. The new ones with both the Hi-gains and the push pull "vintage" switch is a real winner!

They have changed over the years the old pickups were of a different design, first the horseshoe and later Alnico pole pieces. The newer ones use a magnet under the pickup windings and adjustable pole pieces. The difference is not unlike the newer G&L pickups vs the older Fender type.

The older design holds the edge on attack ... the newer ones have more gain and are a little more mellow. You can see by the pics of my two that the layout has also changed ... the 4003 on the left and a 4001 C64 "McCartney" on the right.

I like the 4003 for live and the 4001 C64 for recording, both wear D'addario XL Chrome flatwounds for a very old school vibe.

... The 4003 is an 07 model and the 4001 an 06 ... both showed up at my door the same week!

 

[Ramstien]

Damn I want one of those, but I just got a white T-bird, so I'll have to wait.

Damn you capitalism!

 

[incubus2432]

Not to hyjack this thread, but does anybody own or have played one of the Ric 5 string basses?
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I had one for a brief time. It was nice but there is a reason that they are out of production.....the p/u's don't pick up the "B" and "G" strings properly/clearly. The neck felt a little wide and flat for my tastes but I probably could have gotten used to it....having to deal with routing and fitting new p/u's on a "rare" Ric was more than I wanted to deal with so I decided to sell it to someone who would appreciate it properly.

One other minor issue is that I find the tone of the maple/walnut/maple sandwich body wings a little "off". No matter what I do I always find the sound muddy.....the solid maple or walnut wings get more of the tone I'm after.