Ahh, I've seen the Music Connection and know that they are one of the top Ric providers.
I'm going to talk about the necks, and I qualify to, not only because of my charm, but because I own one of each.
Seems I've heard that there is/was a discrepancy between neck profiles between 4003's- Dunno, but nonwithstanding...
One of my "other" basses is a Warwick- and I hear posters in a zoo-like "other forum refer to the "baseball-bat" necks.
O-kay.
Opinions are like...etc.
Good.
I am blesssed, endowed with big hands, go figure, but that asidei It is the radius and profile that creates comfort in playing position and left hand "attack" for want of a better term-
The 4004 and 4003 are very different, but I lay into my 4004 and do movement up/down the neck with a different
feel than with my NEW!~ 4003- or my P-Bass, or G&L (#8 "Jazz" neck) or my Warwick.
The string spacing differs too, and vive la difference. I get a wider, more open tone and sound from the 04 than the 03- Not better- different.
Especially on the E- the 04 gives me some serious "elbow-room" to create, dig in and play some lower end figures-
I could see why a die-hard 03 player would not care for the profile of the Laredo/Chey- They ARE different, the basses have a character their own.
I don't only have (2) Ric's now, I have 2 completely different instruments. I like that.
The Laredo is more a traditional approach to a bss guitar, aside from being a neck-through, it has the cahacteristics of the Fender Bass so to speak- that and the exquisite woods and finish and build, the Chey's being the penultimate of that.
The 4003-
Ain't NOTHING else like a 4003- I can tell you that (Well, you already know).
If you want a 4003 feel, tone, and sound-
You have one source, and it isn't Fender, Or MM, or Fodera, or even a Custom Builder- no way could they get it right, let alone parts.
I am sure the Rickenbacker Co. has a "Factory Death Squad" to see to that!
Tony, smart money says you're going to LOVE the 4004--If not get a frame or jewek box, and sit there and admire it!
When i'm playing another one of mine, that's what I do with my plain ole' Laredo!