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Rickenbacker 4003
- Thread starter adivin
- Start date
Rickenbacker makes more than just one model of bass. The 4003 is the one everyone knows, and they're a classic design, and a great bass. Anything from 2006 onward will have the push/pull tone pot, and most will have a thinner neck. But, they also make a more modern bass, the 4004. I'd suggest looking into this model as well. There are no pickup covers to remove, no clunky tailpiece/bridge assembly, and still you get a great looking/sounding Ric bass with humbuckers.
Yea that factory cover is interesting...easy to remove. I installed a pu bezel that fills the gap that becomes visible when the cover is removed. Plays perfect now. These bezels (very high quality) offer 3 upper finger rest style choices. Raised finger rest, no finger rest and recessed rest. I got the raised version...If I had to do it over, I'd get a no rest version....
Taking the cover off leaves you with a sharp and pointy metal rim around the pickup that hurts your fingers, but you can buy a "Rickenbacker treble bezel" to fill the gab.
I chose to simply leave the cover on and adapted pretty quick. Picked and slap I play in front of the cover, fingerstyle usually between that cover and the bridge. Never notice it being in the way or such.
I chose to simply leave the cover on and adapted pretty quick. Picked and slap I play in front of the cover, fingerstyle usually between that cover and the bridge. Never notice it being in the way or such.
I own a 2013 Fireglo 4003 and it has no issues. I did change the bridge out for a Hipshot so I would have more adjustability.
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I'm not a fan of pickup covers either. I like the way they look but they just get in the way for me. I've got more basses without them so I'm not going to alter my technique just to make it work on a couple.
I picked up a Deluxe Treble Bezel for my 4003. It's got a little ridge on it to rest your thumb. It's perfect!
I picked up a Deluxe Treble Bezel for my 4003. It's got a little ridge on it to rest your thumb. It's perfect!
If you're 100% set on a ric I'd recommend going with a new one. I was in a used shop the other day and pulled their old, super beat up 1985 4003 off the wall and was not impressed with the tone or playability. Looked at the price tag expecting maybe $1000-$1200... Nope. $1900 for a dinged up bass with a peeling finish and what sounded like dying pickups. tried out an american standard jazz bass on the same rack that looked almost brand new, $900 and sounded 10x better. If you're going for the Geddy Lee/Chris Squire type tone I'd just go with a jazz bass, mainly because I feel like these days you're paying for the Ric name and body shape. Just my 2 cents
Thing is... Yes tone has little to do with the jazz bass IMHO. If he wants the yes tone, the closest I've come without a Rik is with a BTB using the vari-mid.
Just personal preference. I have seen just about every type of string put on a rick on this forum and every different person says it sounds best. I actually like the ric strings that came on mine.
Another strange thing I noticed is that the strap pins are very small. Keeps coming out my strap so much I don't trust it. Damn isn't anything normal on this thing!
Older Riks had some issues with very heavy strings warping the neck. I doubt it's been true for many decades though
That's been my experience whenever I've tried the newer ones, (I tried a 70's Ric with flats once, and it was magical.) and yet they still won't make a quality budget line for us poor folks. You'd think they would learn from Squier and Epiphone, but nope - they just keep pushing overpriced, inferior products out of what I suspect is a hugely backlogged, overworked U.S. factory, to the point where they are now just trading on their name, all out of pure hubris and spite, all while suing the pants off anyone who tries to make a similar instrument for less money to fill the screaming demand for such a thing, all because of some imagined exclusivity of Ric ownership that they think justifies their price tag.
You know, it wasn't that long ago that a thread like this would be filled with people singing the praises of Saint Rickenbacker - and you'd be hard-pressed to argue with them. But I see less and less of those people every year.
If I seem angry, it's because I hate seeing this company run such a fantastic instrument and reputation into the ground, all because of their iron-willed determination to keep the unwashed masses from getting their hands on a Ric, when they could be making money hand over fist, and producing a quality product again.
I don't know. Many companies choose that strategy and choose not to dilute the brand. Why doesn't Porsche offer a cheap brand so everyone can drive a Porsche? I'm curious if you adjust for inflation, are Rics more expensive now then in the 60s or 70s?
