Rickenbacker 4003 hipshot bridge post 2020

[recycledwolf]

Hello I'm looking for a bridge option for a 4003. Mine is a 2023 and hipshot has yet to update theirs for this Model.
I wish Rickenbacker would just give it a rest on the awful mute they add. It makes palm muting horrible.
Not to mention the mute is poor quality compared to a piece of construction sponge.
When I made my purchase of the bass I thought I'd just order a hipshot, but they have not updated their offering.
I'm sure I could drill the old hipshot to work but I'd really rather not drill and fill holes on such an expensive bass; you'd think someone would make a drop in replacement.
If I was going to drill I guess I would move to a more average and more playable high mass offering.
I believe my 403W would be the best bass on the market if Rickenbacker would just ditch the mute and reverse wind one of the darn pickups.
Or at least just offer factory replacement alternatives.

 

[woodyng2]

Totally agree with your sentiment about the OEM bridge. I’ve seen posts on FB of someone who put a hipshot on his brand new 4003.
He did it himself, and indicated it wasn’t too difficult.
I personally wouldn’t attempt it, but if I were ever going to buy a 4003, it’s the first mod I’d have done by a qualified guitar tech.
Drill it!

 

[Gunga Din]

I had a Hipshot V1 on a Greco Rick I converted to a 4000-style bass. Whilst the Hipshot facilitated palm-muting, I found the saddles a bit rattly when playing hard with a plec. Its main benefit is individual saddle height adjustment, something that RIC really, really ought to address, since there have finally been moves to break away from tradition.

 

[Erik Stokley]

I put a Hipshot on my 2022 4003. I found the G string saddle on the new bridge is still too high when bottomed out, and the mute grill has much sharper edges than the old one. For the Hipshot I just lined it up and drilled new holes, pretty painless. Plus if you don't like it the old bridge will cover those holes, so why not give it a shot.

 

[fretless714]

I put a Hipshot on my 2022 4003. I found the G string saddle on the new bridge is still too high when bottomed out, and the mute grill has much sharper edges than the old one. For the Hipshot I just lined it up and drilled new holes, pretty painless. Plus if you don't like it the old bridge will cover those holes, so why not give it a shot.

I have a 2022 4003s that had the same issue with the G string saddle, my tech ended up grinding down the bottom of it to allow me to lower it enough to my liking. one thing I’ve noticed with my bass is I’ve had to adjust the truss rod a lot, I keep it in its case when I’m not playing it regularly and I find I have to fiddle with it at least once a month or so. when I first got it I was experimenting with different strings and gauges before I settled on what’s one there now, a D’Addario EXL170BT set that works well for me, so I wasn’t surprised about the need for frequent truss rod adjustments but these strings have been on there for quite a while and I still have to tweak it from time to time, it always seems to need tightening. I would’ve thought that it would’ve settled in by now. any thoughts?

 

[fretless714]

I’m going to post this question over the Rickenbacker Club thread as well.

 

[recycledwolf]

Seems like a good chance to update the saddles on the hipshot. If anybody knows somebody at Rickenbacker, their bridge minus the mute would be amazing and people would pay to change it over to that. I honestly believe my 4003W would be the best bass I own if I could get that and a reverse wound pickup. It is the only thing then that would beat a P bass.