4003 questions

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:08 am

Okay im in the market for a new bass. And all this time i was thinking id get a ric ya know? But Iv played some of the new ones. And they just dont really do it for me. Infact theres actually only one ric iv played that i liked. I feel in love with that one however. One of the greatest basses i ever played. I was just wondering if its just the ones i happened to play (2 of them) that wasnt so great. Or if the new ones all around werent as great as befor.

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:27 am

My 4003 (bought new in 2003) looks, feels & plays like a dream.
If you buy one new you should get the shop techie to set it up to your preference (action etc)

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:37 am

Well i have a guy to do all that stuff for me. He seems to think i should hold out for an older one... 70s till early 90s or so. And not worry about it being beat up a little. As long as it plays good. But i dont know. Im one of those people who can never make up their mind.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:39 am

How they're set up can make a HUGE difference. A few of my Ricks played terribly until I figured out how to adjust the truss rods, file the nut slots, adjust pickup and bridge height, etc.

Some of my worst ones became my best.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:47 am

many of the new Rics in music stores are not set up good ... a bad setup on a good bass makes for a bad playing experience ... there are a few bad rics out there but that is rare ... the Ric quality control is quite good ... I have owned 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's rics ... most of them were very good when setup correctly ...

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:54 am

Exactly my point Jeff ... and Rics are not a straightforward set-up !! I initially took mine to a guitar tech with a good reputation, but the nett result was awful (fret buzz, high action etc) - he then admitted he'd not done a Ric bass before. Thats when I took it to the shop I ordered/bought it from - the tech there had Ric experience, asked about my style of playing etc, & I left the bass with him for a couple of days -it has played like a dream ever since (over a year, with three string set changes done by myself with no further setting up required)

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:15 pm

setting up a bass is an art ... and different brands require a different approach ...

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:26 pm

Why doesn't the factory set them up right before they ship them. The would be one up on everyone else!

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:15 am

They do, but then they sit in warehouse an age, then get transported all over the world going through many temperature, pressure & humidity changes - these are the factors that affect the set-up !!

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:38 am

Jacob-

ya didn't care for the 4004 series? Guess it depends what kinda tone you're after.

After being a Roger Glover 4001 fan for 30 years I gotta admit that the newer RICs are easier to set-up correctly.

Easy solution: buy more RICs

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:56 am

"They do, but then they sit in warehouse an age, then get transported all over the world going through many temperature, pressure & humidity changes - these are the factors that affect the set-up !!"

That's true, I don't think most humans would survive the shipping conditions that the instruments go through as they travel from the factory to the consumer.