Nothing, most of the people who whine about them either picked one up in a store, gave it five minutes or bought one and didn't keep it long enough to get used to them.
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What's wrong with the Rickenbacker 4003?
- Thread starter trothwell
- Start date
Nothing, most of the people who whine about them either picked one up in a store, gave it five minutes or bought one and didn't keep it long enough to get used to them.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
This was the main reason I got rid of my 4003. I loved everything else about it, and might try to get another someday now that the truss rod situation has changed.
"Prog"
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My first bass was a Ric 4001. At the time, as it was my first bass, it was the best bass I'd ever played. I sold it when I got a Kramer that had boatloads more sustain (neck through isn't the only thing that makes for good sustain, a metal neck is even better). The Kramer also didn't dig into my forearm, or....hum.
A few years ago, I picked up a 4003 in a shop. There had been some nostalgia building in my brain for a while about my first bass. Within a couple minutes, I remembered - "Oh yeah, that's why I didn't like my Ric" - mostly the hum (I hate hum), but the digging in to my arm didn't help.
When I had a Ric, I always used the bridge pickup by itself - the bridge pickup on a Ric is between where bridge and neck pickups are on most basses - it's a "middle" pickup when you get right down to it. That gives the bass a unique tone - that part of a Ric is cool. So I built a bass that has only one pickup, and it's in the Ric bridge spot. So I have what I like about a Ric (that unique sound), and none of the other things that I didn't like.
Rics are just different - they work for a small percentage of the population that is fine with their quirks. For the rest of us, we'll get something else, and that's OK. And no, my reason for not liking Rics isn't that I only like Fenders - I've never owned a whole Fender bass. I did have a Fender neck on one of my basses once, but it was a real beater bass. With a 60's Fender neck on it (that I got for $50 out of a parts bin - go figure).
A few years ago, I picked up a 4003 in a shop. There had been some nostalgia building in my brain for a while about my first bass. Within a couple minutes, I remembered - "Oh yeah, that's why I didn't like my Ric" - mostly the hum (I hate hum), but the digging in to my arm didn't help.
When I had a Ric, I always used the bridge pickup by itself - the bridge pickup on a Ric is between where bridge and neck pickups are on most basses - it's a "middle" pickup when you get right down to it. That gives the bass a unique tone - that part of a Ric is cool. So I built a bass that has only one pickup, and it's in the Ric bridge spot. So I have what I like about a Ric (that unique sound), and none of the other things that I didn't like.
Rics are just different - they work for a small percentage of the population that is fine with their quirks. For the rest of us, we'll get something else, and that's OK. And no, my reason for not liking Rics isn't that I only like Fenders - I've never owned a whole Fender bass. I did have a Fender neck on one of my basses once, but it was a real beater bass. With a 60's Fender neck on it (that I got for $50 out of a parts bin - go figure).
Taking into consideration the 3/4" difference in scale length a Guild B-301 has its pickup in the same location. Love the tone I get from mine once I dial down the tone control a bit (the Guild is quite bright with fresh round wounds; I'm certain it will be better for me once I put TI Jazz Rounds on it).
You're right about the pickup position; it's not the "bridge" pickup and they are labelled the "Bass" and "Treble" pickups on the control knobs.
This is a bridge pickup for a Ric (fits in the tailpiece mute bay)!
You ditched your Ric because you didn't like the truss-rods?
Now there's a thing...
There's so much folklore and near-hysteria about the twin rods and essentially grumbles that they're not Fenders; the solution which has been opted for by several users is to just buy a Fender instead, which is OK if that's what you wanted in the first place.
Me, I've got Rics, Fenders, and some others; whenever I walk into a room of guitars, I'll just go straight to the Ric.
But I have to say I am very suspicious of the latest one-rod Rics; it's a bit like putting ketchup on a lasagne!
You forgot Cliff!This was the main reason I got rid of my 4003. I loved everything else about it, and might try to get another someday now that the truss rod situation has changed.
"Prog"
1.me,too!Me, I've got Rics, Fenders, and some others; whenever I walk into a room of guitars, I'll just go straight to the Ric.
But I have to say I am very suspicious of the latest one-rod Rics; it's a bit like putting ketchup on a lasagne!
2.
I have no real qualm about RIC going to single rods, as long as the resdesign works well with them.
There were quite a few reports of early 1-rod Ricks with the rods failing, and unlike the old design, major surgery was required to remove/replace them.
I always thought that having field-replaceable rods trumped copying Fender.1.me,too!
2.
I have no real qualm about RIC going to single rods, as long as the resdesign works well with them.
There were quite a few reports of early 1-rod Ricks with the rods failing, and unlike the old design, major surgery was required to remove/replace them.
Nothing ‘wrong’ with it.
I own a 2009 Mapleglo
Love it. It’s different than my other basses. Do I play it exclusively? No. Do I play any of my basses exclusively? No.
Others may prefer the 4003S more than the 4003 because of the rounded edges and dots and no herringbone binding, but I love my 2009 4003 Mapleglo just fine, shark fins, sharp edges, herringbone and all.
Open the mute bay doors, HAL.
Yeah, really.
...putting ketchup on a lasagne!
Personally I hate their necks and don't like the sound they give. But that's just me, if you like it then do you.
Feeling intense hostility towards a guitar neck is quite a thing too.
Mind you, I did have one bass (a Rockbass 5-string) which I'm sure injured my fingers, so I certainly felt a definite aversion to it.
Cave Puppy
"Humph Bo, he's wond!" - John Lennon
Apart from Sir Paul and Jamaaladeen Tacuma, I can't think of any Rick user whose music appeals to me. I think of them as NON- blues/R&B/soul/country/jazz/folk instruments, so they've never been on my radar. I wouldn't mind trying one for the first time, though, out of curiosity. But I have the (perhaps ignorant) notion that I'd have to give it back quickly, because if I brushed against it the wrong way, a piece of it would fall off, or something.
And that's it for my pathetic, smallminded, inadequate input to this thread!
And that's it for my pathetic, smallminded, inadequate input to this thread!
I had a '75 4001 that was outstanding. Had to sell it. Some years later I got an '86 4003 and it was just...meh. It did nothing for me so off it went. 2 years ago I got a 2010 4003 and I love it! It sets up beautifully (I have no issues at all with the dual truss rods) and there's just something about the sweetness in the tone that draws me. I got a really good one. It may come down to that, a tepid one on occasion. If an instrument doesn't suit someone for a variety of reasons (neck, scale, tone, ergonomics) then just move on and don't complain about it if it's not for you. So, what's wrong with a 4003? Nothing at all for me.
On the dual truss rods, adjusting them is a but more complicated than a single. Twice as complicated actually. But I find that each rod is under much less tension which seems good. They barely need to engage in my experience.
Understood and a lot of folks do. I’ve never paid for a setup. Its a straightforward process, just time consuming. Rics require a little more work than Fender types. Action is easier, intonation is more difficult.
