Ricenbacker 4003........2009 vs. 2014.

If I recall correctly, some early '09s had thicker necks that gave some people issues with truss rod adjustments.
Later 09s didn't have that problem.

Just be careful if you decide to buy new, Ric has a 1 year warranty on the finish, and it actually starts from the date of manufacture NOT the date of purchase.
I got burned on my 4003JG because of this, had it 6 months and then 2 little bubbles appeared near the bridge. Found out it was less than a month out of warranty at the time, so yeah...still has the little bubbles. I learned to live with them.

Just picked up a 4004, and found out that none of the current stock of trans blue 4004cii's musicians friend has are still under warranty for finish, not a deal breaker since I knew going into the deal, but you can bet I'm going to be sure there isn't any issues before the return policy is up.

Oh and make sure you send in the warranty card immediately. They won't honor the warranty if you take to long getting it registered.

Good luck with your decision. Ric can be a hassle to deal with, but the instruments are completely worth it, New or used.

 

My 4003 is a 2008 model, neck is on the thinner side. Didn't know they got bigger in 2009. When I got mine in 2008 I heard the 2006 models had thicker necks. Weird that they would vary from year to year like that.

 

No affiliation with the seller.....here's a killer 4004 for sale you should look hard at. The seller is very knowledgeable with Ric's if you have questions. Paul Boyer is another great resource.

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/rickenbacker-4004-laredo-ruby-namm-show-2012.1081871/

 

There's a few threads over on the ric forum about the issue.
Like I said the necks were thicker on some of the earlier ones of that model year. A few guys found out that the necks couldn't be adjusted on these. Truss rod just couldn't move the neck.
They fixed them or replaced them under warranty, and the rest of the production year went out with the earlier thinner profile necks.
I don't think the issue was ever officially acknowledged by RIC

 

Oh man thats sexy...you would post that up while my cii is still in its return window :-(

 

You would love this one.

 

In mid April of 2009, Ric also changed the necks to the two piece design they are currently using. Makes for a much more rigid neck. Don't now about thickness, that always seems to be a moving target. Take a close look at the 2009's neck to see if it indeed is two pieces of maple laminated together (unless it is a solid color bass. Then look up the serial number on the Ric site to see what month it was made.)

Fretboards are a different wood species than 2009, something about CITES.
If you shop around, you should be able to find a new one in the $1500 range.

 

I have a 2009 FireGlo and its great. The neck is perfect...much thinner than my 88 but not quite as thin as a jazz.

 

Regarding warranty, I think unless you live pretty close to Santa Ana, it's really over rated as a selling point.
The thing is that you have to ship the bass back to the factory for repair (even if it's just a dead pickup for example) and have it shipped back to you, so it's often not cost effective if the repair can be performed more locally.
Of course that entirely depends on what any issue might be.
I have never had any issues with mine, one might get the impression that it's a common occurrence from all the talk bandied around here, but really it's pretty rare.

I don't know for sure when the neck size changed, but my 2010 is quite a bit wider than my older basses (1976-1981) and perhaps a little thicker, but not noticeably so.
The width difference (approx 1/8") does certainly affect the overall feel.
Not much help unless you can compare the two in person, and I haven't seen a 2014 myself.

One benefit is that you can widen the string spacing a bit by either re-slotting the saddles or getting new ones and slotting them a little wider, since there is some room to either side to spread the strings out a little if you prefer.

I believe the pups will measure around 11K.

 

Yup, They are called Hi-Gain pups, not sure when that version of pups was developed, but it was quite a long time ago.

BTW, I love my 2009 mapleglo 4003!

Wildwood, Pick of the Rics, Music Zoo, Music 123 maybe, I forgot who all the dealers are. Just call a bunch and ask what they can do, price match, beat anothers price, etc.

 

Also a finish note: the finish (at least that on my 2010) is considerably softer than the older non-UV clearcoat.
It took me about 20 years of constant pressure and abrasion to rub through to the wood on my 1977 4000, and I managed to wear through on the back of the upper horn of my 2010 4003 in a matter of a couple years.

Not to be a downer, and I have no clue whether they have made the clear thicker or more wear resistant since 2010, but just be aware.

 

I'm sure I could research it, but I'll ask here since we're talking Ric variations... when did the body shapes go on a diet? Specifically, the size of the horns, which appear much smaller and tapered in the modern versions versus the meaty chunks of the 70's 4001s.

 

North Coast Music is another highly reputed dealer.

 

musicians friend is at $1529 with their 17% discount applied right now

 

My 2010 has what I would call a "thin" neck too. Thinner than my P bass, but not "Geddy Lee Neck" thin...

Good Luck!