Rickenbacker 4003 year suggestion

[BigAb]

Hi everybody im on a hunt for a Rickenbacker bass in Japan.Which model(4001,4003,4003s) and year would you suggest ? I found 1996,2009,2015 and brand new 2024 models.Is new bridge better than the old one and what should I check while buying a second hand one ?.Waiting for your suggestions .

 

[Gunga Din]

I'd go with the 2023/24 onward models. The necks are very reminiscent of the older 'shouldered' 4001 necks. Here's mine: a 4003S with a V63 retrofit.

 

[Geepers]

Here's mine: a 4003S with a V63 retrofit.
View attachment 7125296

Stunner.

 

[bassnyc1]

Here's mine. I bought it in February, 2022 in Ochanimizu.
It's a 2021 model so I missed by a year on the single truss rod and thinner neck but it has the new bridge which is MUCH better than the old one. Definitely choose a new model. Used ones are hardly ever much cheaper.

 

[steve_ss]

Hi everybody im on a hunt for a Rickenbacker bass in Japan.Which model(4001,4003,4003s) and year would you suggest ? I found 1996,2009,2015 and brand new 2024 models.Is new bridge better than the old one and what should I check while buying a second hand one ?.Waiting for your suggestions .

Welcome to the bass board. If you can find a 2024 year, go for it. V2 bridge, one truss rod, thinner neck, better finish / paint. I got a new 4003 a couple of months ago and the new shape neck is really nice for me. Feel it for yourself if you have a chance. On a used Ric, you have to check for truss rods being stuck or broken, tail lift, paint problems, and any other issue found in a used bass. Please post pictures of your final choice. And a few pictures of Japan would be fun too. Are you following the Sumo matches this week?

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

New

 

[dlmarquez]

I would advise a 2022 or later for bridge and truss rod reasons.
If you aren’t worried about Ric-o-sound stereo output and binding the S models are the way to go. Personally I think the 4003SW may be the prettiest bass available!
Pity they don’t come fretless!

 

[Ellery]

I would advise a 2022 or later for bridge and truss rod reasons.
If you aren’t worried about Ric-o-sound stereo output and binding the S models are the way to go. Personally I think the 4003SW may be the prettiest bass available!
Pity they don’t come fretless!

What is better about the “S”? Is it playability, because the body edges are rounded instead of bound? Is it lighter? Thanks in advance from another person’s seeking their first Ric.

 

[Ellery]

I'd go with the 2023/24 onward models. The necks are very reminiscent of the older 'shouldered' 4001 necks. Here's mine: a 4003S with a V63 retrofit.
View attachment 7125296

What do you mean by shouldered? I am imagining a thin neck w/ a flat apex. Asking because I am likely to buy online. Thanx!

 

[Deleted member 271037]

The new bridge is a HUGE improvement over that flawed piece of junk they used until a couple of years ago. The old bridge is an absolutely NIGHTMARE to adjust, especially the intonation. Many of them also develop the dreaded tail lift, which can eventually render the bass useless (unless you replace the bridge of course). The double truss rod on the old ones was a very poor idea as well. Not necessarily because it was a poor design per se, but because people didn't have a clue how to adjust them properly and mangled the necks on their Ricks in the process. At least that's the best explanation I can think of for all the Ricks with twisted necks that I see at the workshop. It's either that or Ricks must be very poorly built, because I just don't see THAT many twisted necks with ANY other brands.

And yes, I'm speaking from personal experience. The best decision I ever made was to ditch my Rick and go back to P-basses. Actually, I didn't really make that decision myself. The Rick did, by practically self-destructing after less than 10 years of use. When considering the price I paid for it (brand new) it was BY FAR the worst bass purchase I've ever made.

My advice: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! Especially if you're buying a used one. You never know with Ricks. They can be great, but they are extremely inconsistent.

 

[bylar13]

I have played RIC's (4001 & 4003) since I started playing bass back in the 1980's. I currently have an 88' 4003s with 2015 RIC Pick ups and a Hipshot replacement bridge.

I have not tried a 2023+ model with the improved neck profile.

I sold a 2015 4003s because I felt the neck was too big for me. Loved everything about the bass.

I also sold and AzureGLo 73' 4001 because the neck had issues with a 1.05-.45 round wound string set. The tension was too great, even with new truss rods and the neck was always being pulled forward to far by the string tension.

If I were in the market today, I would look for a used 2023+ 4003s. I don't use the stereo and I don't like the binding as it digs into my forearm. I also like the modern RIC pickups, with adjustable pole pieces more that the vintage pickups which are lower our put.

 

[Robert Udell]

I have a 1996, skinny neck, no binding. But replaced the useless bridge with a hipshot

 

[One Way]

Couldn’t be happier with my 4003 purchased new and manufactured 2023. The neck is very comfortable and stable. Tone is great and very versatile.

 

[pb9717]

Chris Squire signature is one of my fav’s.

 

[FunkHead]

They've all been pretty great! A few years of Finish lift around ~2016. Bridges are fantastic and was no need to change them other than making setup a bit easier. Lots & lots of B/S rumors.

 

[jsixties]

If my experience helps: I’ve owned about 15-16 4003s from all eras, and I’ve had a love-hate relationship with all of them that always ended in hate, resulting in me selling or trading every single one of them. A few months ago, I bought a 4003 made in 2024, and I can assure you that there’s no hate here, only love. It sounds much better than all the previous models, the electronics are more serious, and there’s no longer that hum in the pickups I noticed in the older ones. The neck has a more comfortable profile, the truss rod with the single dual-action is no longer the nightmare the old double one was for adjustments, the bridge is now adjustable, and so on. If you’re going to buy a Rick 4003, get one of the newer models.

 

[MrAB4003]

I own 2 4003s - one from 2012 and the other from 2022. Everything that was said upthread about the new bridges, single truss rod, and overall better quality is true. I LOVE both my Rics, but my 2012 with the older features is much harder to work on than my 2022.

So I suggest you get the 2024 model unless one of the older models is in a rare or discontinued finish (i.e. Ruby Red, Midnight Blue, Turquoise, or any of the 2000s era Colors of the Year).

 

[devnulljp]

In Japan, I'd be hunting for a late 70s/early 80s Ibanez or Greco Fakenbacker. One of the the good ones with through neck.
I'tll be cheaper, rarer, and more interesting. Depending where you are, there are (or at least used to be) some great chuko placs in Ochanomizu in Tokyo, there was a good one in Kyoto, and another in Osaka.

Bruce Foxton's was an Ibanez

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Yeah, get a brand new or maybe one year old model. Better bridge, better trussrod, better paint, thinner neck.

 

[KenSmithFan]

Definitely a try before you buy bass. I’ be owned around six Ric’s over the years and the necks were all different. The only similarities I found is that the two oldest (74 and 81) had the thinnest necks.