New Owner of a brand new 4003

[Fabiob]

Dear All,

I bought yesterday my very 1st Rick, a brand new beautiful 4003. It is my life's dream, after Hoffies V62 and V63, and i was forced to tune it an half step down, in Ab, to meet our band needs for vocal. This done, the neck has still visible too much relief and high action, notwithstanding the bridge screw by the G side is all the way down, thus no more room to lower the bridge on G side.. I've put DR Sunbeam 045-065-080-105 due to the Ab tuning (stock were D'Addario, not Rick..) so I'm guessing if I have to go either for other strings with smaller gauge or adjust the neck.
Silly question for trussrod adjustment: clockwise to the right to straigthen the neck, counter clockwise to add relief, as principle ? Your suggestions for trussrod adjustment as well as for strings better choice will help me much, as I don't like the "do by yourself" unless I'm really confident, especially with Rick's, and with my very 1st
one ! Thank and love. Fabio

[ram]

Hi Fabio welcome to the forum... one of your best bets is our dear host's own site, Joey's Bass Notes:
http://www.joeysbassnotes.com/

What you are describing is actually very easy to do once you have the methodology down. Just take your time and you should be able to zero the neck in flat. Good luck... any pictures of the bass?

Forgot - I like the D'Addario exl170's (100/80/65/45) but just about any quality string should work here.

[rickaddict]

Sounds like you have the right idea though, Fabio. Turn both truss rod nuts clockwise equally. Use a nut driver (not a wrench with a lot of leverage) and turn them a small amount (around 1/8 of a turn) at a time, then check your results.

Welcome to the forum.

[jdogric12]

Welcome. When you say you tuned down 1/2 step, do you mean to Eb? Did your A string go down to Ab? Confused here.

[VRICKY63]

You might want to try the new DR DDT strings. They are made for drop tuning. If I were drop tuning I would use a heavy gauge set.

[rickenbrother]

Welcome to the forum, Fabio!

[Fabiob]

Hi Lads !

Really thanks for your warm welcome in the forum ! Very special guys in there, and I'm feeling protected by you all to reach the goal
to fully enjoy my new baby. A couple of replies to the various questions and some further steps.

Yes, I meant 1/2 step down, to Eb - Ab etc., and while thinking to leave the DR Sunbeam 45.65.85.105, I noticed that just in half day
the relief increased a bit, so even if by rule a down tuning requires heavier gauges, it seems not the case here.

Today I went to my luthier's shop, and I told him to put a D'Addario flats gauged 40.55.75.95 (I wanted 40.60.80.100 but not available), again half step down, and then to set up the whole stuff the way I play, low action, neck straight dead.

Believe me or not, here in Italy flats are absolutely not in the marke, with sparkly DA and La Bella only medium sets...

If this will not work the way I want, I'll put once available the 40.60.80.100 and see what happens..

I prefer, being absolutely new to Rick's handling and peculiar approach, not to stress the neck going for low gauges instead of medium/heavy ones to counterbalance the half step down, and most important, having a pro doing the job !

Love .
Fabio

[Fabiob]

Hi Lads,

Got back home with the Rick sporting D'Addario Chrome flats 040.060.080.100, with the neck straight dead...No longer relief, stings as low as possible to avoid unwanted buzz...What to say ? It's like silk, smooth and fast, and the tone has really, really improved much if compared with that one I had when bought, with roundwounds on. I've played so far only on a small practice amp, and on Sunday I'll have a test on field with the Band, thus in a gig scenario, and I'm just curious to check it with Mark Bass enclosures 1/15 + 4/10 with a 500 watts head...Just curious. By the way, now the family is completed, with the 4003 sat along with the Hoffy v62 and v63.. Of course, I'll have to train myself to get used to it, but this seems quite easy. After 45 years playing mainly with Fenders, I've now found my latest joy and pride...! Should I face problems with the famous E string, if any, or similar tasks, I'll ask for help from you all, but I won't complaint a choice of mine, to finally go for a Rick.

Love
Fabio

[johnallg]

Glad you got a good setup and strings you enjoy. Remember to post back with a report on your first gig with the 4003. And again, welcome to the RRF and Rickdom.

[paul_yan]

Welcome to the forum, Fabio, and congratulations on your new 4003 with a fine setup!

[T.A.R.]

Welcome Fabio and Congrats!

[Fabiob]

Glad you got a good setup and strings you enjoy. Remember to post back with a report on your first gig with the 4003. And again, welcome to the RRF and Rickdom.

Hi John and all the Lads there..I'm back home after a gig had in afternoon in a club plenty of very old goods friends and many brothers musicians, in which my
Rick did her debut, unannounced to everybody, except to the band, and reaction was....WOW !! I had my Mark Bass head TA503 (tubes on preamp) + 2/10' cabinet + 1/15' cabinet. The sound was absolutely fantastic, fully rich when needed (Sgt. Pepper's Reprise, Lady Madonna), deep ringing (Here Comes The Sun) deep and fat
(Old Brown Shoe - Birthday) and so on. I also used it in the tracklist I usually do with the Hoffies up to the '65, and she managed all the songs in a perfect way, very close to the Hoffies, but of course with more "controlled punch" (Day Tripper, Ticket To Ride, Tell Me Why and so on..)Eventually, I left the Hoffies in their
cases, both a little bit disappointed..!

What to say ? I'm happy, really happy for the results, the band was happy too, and a lot of old time friends (musicians) came to me after the gig to "taste the lady",
(at least 5 of them were bass players). But the most important thing was that I am happy with her, and i didn't pay any attention to E string low output, if any, or dead spots (1 for sure), simply because I love the whole axe, not her parts/pups and so one. I enjoyed playing, I felt very comfortable, all the Lads were screamin' and the groove was in there....What more for a 59 years old man, 45 of which spent awaiting for the Rick to come ? Love. Fabio

[johnallg]

Sounds like a wonderful time onstage and with friends. Glad your 4003 is all you hoped it would be. Congrats!

Sometimes you can reduce or eliminate the dead spot(s) with adjusting the truss rods. Maybe when you've had more time with it you can try adjusting out the dead spot. Just enjoy for now.

[ram]

Sounds like another happy customer !! +1 on what John said about dead spots.