Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

jps wrote:My new 4003 has a neck just like those on both of my '73 4001s, a March and a July, so early to mid '70s should work well for you, also.

Very true, but they will be prohibitively expensive, like $2000+ with the earlier ones much +. 60s basses also have a wonderful neck but they don't really tolerate heavier strings well and cost more than that.

That's true, John. If I was she I'd look for any post-'73 player 4001 that's been taken decent care of but maybe has some small issue involved, I didn't know what to ask for when I advertised for mine, but I was lucky to get steered toward this bass at a very good price (and the jackplate thing was the sole "issue", a non-issue to me re: playing). The earlier ones don't appeal to me as much per se until we're talking horseshoes and toaster Checkerboard binding and wavy grovers are cool but they make those models unnecessarily more costly to me as a simple player. But then, you know me, I smile at the sight of dings on a prospective acquisition. all the way to the bank

Hi all!
Thanks for the new comments! Ive gotten some info on that 81 4001 I was directed to and thats the one Im going to shoot for. It seems exactly what Im looking for. ^_^ This board is very helpful! What I came in here looking for and what Im shooting for now are two different things. I had no idea exactly what I was looking for aI think for a Ric and you guys have helped a LOT. IF all works well and I get that 'fingerprint glo' (HAHA thats the new description for all my black basses now) I will surely need help learning its maintenance and stuff!! Ive read a bit about that already and it seems very unique from what I know on other basses (regarding neck adjustments/truss rods).

jps wrote:Anyway, here is the May '08 4003 with a killer Pickguardian pickguard and finger rest. The pickguard is the same material as the FW inlays and looks fantastic.

Care to elaborate? Who did the pickguard, pickguardian? When did they start using poly-MMA...? Or has it always been?

...Also, why the thumb rest on the "vintage" side? Do you make use of it? Or is it there to be purdy?

p.s.: Those new MacBooks look SEXY. 4GB of memory makes me drool. My PowerBook G4 has 1GB and it is a beast so I just can't imagine... Sorry you're having trouble though, is the new Mac line going the way of Vista? I hope not.

cassius987 wrote:

jps wrote:Anyway, here is the May '08 4003 with a killer Pickguardian pickguard and finger rest. The pickguard is the same material as the FW inlays and looks fantastic.

Care to elaborate? Who did the pickguard, pickguardian? When did they start using poly-MMA...? Or has it always been?

...Also, why the thumb rest on the "vintage" side? Do you make use of it? Or is it there to be purdy?

p.s.: Those new MacBooks look SEXY. 4GB of memory makes me drool. My PowerBook G4 has 1GB and it is a beast so I just can't imagine... Sorry you're having trouble though, is the new Mac line going the way of Vista? I hope not.

Um, read the quote you quoted regarding the who made the pickguard!

The finger rest is in the correct position for a Rick; it is there to add to the vintage look, although John Biscuti used his once to add bloody drama to a gig.

What is poly-MMA?

Hey everyone, got my new Ric today. It's awesome but I need to adjust the neck. Could somebody point me to the best resource for doing that?

jps wrote:

cassius987 wrote:

jps wrote:Anyway, here is the May '08 4003 with a killer Pickguardian pickguard and finger rest. The pickguard is the same material as the FW inlays and looks fantastic.

Care to elaborate? Who did the pickguard, pickguardian? When did they start using poly-MMA...? Or has it always been?

...Also, why the thumb rest on the "vintage" side? Do you make use of it? Or is it there to be purdy?

p.s.: Those new MacBooks look SEXY. 4GB of memory makes me drool. My PowerBook G4 has 1GB and it is a beast so I just can't imagine... Sorry you're having trouble though, is the new Mac line going the way of Vista? I hope not.

Um, read the quote you quoted regarding the who made the pickguard!

The finger rest is in the correct position for a Rick; it is there to add to the vintage look, although John Biscuti used his once to add bloody drama to a gig.

What is poly-MMA?

Wow, I must be blind. Pickguardian. Okay.

Poly-MMA=poly-methylmethacrylate, plexiglas basically, and RIC uses it (and other materials) in the new FW inlays.

Pat, regarding neck adjustments,

why don't you search around in the "Vibrola" Technical Forum for starters and you can post there and get specific answers from PW and the guys. I'm not sure where to point you exactly.

But congratulations! Can you let us see some pictures?

Tony stocks a lot of different pickguard material. When he saw the new inlays we just had to make one to match.

EagleMoon wrote:Hey everyone, got my new Ric today. It's awesome but I need to adjust the neck. Could somebody point me to the best resource for doing that?

You need a 1/4'' socket driver, RIC supplies one made by Excelite. Try to get that one or one with nearly identical specs so you have enough travel to get into the truss rod cavity...

You can either turn the rods clockwise (1/4 turn a day per rod) or do a manual adjustment, which I prefer. To do a good manual adjustment: have a friend hold the bass on a table by tail end, face up on a towel, with the neck hanging over the edge a bit. Press it down firmly but gently, twist each rods 1/4 turn or 1/2 turn to hold your adjustment. This way you do the work, not the rods. This is much more efficient (and accurate).

This is the only picture I have so far. It was cold so I had to let the box sit for a while, then the case, then the bass. This was when I first opened it up.

When you said new you weren't kidding. My, that's pretty!

cassius987 wrote:

EagleMoon wrote:Hey everyone, got my new Ric today. It's awesome but I need to adjust the neck. Could somebody point me to the best resource for doing that?

You need a 1/4'' socket driver, RIC supplies one made by Excelite. Try to get that one or one with nearly identical specs so you have enough travel to get into the truss rod cavity...

You can either turn the rods clockwise (1/4 turn a day per rod) or do a manual adjustment, which I prefer. To do a good manual adjustment: have a friend hold the bass on a table by tail end, face up on a towel, with the neck hanging over the edge a bit. Press it down firmly but gently, twist each rods 1/4 turn or 1/2 turn to hold your adjustment. This way you do the work, not the rods. This is much more efficient (and accurate).

Thanks! This is a great help. So as long as I turn both rods the same amount I should be fine? I'm surprised you don't get one with the adjustment tools. All I got were two little allen wrenches.

kiramdear wrote:When you said new you weren't kidding. My, that's pretty!

Yeah, brand new. Even smells like a new car...er...bass. I plugged it in and it hums quite a bit. Is it going to be necessary to shield the control cavity?

EagleMoon wrote:

cassius987 wrote:

EagleMoon wrote:Hey everyone, got my new Ric today. It's awesome but I need to adjust the neck. Could somebody point me to the best resource for doing that?

You need a 1/4'' socket driver, RIC supplies one made by Excelite. Try to get that one or one with nearly identical specs so you have enough travel to get into the truss rod cavity...

You can either turn the rods clockwise (1/4 turn a day per rod) or do a manual adjustment, which I prefer. To do a good manual adjustment: have a friend hold the bass on a table by tail end, face up on a towel, with the neck hanging over the edge a bit. Press it down firmly but gently, twist each rods 1/4 turn or 1/2 turn to hold your adjustment. This way you do the work, not the rods. This is much more efficient (and accurate).

Thanks! This is a great help. So as long as I turn both rods the same amount I should be fine? I'm surprised you don't get one with the adjustment tools. All I got were two little allen wrenches.

The tool is kind've big so they don't supply it. I think it'd be cool if they did but it's obviously got to cost WAY more than a allen wrench. Those allen wrenches you got go to the bridge height and pickup pole height adjustments.

EagleMoon wrote:

kiramdear wrote:When you said new you weren't kidding. My, that's pretty!

Yeah, brand new. Even smells like a new car...er...bass. I plugged it in and it hums quite a bit. Is it going to be necessary to shield the control cavity?

Hum is an environmental issue. My 4003 rarely hums but I know how to make it hum if I want to--get it around the right kind of lighting, etc. Shielding is only semi-beneficial at best. You could try a power-conditioner I guess, or a noise gate, but I don't like noise gates much.

Experiment with where you plug your bass in, what other appliances are on or plugged in, etc. Dimmer switches, TVs, neon signs, etc. can all be a problem.