rickenbacker 4003 vs 4004 Laredo

[nopalfunk]

Hi everyone

I have a doubt, I have a beautiful Rickenbacker 4003 jetglo 2008 but after some research seems the 4004's are more comfortable to play and their pups have more output, what did you think about it? which one is better? It could be a good idea sell my 4003 to get this beauty? the 4003's are more expensive vs the 4004's?

The guy who is selling the 4004 is asking $1200...and seems I can get $1400 for my jetglo...

Thanks for your advice

 

[Jeff Scott]

...after some research seems the 4004's are more comfortable to play and their pups have more output, what did you think about it? which one is better?

You are correct; the HB-1 pickups are hotter than hi-gain pickups, and to many people the 4004 is more comfortable as they do not have binding. But neither is better then the other, just different. The best approach would be for you to buy a 4004 (Laredo or Cheyenne depending on your preferences, they do sound a bit different from one another) and make you choice based on your own real world experience comparing the two. Do play around with your amp's controls such as the EQ; do not just set the amp up for what you are used to using with the 4003 as that may not produce the best from a 4004 given they do sound a bit different, again, not better, just different (a bit).

Hope this helps.

 

[Ric5]

I have owned over 20 Rickenbackers ... Now I am down to 3 4004 basses ...

 

[Ric5]

You can put Rickenbacker single coil pickups in a 4004

 

[nopalfunk]

You can put Rickenbacker single coil pickups in a 4004

Yes I know, actually that was my first idea, but in some way I like the borderless shape of the Laredo's body and the low action...what do you think?

 

[nopalfunk]

I

I have owned over 20 Rickenbackers ... Now I am down to 3 4004 basses ...

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I'm assuming you prefer the 4004's, right? Lol. What can you tell me about the confort of the body and the action you can get with that bridge vs the 4003's? Btw, those are a really good looking basses!!! Congrats

 

[Ric5]

Yes I know, actually that was my first idea, but in some way I like the borderless shape of the Laredo's body and the low action...what do you think?

Here is a 4004 with single coil pickups ... they are toasters

 

[Ric5]

I

I'm assuming you prefer the 4004's, right? Lol. What can you tell me about the confort of the body and the action you can get with that bridge vs the 4003's? Btw, those are a really good looking basses!!! Congrats

The 4004 is very comfortable to play ... the bridge on the 4004 is better than the 4003.

 

[Ric5]

I prefer the older 4004s because they make good 5 string basses. The older ones have wider necks, and the newer ones have the same neck as the 4003.

 

[Josh Thatguy]

I'm speaking from the perspective of being a very, very happy 4004 Cheyenne owner, a 1994 walnut/maple. It is truly one of the best-feeling, best-playing basses I've ever owned (or played, bar anyone's). And it's ONLY SEVEN AND A HALF POUNDS! It makes my Esh's, Fenders, Thunderbirds, et al feel like Olympic-trial weight bars hung from from straps. I'm assuming the later 4004s are similarly lighter than the 4003s, even with paint on them like the Jetglo 4004 you're considering.

Do not expect the exact same tone of your 4003, as pickups, electronics, and even mass make a difference (the body of a 4004 is about 3/4 as thick as a 4003). When I got mine, it sounded a bit toooo dark (as most Cheyenne owners used to 4001s or 4003s will attest), and even a bit muddy. However, after raising and evening out the pickups a bit, putting a fresh set of Rotosounds on it, and most importantly installing a 500k CTS tone pot PLUS a .022 cap (vintage Sprague, in my case) to replace the .047 that was choking the highs, it's now got some great "traditional" Ric growl and snap.

Personally, and to answer your original question, I would be allllllll overrrr the chance to grab the 4004. Look at it this way: you have a 2008 4003. That's a nice instrument, but it's nothing really noteworthy as far as Rics go.... it's sort of the everyday modern black Ric you'd find in the Used section at a guitar shop. On the other hand, when was the last time you saw a 4004 in person or hanging around a music store? Or being played out, live? And, even though the current used-market value seems to put the 4004 just under that of a similar 4003, I predict that the 4004s will gather a bit more value over time compared to run-of-the-mill (i.e., '07, '08, '09 etc) 4003s, if nothing but for the fact that fewer seem to be on the market, new or used. Just my opinion, so don't bet the farm. (I recently passed on a 2007 Jetglo 4003 with a Toaster and case for $1,200 because, well, it was just another black 2007, and I wanted something different.... so I picked up the Cheyenne)
But Hell, even the 2015 Ric pricing shows the Laredo 4004 to have an MSRP some $300 *MORE* than a 4003!:
4003 -- $2,159
***4004L Laredo -- $2,459***
4004 Cii Cheyenne II-- $2,729

So, go for it.

 

[blindrabbit]

Sounds like a good price on the 4004, and you might be able to get more for your 4003.

Beyond that, its a pretty personal decision. If it is more comfortable to you and sounds better, then go for it! Neither is a massively rare bass, so it's not like a decision that you can't undo.

 

[Mastermold]

Which one is better? Neither, just different. Personally I prefer old school 4001s and 4003s but nothing wrong with a 4004.

 

[jamro217]

A 4001/4003 sounds like what most people think Rics should sound like. 4004's don't. They sound more like an angry P bass. Very nice instruments, but tonally not what you'd expect from the name on the headstock. Take the blindfold test, then decide which one is right for you. You can't go wrong either way, you won't take a bath selling either one down the road.

 

[Baird6869]

Strange that you don't see 4004's in the wild. Nobody seems to gig them.

Is it because they are very rare compared to a 4003 and not many are made?

I personally prefer the feel/ergonomics of a 4004 but the tone of he 4003.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...when was the last time you saw a 4004 in person or hanging around a music store? Or being played out, live?.

Strange that you don't see 4004's in the wild. Nobody seems to gig them.

 

[Baird6869]

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Photoshop!

Very cool. Looks like one of the bands is country. If so, how does the 4004 fit In tonally?

 

[PWRL]

The 4004 is lighter and sounds darker. Hotter pickups, very beefy tone. At least that's the case with mine. The bridge is much better, and I find the lack of neck binding to to be more comfortable, although the binding on my old Ricks never actually bothered me any. If it were me, I'd grab the 4004, but that's only because that's pretty much what I did do. They also sound great with flats, if you're into that kind of thing.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Looks like one of the bands is country. If so, how does the 4004 fit In tonally?

Actually, that band was a psycho-delic, prog-rock jam band! The bass fit in very well with the stock RIC strings on it.

The 4004...They also sound great with flats, if you're into that kind of thing.

I currently have TI Jazz Flats on the Snowglo. The Ruby sported them also, but that one now lives with another TB member, down South.

 

[Ric5]

My main problem with the 4004 is the stock wiring. Toggle, volume, tone does not allow for pickup blending. My 3 4004s are all wired different.

The monty brown 4004cii has 2 single coil pickups and it is wired toggle, and 2 volumes and 2 tones by way of stacked pots.

My black 4004L has 2 single coil pickups and has a 4 band Audere preamp.

My red 4004cii has 2 humbuckers and is wired volume, volume, tone like a jazz bass.

 

[Doctor J]

Having sold my old 4003 because I found it too uncomfortable, the 4004 has always been of interest. I notice some have forearm contours and some don't, is this a model specification (Laredo vs Cheyenne) or was it just something they did for a brief period of time? For me, no forearm contour is a deal breaker.