Model of the Week 14: The Shadow knows

[bassduke49]

It's still 1986, and another mysterious model appears in the dark recesses of . . . Guitar Center?! As far as I can tell, there was no special model designation for the "Shadow" -- a special 4003 made for Guitar Center stores. According to John Hall: "They asked us to produce 'something special' for them to commemorate number of years in business or number of stores opened - something like that. The number was whatever was being commemorated. Ask them."
Anyone know anybody at Guitar Center who would have this info? The Shadow knows, but ain't talkin'.

Anyway, there were supposedly 50 or 60 Shadows made (depending on the order - see above). They do look special, Jetglo with checker binding inside black binding on a 4003 body, Ric-O-Sound wiring, black hardware, and special black dot position markers on the fretboard.

I know we've recently had a Shadow thread, but can there ever be enough Shadows? Let's discuss and post more pix of the Shadow! Here's mine, obtained from Jdog last year:

[leftybass]

IIRC, there is at least one that is left-handed....thought I saw it on ebay a few years back....

[s4001]

Love 'em.

[Vintagebass]

count me in . Heres mine .The neck is wonderfully thin .

[dog]

mmmmmmmmmm, shadowglo. I mean Well, ya know I love the black ones!!

[ilan]

My beloved Shadow: I was a die-hard Fender P devotee until I lucked into this one, and it has made me a Ric fan. Paid $750 for it

[86kubicki]

Rescued from the wilds of rural Ontario (how it got there, I'll never know) - a great player with a neck to die for!

[gibsonlp]

The most beautiful Rickenbacker bass out there in imho,
I am still waiting to find the "perfect" shadow (that is - a shadow without tons of dings and scratches...)

[Vintagebass]

Good luck there lol. I love basses that are whipped on . because 99 percent of the time . They are killer players ! Case Queens look all nice and pretty but the fact is . They look that way because usually they are dogs and havent been played much .

[4003]

Does this count?

http://www.rickresource.com/phpBB3/view ... 1&t=387149

[rickfan60]

Does this count?

http://www.rickresource.com/phpBB3/view ... 1&t=387149

Hey Bob, which dorm did you live in? My 4002 spent lots of time in Tarkington hall back in the 80's

I love my Shadow. I don't know if all of the 4003s made at that time had the same neck but the Shadow has an unusual contour. It is quite thin down low and stays that way up to about the 13th fret where it begins to thicken more rapidly than most other Ricks I have played.

[johnallg]

I wonder if JH will pop in and post pics of his Shadow and impressions.

With all this Shadow neck bragging going on, there are no girth measurements in the database. How about it, owners?

[libratune]

Love that checkered binding; black shows it off the best:

1986 Shadow

[4003]

Does this count?

http://www.rickresource.com/phpBB3/view ... 1&t=387149

Hey Bob, which dorm did you live in? My 4002 spent lots of time in Tarkington hall back in the 80's

I was in Tarkington Hall SE3 in 1985-1986.

[rickfan60]

Does this count?

http://www.rickresource.com/phpBB3/view ... 1&t=387149

Hey Bob, which dorm did you live in? My 4002 spent lots of time in Tarkington hall back in the 80's

I was in Tarkington Hall SE3 in 1985-1986.

I was in NE2 about the same time.