Help needed on a 4003 choices

[rickenbrother]

Based on his responses Peter it seems that although he is very unhappy with his 4003 he is not interested in selling it because he does not have a left handed bass to replace it with. Perhaps you could offer him a trade?

Good idea, maybe one of these:

Yes, maybe a straight swap for all three, I might be able to put some cash in too to sweeten the deal.

Plus a spot on Radio Teesdale!

[leftyguitars]

Hey Joey, we are being serious here, trust you to inject some frivolity.

[shannow]

Thanks for the replies

At the moment I am keeping it I think . I really love it's tone but only with a pick , then it's just brilliant . I tend not to use pick a lot and more my fingers it's there where really I don't like the tone . Guess that I'll probably end up with two basses one day one for picking another for finger (true the spector is very nice sounding but it's incredibly rare in europe and I have seen a LX4 europe lefty for 1850euros ). i love sonata arctica and their warwick sounds nice too (but very expensive )

For the pickups and electronics I don't know presumably there's very little difference in sound I've found an interesting review comparing the stock / SD an Barts and really the reviewer says he's be surprised that anybody listening to it would find which one was the stock pickups.

By the way is there any sound differences between 2 similar humbucker Barts(for example) exept for it's size ? or is it that their rick replacement have a special coil arrangement ? the spacing of the strings will alter the sound a lot ? Just wondering for knowledge

Thank you very much

[johnallg]

Jonathan, welcome aboard. Using just the bridge pickup and trimming some of the tone will give you a more "burp" sound, but a Fender Jazz is the bass that really does the "fart" or "burp".

As to the alignment of the poles, I would look into rotating the neck pickup 180 degrees and see how they line up that way. You said you like to build things so this would be easy for you. Also be aware the bridge pickup has wider spaced poles and one end pole is closer to the edge of the coil so rotating that one 180 might also get you better string/pole alignment.

[shannow]

Thanks

Very good idea I will try to reverse the pickup

Off topic but I need a little help (and by the way off forum )
I have found somebody that sell a MM stingray 5 lefty from 1998 superb condition black
I has got a single HB and a mapple freetboard in europe the cheapest on stock new stringray 5 lefty is worth 2159euros ( 2980dollars lol thanks to the taxes and import)
He wants me to give him a price for it but I have really no idea 1500 euro perhaps ?

[rickenbrother]

Off topic but I need a little help (and by the way off forum )
I have found somebody that sell a MM stingray 5 lefty from 1998 superb condition black
I has got a single HB and a mapple freetboard in europe the cheapest on stock new stringray 5 lefty is worth 2159euros ( 2980dollars lol thanks to the taxes and import)
He wants me to give him a price for it but I have really no idea 1500 euro perhaps ?

Jonathan, I think your question would be best answered here:
Music Man Basses

[shannow]

Thanks Joey

I have a new factor I have discovered in my music chain !
I have a Line 6 Toneport UX1 that I use to use with my guitar ... but it also accepts basses , so I gave it a try .I have several model and tested them and put a good headphone and upped the volume ... and to my big suprise the Rickenbacker does growl !! When hitting hard on the strings on the power pop model on the gearbox (the toneport software) It matches perfectly Flea's tone on "you oughta know" I am in heaven's !! Still can't believe it , at last growling even with fingers !
So it may not be the bass but my amp/cab setup that's wrong .
I think the Tecamp 15inch cabinet might be the problem...
Anyway the problem doesn't belong to this forum anymore i don't think

thanks again

[rickenbrother]

Jonathan, the 4003 is very different than F*nd*rs or other basses similar to F*nd*rs, which is I'm assuming what you are used since you've mentioned MM basses. The Rickenbacker can be used in any style of music, you just have to spend a but of time with it to make an adjustment from other basses, whether it be playing technique or setting on your rig.

Send me your amp, I'll get some killer tones though it with my Ricks!

Incidentally, that's a fretless bass that Flea plays on "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morrisette. I should have mentioned that in Brian's, Your Favorite Song That Features A Fretless Bass thread.

[shannow]

Yes thank you .
I think the ABM 500 is perfect but I do believe that all my disapointement comes from the tecamp cabinet . It's a huge thing I play it in my bedroom (wich is 7m by 4m) and it's 180 liters .
When I got it I had the idea of taking it out sometimes outside ,with the idea of "if it can do more it can do less", but in fact never did. That I am 95% sure is my mistake in my setup . It is not meant for a bedroom or be used at low volume.
I may change the amp while I about it and get something with less power I really don't need 575watts never gone pass the 1/4 volume.

It is quite possible that he uses a fretless MM it sounds like a lot of strings thumping the fretboard .

[johnallg]

Jonathan, I wouldn't get rid of the ABM 500 just yet - I would look at a 2 x 10 that would work in the bedroom and be expandable later when you start playing out with others. Go to a music store with the Rick and try different cabs with an ABM 500 if you can, or other Ashdown heads if that's all you can find.

[shannow]

Hi and thank you again
I'll try to sumarize what I have done so far to discover things .

Basicaly I have bypassed the Tecamp cab on my Rotel Ra-01 (hifi amp) and the sound is just perfect , meaning it is hifi standard I put any bass music cd's on it and it just reproduces it as it is .
I even ran my triangle columns to compare and the diference is not noticable. The Tecamp will reproduce anything going through it . In fact it is no surprise it's a 15inch cab with a tweeter that I got at 900$ from germany .

I still need to go check several Amps in Paris' shops . But Basicaly no matter what bass I listen to with an Ashdown amp I just don't like it (same tone as mine no matter what). The Ashdown tone doesn't suit me allthrough it is a brilliant amp .

I have listened to several Amps through the net with good recording and I think I may have a clue at what I need .I know it's not the good method but it gives an idea over several videos and it will give me an idea of what to look for in a shop.
The Genz Benz amps are simply the perfect tone on any videos I have found them on wether it is a MM or a 4003. It's clean and powerfull , I love it . Now I need to confirm it by going to a shop that has one (and that's not easy in france).

Thank you very much to all of you . Everybody has been very helpfull.