Model of the Week Twelve: The 4003S5 "five banger"

[Tarrbot]

Thanks John.

I feel like a newb. That was the issue.

I had forgotten about this adjustment.

[paul_yan]

There's a 4003S/5 for sale in my area.

http://photo.163.com/photo/tmbass1983/# ... &n=60&cp=1

In the seller's on-line for-sale thread, one of the seller's friends boldly claimed that the production total of this model doesn't exceed 100 units, which I don't believe.

Does anyone have an idea of the ball park number of production of the 4003S/5? Enquiring mind wants to know...

[bassduke49]

Except for the stated production runs of the certified limited edition models, RIC has not revealed production numbers for any model. The numbers in the Smith book taken from incomplete early company records may not be reliable either. Anyone outside the company stating a certain number of an uncertified model, is just blowing smoke.

I've been trying to determine if the official production runs of the certified limited-edition models were fulfilled, but no official data there, either. In other words, were 1,000 Chris Squire Signature Edition models built? That is the stated run, but what if fewer than that number were ordered and actually made? We may never know.

[rickaddict]

There's a 4003S/5 for sale in my area.

http://photo.163.com/photo/tmbass1983/# ... &n=60&cp=1

In the seller's on-line for-sale thread, one of the seller's friends boldly claimed that the production total of this model doesn't exceed 100 units, which I don't believe.

Does anyone have an idea of the ball park number of production of the 4003S/5? Enquiring mind wants to know...

Hmmm....That's a good question, Paul. I would think over 100 were made.

Let's see...there are 36 4003S/5's in the register here, and there are 131 4001CS basses.

Assuming that all 1000 4001CS basses were produced, and that approximately the same percentage of 4003S/5's made are in the register as 4001CS's, I'll go out on a limb and say that there were about 275 4003S/5's produced!

But I'm just blowin' smoke here!

[gearhed289]

were 1,000 Chris Squire Signature Edition models built? That is the stated run, but what if fewer than that number were ordered and actually made? We may never know.

JH has stated that the run was never fully completed. I do believe it ran into the 900s though.

[rickaddict]

were 1,000 Chris Squire Signature Edition models built? That is the stated run, but what if fewer than that number were ordered and actually made? We may never know.

JH has stated that the run was never fully completed. I do believe it ran into the 900s though.

Okay, then...There are 131 4001CS basses here in the register and 36 4003S/5 basses. Assuming 900 4001CS basses were produced, and that approximately the same percentage of 4003S/5's made are in the register as 4001CS's, I'll go out on a limb and say that there were about 247 4003S/5's produced!

But again, I'm just blowin' smoke here!

[jnbass]

Oooooooooooh-not payin attention, here's 2 more...

4003S5 MID 006ab.JPG (9.81 KiB) Viewed 1604 times

(non-PC parts blacked out)

(with "legal" shoes!)

[paul_yan]

Thanks for chiming in, guys!

Yes Paul, you're absolutely right in saying that no number given by anyone outside RIC's head office is to be believed.

Jeff, I like your way of extrapolation, smoke blowing or not!