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Rickenbacker 4003 vs. 4001C64
- Thread starter joeviau
- Start date
Cant get enough of a 4003! 
It is amazing how a particular bass can produce such opposite sides of the sound spectrum. Ever since I was 18 I've been a HUGE Yes fan. (48 now) Unlike most Ric players ,I really dislike the Macca sound. Frankly, I much prefer a vinage P bass/ TFlat thump to Macca's Ric. Totally my opinion of course.
Can you put roundwounds on a 4001C64? I don't want to spend that much on an instrument just to mess up the neck!
I had heard it was a major problem with older Rics and just wanted to make sure that the re issues could handle roundwound strings.
Liam
I had heard it was a major problem with older Rics and just wanted to make sure that the re issues could handle roundwound strings.
Liam
Yes, I'll second that, Keb. In fact, all C64's are shipped with rounds. And the rounds sound fantastic......so much so that it took a little effort for me to convince myself to change them to the TI's! All is well, though, as the new rounds from the C64 went onto the 4003.keb said:
I own a 4003 (1997) and have gigged weekly with it pretty much exclusively since 1997. It's a great bass, no vintage tone selector here (all that does is cut the bass out of the bridge pickup via a capacitor, makes the bass sound thin).
I also own a C64 fireglo and the C64s (Wings bass).
Yes I am a huge McCartney fan and this is why I bought my Rics, but I always think people forget to realise McCartney had several Ric sounds. When he was in the Beatles he pretty much always only used the Toaster pickup. This is clearly evident on the Beatles tracks. The toaster pickup is very smooth. Then when he went solo and started Wings he started to use a mixture of both pickups together or sometimes just the Toaster (albums: McCartney, Ram, Wild Life, Red Rose Speedway, Venus & Mars)....
Then, my favourite MCartney Ric tone by far and clearly his most iconic and unique is the period from "Speed of Sound", "Wings Over America".
During 1975, after Venus Anders was released and the band were touring, McCartney had his Horseshoe pickup removed due to failure and the Ric factory installed a Hi-Gain pickup in its place (much the same as in a standard 4003). Just listen the those two albums and tell me that Ric sound isn't his greatest or the greatest ever, haha!
So for me, Paul's best Ric tone is a combination of a toaster on full with a Hi-Gain in the bridge position also on full. (Of course strings, technique and amp come into it, preferably a Fender Bassman Tube head). I use the fender 100T head.
Although his Ric sounds quite cool on the Beatles tracks and early solo/wings stuff, it's really "Speed of Sound" and "Wings Over America" that really makes his tone unique and hard to copy. I think it's fairly easy to get the Beatles tone from many basses with the right strings and rolling back off the tone, but on "SOS and "WOA", you need that rickenbacker because it's the most "rickenbacker" sounding his bass ever was!
I also own a C64 fireglo and the C64s (Wings bass).
Yes I am a huge McCartney fan and this is why I bought my Rics, but I always think people forget to realise McCartney had several Ric sounds. When he was in the Beatles he pretty much always only used the Toaster pickup. This is clearly evident on the Beatles tracks. The toaster pickup is very smooth. Then when he went solo and started Wings he started to use a mixture of both pickups together or sometimes just the Toaster (albums: McCartney, Ram, Wild Life, Red Rose Speedway, Venus & Mars)....
Then, my favourite MCartney Ric tone by far and clearly his most iconic and unique is the period from "Speed of Sound", "Wings Over America".
During 1975, after Venus Anders was released and the band were touring, McCartney had his Horseshoe pickup removed due to failure and the Ric factory installed a Hi-Gain pickup in its place (much the same as in a standard 4003). Just listen the those two albums and tell me that Ric sound isn't his greatest or the greatest ever, haha!
So for me, Paul's best Ric tone is a combination of a toaster on full with a Hi-Gain in the bridge position also on full. (Of course strings, technique and amp come into it, preferably a Fender Bassman Tube head). I use the fender 100T head.
Although his Ric sounds quite cool on the Beatles tracks and early solo/wings stuff, it's really "Speed of Sound" and "Wings Over America" that really makes his tone unique and hard to copy. I think it's fairly easy to get the Beatles tone from many basses with the right strings and rolling back off the tone, but on "SOS and "WOA", you need that rickenbacker because it's the most "rickenbacker" sounding his bass ever was!
Main differences? The 4003 has body and neck binding,both of which tend to contribute to a clunkier feel,and hotter pickups which tend to offer higher output,but less clarity than the pickups in the v63/c64. If you're looking at newer 4003's there's a 2-piece neck as opposed to the one piece necks on the V/C models.
Most of opiate was the rickenbacker and he has the modern horseshoe pickup in the bridge.
You have to use stainless steel roundwounds on a Rickenbacker to get that growl and clanking tone!
Sorry, didn't see that you were going for the mc cartny tone. Once again I'm sorry.
These are my 2 baby's. The red is a 74 4001. All stock. Hi gain pickups. The black is a 96 4003. I changed the wiring ,installing the correct resistors and installing a modern horseshoe pickup and a toaster pickup. The red sounds like Geddy lee's tone. The black is paul de amour's tool tone all the way!
Attachments
Wow! Some strange coincidences here...
You are actually replying to a post I wrote 10 YEARS AGO!
But that's not the strangest thing...
At that time I actually passed on buying a Ric.
Now today you replied to my 10 years old post and, guess what? Just yesterday I bought my very first Ric, a jetglo 4003s!
I would go with the C64, if I were in your position and if I could swing it. Prices on a 4003 have come way down, and they are easy to find.
Maybe I am saying this only because I will never own one, but grab the golden egg while you can, and if you don't like it, you can find a 4003 any day of the week in multiple colors, no problem. You might even save yourself some more coin and go with a 4003S, if you wouldn't miss the stereo jack.
Stereo jacks are mandatory in Ricks, for me anyway.
This is an awesome thread. I am all geeked-out.
Maybe I am saying this only because I will never own one, but grab the golden egg while you can, and if you don't like it, you can find a 4003 any day of the week in multiple colors, no problem. You might even save yourself some more coin and go with a 4003S, if you wouldn't miss the stereo jack.
Stereo jacks are mandatory in Ricks, for me anyway.
This is an awesome thread. I am all geeked-out.
Sorry, try to keep it simple for the newbies!"red" – "black" – Oh my! Please! That's Burgundy and Jetglo!
Now thst is great news! Every time someone purchases a Ric (new or old) an angel gets their wings!
Not true. Check this recording out where I use fairly new TI Jazz Rounds on my March '73 4001, played fingerstyle.
Cool tone! I always play finger style. I just grow my index and middle finger nails a little longer. I get the depth with my fingers and the attack with the finger nails almost like a pick but more depth became of the fingers. I play a bastardized version of Geddy Lee's Flamingo Style. My tone comes from how hard i play, how i really dig into the strings, my nails and my calluses. Us bass players are a strange, almost OCD and eccentric group! As long as it's the music (not money or fame and recognition) that drives us, we can get along. Too many of us want money or fame. Those things make those of us impossible to deal with!
For the Macca tone, try TI Jazz Flats!
Cool tone! I alway place finger style.
Not true. Check this recording out where I use fairly new TI Jazz Rounds on my March '73 4001, played fingerstyle.
For the Macca tone, try TI Jazz Flats!
Not true. Check this recording out where I use fairly new TI Jazz Rounds on my March '73 4001, played fingerstyle.
For the Macca tone, try TI Jazz Flats!
I bought a Jetglo"Black" 4001c64 about a year ago, New old stock from Chicago Music Exchange build date 2009 Severe tail lift on the bridge replace bridge with a brass hipshot replacement bridge a little heavy but ohhh sounds so good much better then the stock bridge. I also switched out and put in a push pull pot, Bass is Fantastic what a sound nothing sounds imo like this...... simply sweet highly recommend this version a juiced up 4001c64
