Ric owners report in

I can help a bit...

The string spacing and the bridge is probably a mm or two less then a p bass between each string - one thing you should be aware of though is that the rick retains practically the same spacing as the bridge up to the nut. For some it can make the low notes hard to play...

On pricing i cant help you, im in the UK and we get ripped for everything anyway, but i'd imagine $900 in the states cant be far off a new one? Especially from musiciansfriend.com or something...

Anyway, best of luck - it's a great bass

 

It depends on if your gunning for a 4001, or a 4003.

I've seen some fairly great deals on rics, usually 600-800 for a 70's-80's 4001. SUre they're a bit worn, but great deals.

 

~$1000 for a new one. $900 is ok if the bass is really good, but better deals can be had. If 900 is in your range, I'd save the extra money and go new. Ditto on the string spacing remarks. I sold my 4001 almost a year ago. Great bass (had issues I could not afford to fix). You won't regret it.

Mike

 

Well, let me get a lil more detailed. The older Rics, 4001's, 70's era -mid 80's, had a capacitor on the bass, (neck) pickup. This gave those "older" Rics a thinner sound compared to the newer ones. Also, be aware that the older Rics had problems with neck warppage. This was corrected by a new truss rod system as well as a slightly thicker neck. The width of the neck has remained constant and is on of the reasons I have owened many of these basses. They, right now are going for 999.95 with case. Hard to beat, being that you get a full warranty, excellent craftmanship and the newer higher output picups.

String spacing is a lil closer than average and the design makes for a challinging bass to "slap" but you can do it.

The three standard availiable colors are mapleglo, jetglo, fireglo and I have added a link for you. This company lets you divide the payments over five months with no interest, and includes free shipping. I have been using them for about 6months. Excellent company.

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-RIC-4003-FG.html

 

$1000 for a new one?..... not anymore..they used to sell for $1150 on Musicians Friend, and if you ordered them in stores(Sam Ash), but alas, Rickenbacker decided to sell them for more, and justifiably so for around $1650..

...After all, they are completely handbuilt, so if you find a really nice used 4003 for under $900 US dollars, I'd jump on it...I got mine this year (an '03) for $925...

 

1,079 shipped with case.
new.

now im not sure why, but i have been opsessed with getting a ric for the past few weeks.
there is a fireglow about 40 min from here at a sam ash.
they said they would match the price above.

hrmmmmm


-todd

 

Take it

 

i have never ever bought a "new" guitar or bass.
cept my first string inst.
squire guitar, and i didnt even buy that.
i think i was 12.
i want to find a used one for 800-850.
i figure 200-250 off retail for used is about right...

 

If you're in Bremerton, you could hop a ferry over to Seattle and check out their Guitar Center, too.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/locations/store.cfm?store=231

Or there's Bass Northwest, although I was on the site and the only Rick they had listed was a 4001 fretless. It's www.bassnw.com if you're interested in "browsing".

Then there's Trading Musician, but I don't see any Ricks on site right now, but never hurts to check with them occasionally. http://www.tradingmusician.com/ Interesting stuff there, sometimes!

Not too many around, though, that I'm seeing. Good luck!

 

Yes, slightly over $1000 for a new one. I bought a brand new 4003 Fireglo three weeks ago. $1049. Setup and insured shipping included. Contact Chris Clayton at Pickofthericks.com

It's a no-brainer.

 

Do all of the new ricks have that glossy fingerboard that I've seen on so many? That was a big appeal to me when i played one last year.

 

ALL Rick 4001's and 4003'd have the gloss FB. I love it too. The only one that doesn't (to my knowledge) is the stripped version of the 4001CS64 (63?) that replicate McCartney's Rick after he stripped all the finnish off it.

Also, the prices of 70's ricks are skyrocketing. As of last year, 1979 is considered "Vintage" (25 years) and it's affected the market value. I've seen mid to late 70's basses going for $1500 +/- a coupe hundred and early 70's ones (with checkered binding and full sized inlays) can go for upward $7000 +/-

Check here: Gbase listings for Ricks from 1970 to 1979

There was a 1972 Jetglow (checkers and wide inlays) with new, replacment case on there for about $7600 earlier this week, it's gone now.

~Paul

 

I have a '76 Rick, and have owned '78 models as well. All were 4001s. I used Rotosound strings (and still do) on my Rick 4001s, and I've never had a neck warpage problem. I think a lot of the myth surrounding neck problems when using roundwound strings is a bit overrated. As far as the sound goes ... well, it is very distinct, and not for everyone. However, there is nothing on God's green earth (not even my beloved Alembics) that sounds like a Rickenbacker.

For me, Ricks have the greatest necks. They're just so thin and ... well ... playable. My next Alembic will have a thin neck like that.

Also, the 4003 headstocks appear ... well .. thicker to me in terms of size than the 4001s. I personally don't like the 4003 headstock, but again, that's just me.

I like 4001s, headstock and all. If you're looking at buying one and using roundwounds on it, have no fear .. they will hold up just fine.

My '76 is in the pic.

 

$999.95... brand new with case..including shipping. I just bought mine 2 months ago. From the link I posted earlier.

 

It's not a myth, Bent Rods do happen, but the popped board is very uncomon. It's just that two of the three big name Rick users in the 70's used Roto's. Chances are, most people buying Rick's in the 70's did so because of those three players, and it stands to reason that a lot if not all of those Ricks had Rotos on them at one point or another. Some of those old Ricks could take Roto's, some couldn't. The ones that we have now are the survivors. Of course a few of the weekr Ricks have survivied. I know one guy who's bought ricks with bent rods and had them fixed. I've only ever seen one case of the dreaded popped-fingerboard and it was on a beat to hell Rick on e-bay.

My Rick could take just about anything without the neck even budging. I switched from TI flats to Carl Thompson rounds (40 to 100) to Roto Swing Basses (45-105) and didn't have to adjust the neck (not untill the season changed any way).

~Paul

 

Dohhh! .....I was looking at Musicians Friend's list price....

 

If you're in the Portland area any time, Apple Music Row always has several in stock -- 4003s and a 4004 or two, I think. I don't know about price, but at least you could play a new one and see if it works for you.

I just played mine for about an hour tonight. It's the bass I play the least these days, but it was also my first bass, and it's still pretty nice!!

There's something about your first one . . .

 

The new Rick necks are pretty fat, actually. The older ones were skinny.

 

it was the BRIDGE pup that had the cap to cut the low end(hence the name treble pup),I know because I did the bi-pass trick and it made a world of difference...