Consensus on 1st Gen 4003 Series (truss adjust @ heel, etc)?

[Quadzilla]

Hello everyone,

Looks like that I'm very likely going to purchase a 1983 4003. This is the first gen of the 4003 series (as I'm sure that almost all of you know). I've spoke with the seller several times and he has owned many Rics and says this one while not in pristine cosmetic shape, is fully functional, neck is straight, truss rod ends are unmolested (as is the plate under the ends), electronics are 100% original with the exception of the notorious cap being removed, but included with the bass.

So what is the general consensus of this version of the 4003 here? I love the idea of the truss-adjust at the heel and the upgraded bridge from the 4001, but Ric made some additional changes a couple years later and I'm wondering why. Does this run have some know bugs or issues?

Thanks so much!!!

[jps]

Does this run have some know bugs or issues?

Thanks so much!!!

If there are, I'm sure there is a firmware update available for it, somewhere.

[Quadzilla]

Really just curious more than anything if there were some kind of issues with the truss system at the heel vs at the headstock like the later 4003 series? I thought that I also read the the bridge was redesigned yet again after 85 as well.

[jps]

There were lots of design changes through that period of time, but none because there were any problems. This was a period of time during which John Hall and his wife were in the process of buying the business from John's dad.

[Gilmourisgod]

Some of the 80's basses had very deep neck pup routes, worsened by additional wood removed for heel trussrod removal clearance. That leaves only about 1/2" of wood under the pup route, in rare instances resulting in "negative neck angle", producing very high action. If your intended bass plays well, you are probably good to go. Current 4003 manufacture have a shallower neck pup route, so that problem has been fixed on newer basses. How's the neck thickness? Thin or thick? Lots of variation in the 80s basses.

[Quadzilla]

Thanks for the info. I don't have the bass in my hands yet, but he told me that the neck is on the thinner side.

[DriftSpace]

I used to own a 4003 ca. August 1982, and I never really got along with it; the truss adjustment is not ideal, and the neck is pretty chunky.

When I first had it set-up: the tech said (I'm not sure if this is true, but know there were some RIC instruments where it was necessary) to adjust the neck one needed to basically force the neck into the desired position and tighten the rods to hold it there, as opposed to relying on the rods to move the neck. I'm under the impression that the truss adjustment returned to the head-stock position to not only have a smaller rout (as Alex mentioned) by the neck heel, but to enable a return to the one-piece design for the pick-guard. RIC fans are picky, and I'm sure they complained about that cluster of three screws where the guard pieces meet as much as they complained about the extra two screws in the tail. (I personally like the extra tail screws.)

However, I did sell the August 1982 bass to a band-mate, so I get to hear it quite often; not only does it sound great, but he's absolutely smitten with it.

If you like how it plays and sounds: go for it. Truss rod adjustment is (ideally) not something you should have to do a lot, as (from my experience) RIC basses are pretty stable. My band-mate has never adjusted his truss in the nearly 10 years he's (exclusively) played the RIC, and after playing it tonight I can verify that it's doing just fine. It's absolutely a work-horse instrument, too; it'e anything but a "case queen."

Those early 80's basses are odd-balls, but the most important thing is whether or not you get along with it.

[Maccaguy]

I have a 4003S from July 1982, and it's been a great bass. The truss rod adjustment under the pick guard is a little different, but the only time I've ever had to adjust it is when I've changed strings. It plays nice and smooth, and has been a dependable instrument.

The only problem this bass has ever had (and it was like that when I bought it) was the finish was extremely checked, especially on the neck. I've seen this on quite a few early 1980's Rics, so I'm not sure if this is a Rickenbacker issue or a husbandry issue.

[cheyenne]

I'd check the neck out, play it, and if you like it, buy it.

Its a Rick dude, ( an early 4003 for that matter), I really doubt you'll lose any money on it if you do decide to pass it on later.

[farace]

Love my September '83 4003. I was apprehensive at first because I remember back in the day getting the sense that the early 4003s were a bit clunkier and less refined than the 4001 models they were replacing. But this thing feels great, sounds great. Re the "move the neck and tighten the truss rods" comment, that's the way all Rics to that point were adjusted, so that's not different. Only the location of the truss rod nuts changed. Be aware, though that a regular Ric-sized nut driver won't fit, as the nuts are 3/8" rather than 1/4". I used a small 1/4"-drive socket on a u-joint extension and had no trouble adjusting the neck. I might want to adjust it a little bit flatter still, but it seems quite stable. My old 4001 was stolen so long ago that I can't really remember well enough to compare the necks, but this one just feels right, not too chunky at all. Very very slightly different from my 2015 4003, but not necessarily bigger, just different. I traded a '72 Fender Tele Bass for it, and haven't regretted it for a minute. The only real mod I made was to add the push-pull tone pot.

[bassduke49]

The physically moving the neck then tightening the nuts method is correct. The nuts on the "hairpin" style rods SHOULD be 1/4" 10-32 long hexagonal standoff nuts. The nuts on the later (and current) rods SHOULD be 1/4" 8-32 hexagonal standoff nuts.

[farace]

The physically moving the neck then tightening the nuts method is correct. The nuts on the "hairpin" style rods SHOULD be 1/4" 10-32 long hexagonal standoff nuts. The nuts on the later (and current) rods SHOULD be 1/4" 8-32 hexagonal standoff nuts.

I should have been clearer in my comments. I should have stated that only the early 4003s with the truss rod nuts at the body end have 3/8" nuts. If I've read correctly in my research online (meaning, I'm no expert, but if it's on the net, it must be true ), all the body-end adjusters are like that. I was a little surprised at first when I opened her up and found the 1/4" driver didn't fit. I was relieved to find it was normal.

[iamthebassman]

I've had my lefty '80 4003FG for decades. I adjusted the rods when I purchased it and haven't needed to since.

[bassduke49]

The physically moving the neck then tightening the nuts method is correct. The nuts on the "hairpin" style rods SHOULD be 1/4" 10-32 long hexagonal standoff nuts. The nuts on the later (and current) rods SHOULD be 1/4" 8-32 hexagonal standoff nuts.

I should have been clearer in my comments. I should have stated that only the early 4003s with the truss rod nuts at the body end have 3/8" nuts. If I've read correctly in my research online (meaning, I'm no expert, but if it's on the net, it must be true ), all the body-end adjusters are like that. I was a little surprised at first when I opened her up and found the 1/4" driver didn't fit. I was relieved to find it was normal.

Hmm. Well, that would be news to me. Can we find out if there are more like that? I suppose that they are not the elongated standoff nuts, so maybe they are the different types.

[farace]

If I get a chance later, I'll see if I can find the site that told me this.