4001 - 4003 Differences?

redvette · Post by **redvette** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:34 am

How can you tell the difference between a 4001 and 4003? Is there a clear visible difference?

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:00 am

The 4001 should have it's model name on the TRC. With clear finishes (mapleglo, fireglo) you can see the dark strip of shedua (looks like walnut)running through the neck / body assembly. Some times older ones that have solid finishes still show the lines where the shedua strip is due to the aging of the finish. The model name 4003 was printed on the TRC only the first few years of it's production.

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:26 am

Ah, but there's more! That strip was there only through the 1970s, so you can find 4001s that did not have it. 1960s models did not have that strip, but many had walnut wings on the headstock.

Assuming you can find the serial number on the jack plate, that is the best way to "date" a Rick bass. Now, that said, the 4001 and 4003 were for a time contemporaries, with the newly designed 4003 being built alongside the classic 4001. So, if you have an early '80s bass, it could be either. The first few years of 4003s had a two-piece pickguard and truss rods that were adjustable at the body end of the neck. Other subtle changes within the 4001 production were gradual, with changes in trim style, pickups, and even headstock, body, and neck profiles.

So, look first to the jack plate, and assuming it is the original one on the bass, you can determine the year of production. If it's early 80s, then you'll have to study further to determine what it is. Late 80s and beyond are 4003. 1970s and before are 4001s.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:29 am

There are several differences ... 4001 basses were designed for low tension flats only ... they had the old style truss rods ... they had a bass cut capacitor ... 70s 4001 basses had a walnut stripe down the middle of the neck ... 60s 4001 basses had horseshoe and toaster pickups ... some 4001 basses had the reverse or grover tuners ... some old 4001 basses had checkered binding, larger pickup surrounds, and larger pickguards ...

the last real 4001 basses were made about 1984 ...

the reissue 4001 basses (4001cs, 4001v63, 4001c64, 4001pmc) are really 4003 basses with 4001 cosmetic features ...

The 4003 bass has a modern neck and modern truss rods ... you don't have to worry about popping off you fret board with a truss rod adjustment ... also they can take any type of strings ... and the 4003 has no bass cut capacitor and the 4003 high gain pickups are hotter than the 4001 pickups ... newer 4003 basses come with schaller straplock buttons as well ...

redvette · Post by **redvette** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:25 am

The bass in question is a lefty with SN VK2912, which dates it to 1982. It looks about the same as my righty 4003 (both are maple glow). The lefty has a replacement bridge assembly and a brass nut, but is otherwise original. It was sold to me by a local luthier as a 4001, but I am curious as to how he knew that and am curious to identify it better.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:30 am

The strip of shedua would be plainly visible running through the center of the neck/body assembly if it is mapleglo 4001. If you don't see that dark strip of wood, it's a 4003.
On an '82, two other features to look for that makes the bass a 4003 is a 2 piece pickguard and 2 extras screws in the talipiece.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:41 am

I like the adjustments RIC made to the 4003 over the 4001. Especially in the neck and truss rod areas, because popping off the fretboard would really suck. I know the some of the 4001's can really be durable. I used to have a real good one one in the 70's, but I still like the adjustments regardless.

redvette · Post by **redvette** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:44 pm

Joey -- This bass has no dark wood in the neck, but it has a one piece pickguard. There is no evidence to indicate that the pickguard has been replaced. The tailpiece HAS been replaced with a badass style bridge assembly, so that is no help.

It's really too bad that the ID system on the RIC website doesn't correlate the model with the serial number.

It is also interesting that the lefty is not a mirror image of the RH model. The neck is evidently the same as the RH model. So, to make it a lefty, only the body pieces are applies in reverse.

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:01 pm

early 4003s had split pickguards.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:15 pm

Richard, have you looked under the TRC yet? Early 4003 basses ('79 to about '85) have the truss rod adjustments at the body side of the neck.
Make sure there are two truss rods! If they is only one, it's not a Rick at all.
It probably is a 4003 if there is a no dark strip of wood going through the neck/body.

4001 examples:

4003: