Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

2s

I got my pass.

Very nice collection, Bob!

Why does this second S only have two knobs?

Gruesse, Pablo

Because it was a 4000.

I guess that would make it a 4000 1/2.

All this math is killin me!

I can answer that one I think.

I have a 4003s Rick and it is a neck-through bass as opposed to the 4001s basses which were set neck. Other than that and the truss rod differences between the 4001 and 4003 I think that's about it. They both are unbound and mine has a really slim neck profile.

Did I get it right?

I think you have it right, Greg. My 4001S has a set neck.
My S's:

But not all 4001S had the set neck. Looks like sometime in the 1970s, the company decided to make a common chassis for the 4000 and 4001S with a set neck. Haven't anchored down the date of the change just yet. But in the 1960s, the 4001S was also know as the Rose Morris 1999, most familiar as the main instruments of folks such as Chris Squire, Paul McCartney, etc. Those were neck through. As far as I can tell, the 4001S ended as the 4003S began, and all of the 4003S have neck through.

So.....I think I would prefer the neckthrough 4003S then .

I had a set-neck 4000 for a little while and I actually really like the way it felt.

I think the change to set neck 4000/4001S took place around about the time the skunk stripe was introduced. I've never seen a set neck bass that didn't have the stripe. Of course ymmv...

I had great fun at a gig last night. I only played my 4000 and it blew me away. There was a support band and their bass player was rather scoffing of my RIC before we sound checked, I think he was under the impression that it was a one trick pony. In fact their bass player was a total pain in the rear end. I knew that the tone I got from the 4000 and, rather immodestly, my playing kept his mouth tightly shut after the gig..

A big thanks again to Sergio for supplying his Instigator PUP for the engine room of the bass.

Bravo, Bob!
Another abject lesson for the unwashed.