1984 4003 truss rod question

crimsonghost · Post by **crimsonghost** » Sat Mar 31, 2001 7:52 pm

Hi, i just bought a 84 4003 bass for $749
seller says its "as new" mint.

the bass has the split pickguard, does this have truss rod adjustment at the headstock or body?

is there anything bad about having it at the body?
seems like they were made this way for only a short time, is this becuase of a problem?

are they harder to get at or to adjust?

on the rick website it says i have to manully move the neck when adjusting
the truss rods, would this bass apply to this?

also the pickups, alot of owners of newer 4003 basses say that the pickups are hotter and have more bottom end then older 4001/4003s when did they change the pickups?

i had a 78 4001 and i still regret selling, the neck was a peice of art and i havent found anything that comes close, does rickenbacker go by a certain neck profile or whatever i get i get?

(the bass is with ups right now)

Thanks alot for taking you time and reading my long boring post!
Jason
p.s. sorry for the cross post, i screwed up.

lucien · Post by **lucien** » Mon Apr 02, 2001 6:35 am

I used to have one of these with the split pickguard (mine was a 4003s) and, IIRC, there was an adjustment of some kind at the body end that required getting under the pickgaurd (probably the reason for the split pickgaurd). Fortunately, I never had to adjust that bass all the time I owned it so I really don't know how it would be done

.

That was my favorite rick, I should have kept it and sold my 4001 (I sold both for food money when I was in school).

The 4003 is, IMO, a better bass all around than the 4001. The neck is thicker, but much stronger and the entire bass is more solid. The 4003 pickups do have a duller sound than the ones in the 4001, but they give you fatter, clearer notes. It'll still do a good clanky rick sound, though - put on the lightest gauge roundwounds you can find (GHS 40-90's are what I use), crank up the treble, and you're there.

I just bought a '99 4003 jetglo a month or so ago after many years of being "rickless". It looks exactly like my old 4001 did, which I'd bought when I was in college over 20 years ago. Very nostalgic

.

LS

heinpete · Post by **heinpete** » Fri Jun 08, 2001 12:08 am

Another difference of the early 4003s to the 4001s and the newer 4003s is the tailpiece:
It has two additional mounting screws, that fix the tailpiece better to the body than the other tailpieces do. Only the 8-string still has the tailpiece with the additional two screws. This one may also give better sustain, as the contact to the body is better. The 4001 and newer 4003 tailpiece bends up at the end. So you're lucky to have an early 4003. But after all if you want to get rid of your tailpiece (to exchange for a BADASS II tailpiece) I'd like to buy yours.