Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

cjj wrote: I'd say that unless someone did some serious (and seriously good) headstock mods, that one was made as a 5 string.

It has the right headstock shape, like this S/5.

That's what I was trying to say. All the aftermarket modified 5's I've seen have the 3 tuners on the other side since there's a bit more room there. In order to get them on the "correct" side, you'd have to replace the headstock wing to get more room. Definitely easier on a solid color like Jetglo, but still a fairly complicated/serious mod.

VRICKY63 wrote:This is fun...............most interesting..........looks like we need factory help on this one.

Well, if you have a way to get more info from the Ricky folks I would be interested.
here is the entirety of the e-mail I got from Rickenbacker when I sent them pictures and asked what I had.

"Hey Scott,
Your bass is a 4003/5 with a Maple neck that must have been put on sometime after it left the factory. You do not see many of the 4003/5’s. You see way more of the 4003S/5’s.

Thanks,

Richard Cannata

Rickenbacker International Corp.
Customer Service
3895 S. Main St
Santa Ana, Ca 92707
714.545.5574"

I keep meaning to send Richard more pictures of the neck, body and headstock showing the interface of the fingerboard to the rest of the bass. I took the pictures months ago but with 4 year old twins, I don't seem to have time to scratch my butt much less do some of the other fun distractions in life. Now that I see how the picture was posted I will upload some of them tonight and post them for you to see.
Scott

I've been studying Rick basses for about five years now, and thought I've seen all there is to see. I hate using the word "unique," but this just may be. But we've come to find that RIC, although without a true "custom shop," once in a great while will produce interesting feature combinations for experiment or for special customers. My bet is that one of these is the case here, if it is truly "all factory." The fretboard is the easiest to mod, I suppose. This appears to be a board from a Blackstar (with "microdot" position markers), and we know there are a few five-string Blackstars out there. I like it!

I also like Richard's comment "don't see MANY 4003/5," indicating there may be some more out there!

Scott, most interesting bass. Closeup pictures of the neck/fretboard joining would indeed be interesting. Does the JG and clearcoat CV finish of the neck look different from the body of the bass? This could help decide.

A 4003/5 is a rare bird indeed - first one I've seen. And welcome aboard the RRF train. If you want to fully fund your Rick habit AND the twin's college educations, figure out how to bottle all their energy - you'll sell all you can get!

Paul, were the Blackstars from 1985/86 time frame? I can't remember without researching.

johnallg wrote:Scott, most interesting bass. Closeup pictures of the neck/fretboard joining would indeed be interesting. Does the JG and clearcoat CV finish of the neck look different from the body of the bass? This could help decide.

Ok heres my first try at posting a picture. I think my wife trashed my pics but I found a couple only one is decent enough for this purpose. I'm going to go get it out of the case and take some more

Huh, the fingerboard doesn't appear to have the "piled up by the frets" CV I've noted on several Ricks, kinda supports the replacement board theory.

tennis_nick wrote:Huh, the fingerboard doesn't appear to have the "piled up by the frets" CV I've noted on several Ricks, kinda supports the replacement board theory.

OK, I'm lost, what's CV?

I'm just downloading pics from the camera

kssound wrote: OK, I'm lost, what's CV?

CV = Conversion Varnish. Nicholas was referring to the clear coat on the fingerboard.

From that photo it looks stock and unaltered to me.

The binding looks slightly over the frets ands just like all of mine. Could be factory. More pics PLEASE!!!!!!!

I think this could be the post of the week ... does make you wonder who gave birth to this little gem ...

the only thing that I ever wondered about was the masking of the black near the binding near the body joint


heres the head stock


and the body


I'm having trouble posting these so I'm going to send these ones

These shots make the fretboard look much darker than the first one you posted. Sometimes the bubinga that RIC uses is pretty light, sometimes dark, sometimes figured, sometimes not. Definitely not the "microdot" position markers I suspected. Still a curiosity.

trying again

http://home.comcast.net/~kssound/site/?/photos/

this is the link to all the shots I have uploaded