Haven't read all the responses so this has likely already been mentioned, but replace the pickup cover with a bezel. That said, love my jetglo 4003.
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Ordered a Rickenbacker 4003 yesterday, any advice?
- Thread starter SweetRizzo
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- rickenbacker
I currently have two, and owned two others in the past. I've never had any issues with them. Well, sort of. The second one I owned was a long time after the first, and in the interim I had been playing mainly Fender and Music Man basses. The binding was uncomfortable, somewhat. Not a deal breaker, but I did notice it more than I did on my original one. Also, the neck on my second one didn't feel at all like I remembered the first one feeling (17 years between them, so my memory might have been wrong). I bought the first one in '82 when I was 17, and it was my first REAL bass. I've regretted selling it every single day. I don't really regret selling the second one, but even as I packed it up for shipping I thought "One day I,m going to get another one". About a year and a half ago, I found a pretty good deal on a barely used '12 Mapleglo, and I love it. The binding doesn't bother me (usually) like it did on the second one. So a couple of months later, I bought a 4003S (no binding) because I liked the 4003 so much. I love both of them, and use them as my primary basses in one of the bands I'm in. I alternate between them depending on my mood, but only take one of them to each gig (along with a fretless 'Ray and a five string 'Ray).
As far as the weird, fiddly issues other people complain about, I've never had any issues with truss rods, intonation, bridges lifting, or any of that. Oh, and I leave the pickup cover on because it doesn't get in the way of my playing style and I like the way they look. I know they're off on both basses in my profile pic (the '82 and the '12), but on the old one, I sometimes had it on, and sometimes off, and the new one had it off when I bought it but I put it back on after about a week.
As far as the weird, fiddly issues other people complain about, I've never had any issues with truss rods, intonation, bridges lifting, or any of that. Oh, and I leave the pickup cover on because it doesn't get in the way of my playing style and I like the way they look. I know they're off on both basses in my profile pic (the '82 and the '12), but on the old one, I sometimes had it on, and sometimes off, and the new one had it off when I bought it but I put it back on after about a week.
The only mod I made to mine was adding a zero mod thumb rest. I did not take the cover off.
But late 70's Fender hate is justified.
Horse hockey!
90% of the hate on 70s Fenders come from people who've never even played one. Were there bummers?... yeah.. but theres bummers in the brand new ones! It also has to do with the frickin pedestal the old ones were put on.
Just like the hate that Rics get... alot of it is NONSENSE...
OK... Rant over....
I was half joking with my original reply, I've played them and was around playing back then, some are good some not so good, I've seen too many of them with loose neck pockets with the G strings almost hanging over the edge. I bought a brand new 1970 P bass though which was a nice bass, I think as the 70's went on they got worse and worse. I would buy one but I'd try it first especially if it were a late 70's Fender just like any used bass, except a Rickenbacker, I've always had good luck with those.
Lol.....Its cool...
Just my pet peeve....
Maybe my 78 was just one of the "good" ones..Or maybe some of the work I had done by some amazing luthiers back in the day overcame some issues.
Most of the things that were done had nothin to with the shortcomings others point out...... just gets my hackles up...
Carry on.
Lol.....Its cool...
Just my pet peeve....
Maybe my 78 was just one of the "good" ones..Or maybe some of the work I had done by some amazing luthiers back in the day overcame some issues.
Most of the things that were done had nothin to with the shortcomings others point out...... just gets my hackles up...
Carry on.
I'm the same with Ric bashers as you have already seen. I would buy a good 70's Fender in a NY minute. I love Fenders. Hey, I don't even like calling a non Fender bass with a split pickup a "P bass"
so I completely understand where you're coming from.
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Depends on where you live. Some state laws prohibit requiring warranty registration cards as a requisite for warranty entitlement.
Just sold my RIC MID last night. Going to miss the old girl but it was time to say goodbye. Did many a gig with it and it made me quite a bit money. I hope the new owner gets the same joy out of it.
I bought my first 4001 brand new in 1977 for 429.00 at EU Wurlitzers in Boston, first two things I did when I got it home was take the plastic cover off and put Rotosounds on it. I thought the spacing was too close and it didn't have enough "balls", I raised up the bridge pickup but all it did was make it middy. I was a P bass player at that time (still am actually) I gave it to some one I owned money too (reluctantly), I bought my next one in 1990 and it sounded good, bought many more and finally discovered the reason why it had no balls: there was a cap in the bridge pickup circuit that cut all the bottom and low mids out of that pickup, when I finally bypassed it it was like a eureka moment for me. I have long since gotten used to them and my 79 4001 I have now is probably the easiest bass to play that i own including J and P and Gibsons. I never had any problems with the binding whether I lean on the top or not or most of the things people here complain about, you set the intonation up it stays, you set the hairpin truss rods they stay put etc. It's also not the only bass i play but people always like it when I bring it out, both sound and looks. I use flatwounds on them now and they sound just like when I brought my first one home except of course more balls. I'm going to buy a new 4003S this year when I get back to the states, why? Just because
I bet that was the reason to hate mine (that cap) It cost me hell of a lot of money to get it in 1979. I was obsessed with Made in Europe, Glenn Hughes sound. I could not make it, not even close... Tried all kind of tricks, spend countless hours trying...
Took me over 40 years to learn he was playing P bass on that album....
Sold it year later, if I remember well for a half the price, I just did not want to touch it or see it again. I still don't want to touch it. I've seen one in Sam Ash store, took it down just out of curiosity and hang it back.
I didn’t know that - thanks! I do know that I got in a bind and Ric wouldn’t do anything since I didn’t have a card sent in. Texas.
Nothing wrong with 70's RICs and I don't know where you got that from my post. I was simply referring to the difference in necks between the modern RIC and earlier models. Don't know what I did to deserve a raspberry?UMMMM..so what's wrong with the 70s' Rics? I have a 1972 and it still kicks butt...(see avatar) I also have a 2016 4003s ummm this thing wellllll
Fishheadjoe
It read to me as the emoticons were directed towards the later Ric, not your response.
I was a Fender player and it took me a while to get used to Rics, I now love them and find them easier to play than most Fenders, I still play both, there is a learning curve with every different style bass, at least to me.
I was just looking at the 4003S's in Sweetwater and noticed they have changed the neck strap buttons to what looks like strap lock buttons. So they now have a bridge in which you can adjust individual string height and side to side placement and have new strap buttons. Maybe they should put EB-0 pickups at the neck to keep the complainers satisfied?
The Raspberry was not being slung at you Fishheadjoe. The raspberry and the little shaky head guy was for the 4003s I have. I apologize if it seemed like it was aimed at you.
. I've been in love with the Rics most of my bass playing years, but the 4003s I have....I have a very low opinion of it.Give me a 70's Ric anytime. I do have hipshot bridges on my Rics though.
Is Steve's music still there?
No worries Phud, my misunderstanding.The Raspberry was not being slung at you Fishheadjoe. The raspberry and the little shaky head guy was for the 4003s I have. I apologize if it seemed like it was aimed at you.
Give me a 70's Ric anytime. I do have hipshot bridges on my Rics though.
Is Steve's music still there?
Steve's is still open as far as I know. I haven't been in there for well over a decade... I did however buy my first RIC 4003 there in 1984!
Also, sorry for your challenges with your 4003s... I would love to own a RIC again, but after three have been through my hands, I am somewhat reluctant to venture down that path again.
Fishheadjoe
