An E-Mail I sent to Rickenbacker

docbass · Post by **docbass** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:17 pm

This reminds of the time a few years ago when I got my head bit off by folks in another forum for suggesting that hollow body electric bases represented a good market. Now, look at the new HB basses being sold by Washburn, Ibanez, Schmidt, Epi, Gretsch, Lakland, etc., etc.

There's room for lots of basses from Ric and others, especially reissues for us older players with the funds and desire!

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 2:41 pm

Ken, I like the way you think...

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 2:44 pm

...and the AOL translator is a riot!

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 5:00 pm

I could be wrong but I think the deal with the headstock orientation is just a matter of which neck blank is used. The C64 apparently gets a left-handed neck which is something they make anyway (albiet not many). The rest of the woodwork is more or less the same as v63 (or 4003S) . Switching back to the V63 style would likely be a trivial matter.

jmh · Post by **jmh** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 6:07 pm

I'm dreaming they'd farm these things out to the same people who make the Lakland Skyline basses. High quality, great price.

highway_star · Post by **highway_star** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 6:10 pm

Personally, I'd rather not see a reissue of the 4001v63 simply because I'm sitting on one hoping the price will rise. I know, I'm greedy and evil. ;^).

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 9:01 pm

Jack, you can get a new 4003 for less than the Skylines with the US electronics.

IMHO you have a better chance of seeing Rickenbacker's entire back catalog reissued simultaneously than you have of ever seeing a Korean Ric.

brianb · Post by **brianb** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 10:47 pm

Jack
I hope you are kidding. Your dream would be my nightmare.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 5:29 am

I agree Brian. Rickenbacker is the last industry founding maker of electric instruments left standing. Fortunately, JH continues to hold the line on american production. Given the climate of the industry, this is no simple task. I am sure he has had to make some very tough decisions along the way and there are probably a lot of vultures waiting around to pick at the remains, should the compay fail. Amazingly, the prices stay down and the quality remains high. Hopefully we will never see a Rick made anywhere but California.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 6:22 am

Personally i think the standard 4003's are fine because im not too fussy over the small details that have changed over the years. I do however think they need to make the necks a bit slimmer as somme of the recent necks are huge.

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:35 am

JH whatever your formula (for success) is - please don’t change it!

We may complain every now and then about the wait, but we all know that at the end of the day when that instrument arrives from Santa Ana – it’s well worth it!

Cheers to RIC in the good old US of A!

My Christmas wish is for a Jazzbo acoustic bass – now how about that!

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 9:35 am

Owen, my latest 4003 is .875 thick at the 1st and 12th frets. That's average to me, certainly not huge unless you're comparing it to ultra-slim Ibanez or 1960s Rics.

It's slightly thicker at the 1st fret than my Precision but thinner by the 12th fret. The profile is comfortable and certainly nicer than those flat backed profiles I can't stand.

By comparison my trusty ol' Gibson EB-0L is .96 at the 1st, 1.08 at the 12th. Now that's thick -- if it weren't so narrow across I don't think I could play it.

jmh · Post by **jmh** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 10:18 am

Brian said, and Ted agreed:
|Jack
|I hope you are kidding. Your dream would be my nightmare.

Skylines have gotten great reviews. When I bought a new Ric from Music123, it arrived with a very loose pickup. So, there are always exceptions. I too think the new 4003 neck is uncomfortable to play. And,for a dual truss rod bass, most still shy away from using normal/high tension strings. If you want a model other than a 4003, you are out of luck. I would like high quality authorized alternatives. I can dream...

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:12 am

Comfort is a personal matter. But there is no reason at all to shy away from normal or high tension strings with the post-1985 truss rods. They are the same design as standard Gibson and Fender rods, and they are the same diameter. Having two of them may not make it better than a single rod but it certainly doesn't make Ric necks more trouble prone.

I haven't seen any evidence that "most still shy away" from heavier strings. The 4003 players I know personally all use whatever type gauges they normally use on their other basses.

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:20 am

I would like high quality authorized alternatives. I can dream...

It's not gonna happen.

And to repeat, a Skyline with the quality electronics is as expensive as a 4003. And look at the cost of other higher grade imports like the Epi Elitists and upper end Gretsches. You have to pay for quality wherever it's made.