There are obviously a lot of variables that can affect the tone of your Ric's E string, and there have been a lot of good suggestions in this thread (I've learned a couple of things, thanks).
FWIW, I have tried many kinds of strings on my '94 4003 (that I've owned since it was bought new in '94 and is like a family member now) - different guages, manufacturers (Rickenbacker, Ernie Ball, Rotosound, GHS, Elixir, others), stainless vs nickel, etc. One thing that I have come to believe is that the original string guage set for the 4003 (45-55-75-105), which is admittedly an unusual combination of guages industry-wise and challenging to find replacement sets for, gives me the best overall sound and feel for my 4003, including best string-to-string balance. Perhaps going back to a 105 on the E could help this particular problem if people find the other suggestions don't address their problem.
I like the Rickenbacker brand of 45-55-75-105 nickel roundwounds. I also recently tried (and have been very happy with in terms of price, performance, and even longevity) the Curt Mangan 45-55-75-105's offered at Pick of the Ricks:
http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... 2d105.html
It would be nice if other manufacturers offered/marketed sets in this combo of guages more widely. I also know that others on this Forum have had great results with different string guages, so like anything else, you might find something else is more to your liking.
