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rickenbacker 4003 vs 4004 Laredo
- Thread starter nopalfunk
- Start date
I recently purchased a 4003S and really like it. I had been on the lookout for a used 4004L because I had owned 2 other RICs – a 1979 4001 and more recently a Monty Brown 4003 – can’t deal with the hard edge and the binding, so I was after the 4004L – until I started seeing the 4003S on ebay – I had seen this bass at NAMM, but soon forgot about it. You can get it for less money than the 4004. I found a nice Mapleglo, which are harder to find right now – I’m seeing a lot of the other colors online. I dig the look of the S – no binding, dot inlays. I swapped out the bridge for the aluminum Hipshot, dumped the stock knobs for P bass style chrome knobs, ditched the pup cover and installed the black “treble bezel” with thumb rest and it’s good to go!
Does anybody know when RIC changed the body shape of the 4001 or maybe it wasn’t until the 4003. The old 4001 has thicker horns. It looks like they just took the slimmer shape of the 4004 and started making all of them that shape, but not sure what year this happened.
Does anybody know when RIC changed the body shape of the 4001 or maybe it wasn’t until the 4003. The old 4001 has thicker horns. It looks like they just took the slimmer shape of the 4004 and started making all of them that shape, but not sure what year this happened.
I'd like to know when the horn shape and proportions changed, as well.
I've posed the same question here and elsewhere, and it's always gone unanswered.
I do find it odd that the factory hard shell cases I've seen the past several years still had the body cutouts shaped for the "old" bigger Ric style.
I've posed the same question here and elsewhere, and it's always gone unanswered.
I do find it odd that the factory hard shell cases I've seen the past several years still had the body cutouts shaped for the "old" bigger Ric style.
Why the "may be"? Just do it.
Jeff, I'll get back to you by Tuesday I hope:-O
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.
Here are my amp's controls/EQ: Volume, Bass and Treble!
[QUOTE="Jeff Scott, post: 18548683, member: 71488"I can't say much as to what those EQ setting sound like on that amp but I know for sure you won't get much sound out it with the volume control set that way. 
[/QUOTE]
LOL
I usually play with bass and treble at 12 o'clock.
[/QUOTE]LOL
I usually play with bass and treble at 12 o'clock.
I posted them on another thread - not sure which one - here's a couple:
Like the bridge, but why change to those knobs? Aesthetics?
that is nice !! I'd love it even more with a black pg..I posted them on another thread - not sure which one - here's a couple:
To keep the chrome vibe going - the black plastic knobs were not working for me...
Actually another reason is that I did the same mod back on my first RIC - a 1979 4001 also in mapleglo. I never had much use for indicators when I've had basses with the numbers on there etc. I have a few EB/MM basses and they have the chrome dome knobs - no indicators - like a P bass knob.
nopalfunk, what did you end up doing about a bass? Did you find a buyer and did you find a new bass?
Deciding on a 4004 is pretty black & white (Jetglo & Snowglo in this case!)
View attachment 827638
Photograph Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 2015 All rights reserved.
I know this and much of this thread's posts are getting away from the original topic, but whats the story on the bridge pickup spacing on your Jetglo?
Well here I am, it's not Tuesday yet but I won't delay any longer. I picked up that 4004Cii Cheyenne in Ruby - this is one damn sexy bass!
