Newbie on board. Bought myself a Rickenbacker 4003 from 2011 as my first bass experience. Now want to know how often it has to go under maintenance routines and inspections. I am a really complete disaster handling tools. What do I have to expect to be setted up and how often?. How do I have to care and maintain the bass?. What parts do I have to check myself?, etc... I mean, everything related to maintenance here, please.
Thanks in advance!
Rickenbacker 4003 maintenance.
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
Re: Rickenbacker 4003 maintenance.
Google "Joey's Bass Notes" - all you need.
Re: Rickenbacker 4003 maintenance.
Welcome to the Forum.Joe Bananas wrote:Newbie on board. Bought myself a Rickenbacker 4003 from 2011 as my first bass experience. Now want to know how often it has to go under maintenance routines and inspections. I am a really complete disaster handling tools. What do I have to expect to be setted up and how often?. How do I have to care and maintain the bass?. What parts do I have to check myself?, etc... I mean, everything related to maintenance here, please.
Thanks in advance!
For the most part, keep it clean, keep it in tune, change strings as you need and it should be fine, I've a 91 and a 97 that have only ever needed strings !
If you've got pics post them up, there are lots of very knowledgeable folks here who'd be happy to assist, there are also some superb craftsmen who can restore even the most abused Ric you'd ever see ...
"It's Red Jim, but not as we know it...."
Re: Rickenbacker 4003 maintenance.
Agreed! Locate and save Joey's Notes. And apart from cleaning and string changes, should be good. Unless you change string brands or gauges. May need tweak then. DO try to keep her in a relatively controlled climate, and favor humidity over ultra-dryness. They're not fragile in that respect, and many have lived great, long lives being subject to every nasty environment on the planet. But treat her like a queen and hopefully she'll treat you well in return! 
Apr. '73 4001JG, Jun. '73 4001MG, Feb. '75 4001 WBT, Feb. '00 4001CS
