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Rickenbacker 4003 Neck Stability Question
- Thread starter franvarin
- Start date
I was for sure gunshy too, but I just dove in and tried it. Just very small 1/8 to 1/4 turns at a time, then I'd leave it and let the neck settle and adjust accordingly. I had to send my RIC back to the factory last year to be refinished and they set it up before returning it, and it is literally perfect. No buzz, low action all across the board. This has been almost a year ago. I've changed strings multiple times since then and I haven't had to tweak the rods at all.
Definitely set and forget, at least IME.
The action on mine was quite high and there was excessive relief in the neck. So, I brought it to a tech who is well acquainted with Rics for an adjustment.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I used to play a 1968 4001 ... the neck on that bass would never flatten out ... When I bought it the neck was bowed badly ... I got one truss rod adjustment and played it for 35 years ... I would adjust the bridge all the time but never the neck ... 70s 4001 basses are famous for stable necks. The problem with the old necks is you can bust the neck badly with an improper truss rod adjustment.
The 1986 and later 4003 basses have a different truss rod system that will normally need adjusting twice a year. And if you over tighten the rods the rods will break before the neck.
The 1986 and later 4003 basses have a different truss rod system that will normally need adjusting twice a year. And if you over tighten the rods the rods will break before the neck.
Well, mine was less stable than any of the other basses I owned at the time (US and Skyline Laklands, a Fullerton-era Fender AVRI).
I had an AV '62 Jazz Bass with a wonky neck new from the factory, and two Alembics that had unstable necks, so no bass is perfect. After all, we are talking about wood products, here.
My first 09 was a one-time set up after a string change.
I picked up a '78 recently that has a dead straight neck, didnt need to touch it!
The dual truss rod is pretty straight forward if you look up a video on it.
I picked up a '78 recently that has a dead straight neck, didnt need to touch it!
The dual truss rod is pretty straight forward if you look up a video on it.
It's very nice. I like it a lot. Came out of the case, nicely set up...I haven't made any adjustments at all. I'm going to take a different approach with this one and just let it sound how it wants to sound. However, I rushed into getting a ClassicAmplification replacement p/u, assuming it would be an improvement on the stock one. I have to say, the stock p/u sounds pretty good. Going to leave the bridge stock as well, as I thought the Hipshot I put on the last Ric had it's own drawbacks. I am going to do a couple of things to personalize it. Needs some work on the nut as the strings are so tight in the slots that it's really difficult to tune.
4003's come stock with 45 55 75 105 stock so anything else binds in the A & D slot. Im probably going to have a bone nut cut for mine eventually. Enjoy it, I look forward to seeing it on youtube.
Funny you should mention the strings. As I said, I was really happy with how the bass was set up (it is a new bass with factory strings). I have extra-lights on most of my other basses. Not wanting to make any major changes to this bass, I measured them with my caliper and came up with the #'s you sited - 45/55/75/105. I didn't see many strings that come in that particular, or maybe I didn't look hard enough. I prefer D'Addarios. The closest I could find were EXL170's Balanced Tension - 45/60/80/107. I think I'd prefer a touch heavier than lighter. What do you prefer?
I've been using Dunlop Super Bright Nickel in 40 - 100. However I recently tried some SIT RB Rock Bright Nickel strings & they are amazing. They are very bright & sound amazing on my Precision bass. They aren't super stiff, but, stiffer than the Super Brights, which is the most slinky string I've ever used.
I'm going to try a set of SIT RB on my 4003 soon enough.
I have a 2005 4003 Ric - and it definitely needs adjusting more frequently than my Fenders. It plays nice, low action, but the neck on this bass is finicky.
I like the sound of the Ric with flats; however, my bass doesn't handle the tension - it will bow until the truss rods are tight - tight enough where I am uncomfortable adjusting it more. I do not have the same problem with the bass and 105 roundwounds - but I'm currently using tapewounds and it sounds great, but I'm restless about this problem...
I like the sound of the Ric with flats; however, my bass doesn't handle the tension - it will bow until the truss rods are tight - tight enough where I am uncomfortable adjusting it more. I do not have the same problem with the bass and 105 roundwounds - but I'm currently using tapewounds and it sounds great, but I'm restless about this problem...
What flats are you using? Is the string tension the same as the rounds you have no problems with? String gauge does not indicate string tension, so if you are using say a 45-105 set of rounds, a 45-105 set of flats may be much higher in tension, therefor causing the bowing problem you are experiencing.
I used Fender 9050M stainless steel flatwounds and for roundwounds D'Addario XLs - yeah, the flats have a higher string tension naturally. The same flats are on my P-bass and they're great on it.
Yeah. It's not like the old days where you had to do it right or risk the fingerboard lifting.
