Sérgio, hmm - "I don't recognize those tuners. Are they replacements?"
The machine heads look genuine, so I presume the pegs are too. *shrugs*
'83 Rickenbacker 4003 - Information Appreciated
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Hi Mark,
welcome, also another way to see if it's a 4001 or 4003 is to check under the truss rod cover, if the truss rod nuts are there it's 4001 if not it's an early 4003 with the truss rod nuts under the pick guard, if that is the case you would need a new two piece pick guard as that one would be incorrect.
I have an 81 4003, I bought it with Seymore Duncans in it. They are now on my refrigerator holding a nice picture of one of our bathrooms my wife took (my wife is crazy) I thought it was an appropriate photo for the Duncans.
Paul is right, if your father's 4001 has never had any work done to it, it still has a .047 uf. cap in the treble pickup circuit which cuts all the bass and most of the mid from the pickup, they are much fuller sounding without the caps IMHO. and Seymore Duncan recommended that when you installed their pickups that you remove the cap, that is why they seem to sound better than the stock Rics, Seymore obviously wasn't stupid, misleading? maybe, stupid? no. It's not the pickups that lack balls it's the cap. I put some stock 79 4001 pickups in mine sans cap and it sounds killer. (we don't all agree on this BTW)
But each to his own, if you really like them keep them but try bypassing the cap on your fathers bass first like Paul said, you might really like it. (it goes from the middle lug of the treble volume control to the three way pickup switch, just soldier a piece of solid wire over it, or even try it temporarily without soldiering it, and all new Rics come like this; without the cap)
welcome, also another way to see if it's a 4001 or 4003 is to check under the truss rod cover, if the truss rod nuts are there it's 4001 if not it's an early 4003 with the truss rod nuts under the pick guard, if that is the case you would need a new two piece pick guard as that one would be incorrect.
I have an 81 4003, I bought it with Seymore Duncans in it. They are now on my refrigerator holding a nice picture of one of our bathrooms my wife took (my wife is crazy) I thought it was an appropriate photo for the Duncans.
Paul is right, if your father's 4001 has never had any work done to it, it still has a .047 uf. cap in the treble pickup circuit which cuts all the bass and most of the mid from the pickup, they are much fuller sounding without the caps IMHO. and Seymore Duncan recommended that when you installed their pickups that you remove the cap, that is why they seem to sound better than the stock Rics, Seymore obviously wasn't stupid, misleading? maybe, stupid? no. It's not the pickups that lack balls it's the cap. I put some stock 79 4001 pickups in mine sans cap and it sounds killer. (we don't all agree on this BTW)
But each to his own, if you really like them keep them but try bypassing the cap on your fathers bass first like Paul said, you might really like it. (it goes from the middle lug of the treble volume control to the three way pickup switch, just soldier a piece of solid wire over it, or even try it temporarily without soldiering it, and all new Rics come like this; without the cap)