Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So riddle me this . Why is there such inconsistency in Ric 4001 4003 Necks ? I have been searching it seems like forever to find thin necks . I have right now believe it or not a 90 4003 That has a super thin neck . It must be a freak because i cannot find another 4003 like this . I mean thin folks . Like the 74 4001 i had.I think in alot of ways the new 4003 's are some of the finest basses the company has ever made . But why the giant club like necks ?!?!?!And why out of the blue does my 90 4003 Have such a thin neck when all others it seems do not . The endless enigma goes on As well as my Love for the Rickenbacker bass.

the thinest Ric Neck I have ever played is the 2030 ... next thinest is the 60's 4000/4001 ... next thinnest 70's 4001 ...

the thickest neck is my 2020 ...

I have not played a 3000, 3001, 4005, or 4004cii5 ... I would guess the 3000/3001 neck is slim and the 4004cii5 is thick ...

you gotta play a 2030 ... it is like a freakin jazz bass but sounds like a ric ... 80's models are singles coil and 90's models have humbuckers ...

So how do you explain my 90 being thin ? Is it just a freak or what Jeff ?

freak

LOL . I thought so

Get yourself an eary-70s MOP-era 4001.... best necks on the planet. (72 or earlier)

Any body want to trade to trade one for a 72 matching peghead vintage jazz bass ?

i have a 90 4003, it is super thin too. Amazing, really. I don't think you see a lot of rotation on those basses...

BTW, jeff, im probably sending you an email.

Hey Luis . Been trying to e-mail you with some pics but you account keeps sending them back . Send me some rick pics man

my 67 4005 has super thin neck

I started playing Ricks 1978 with 4001FG built in the same year with a medium thick neck as far as I can remember, but I did not have much to compare it with. I did not know about the set up so I seperated fingerboard and neck within a year. Next bass was a 1983 4003 Burgundy-glo with split pick guard which I bought in 1996. The neck was quite chunky and the bass weighted about 4.8kg - too much for 2hrs gig. But no problems with the truss rods. The next one was a 1976 4001 Autumn-glo with a black pick guard and nameplate which I bought in 1998. Again a very thin neck and also no problems with the truss rods. Disliked the colour and the frets were down - too bad it had to go. The next was a 1980 4001FG which I bought in 2000, but another one of the heavy site, again the neck a bit thicker than that of the 1976 4001AG. So the next one finally a 1998 4003FG with the thinnest neck so far. No problems with the truss rods exept that the neck tends to bend sideways left, but does not affect playability. Soundwise the "growl and twang" were strongest with the 1978 and 1976 4001 models. Sadly, in my opinion the younger the models get the more they loose the growl and twang. But I could compensate much with the strings I used. The old models were played preferebly with stailness steel round wounds, which (specially a set of Kramer stings, intended for ALU-reinforced necks, but best sound of all strings) also contributed to the separation of neck and fingerboard. Since the late 1980ies models did not have the growl with the steel strings I changed to nickel round wounds which again gave them back the growl but the twang is less. So far the best balanced sound neck and body is in the 1998 4003, also brilliant for slapping. Still missing the original old sound of growl and twang I recently bought an early 1995 4004Laredo. Sound wise I was surprised - no "4000something-sound" at all, but some other growl and very HiFi sounding. Nice smooth body, BUT THE NECK...!!! The thickest thing on earth! Maybe a 5-string neck was used by mistake? Or do all Rick employees play Baseball???

my 67 4005 has super thin neck

I see an echo!

My 4005's have super thin necks, also....

Look how thin they are in my hands...almost like toothpicks!!

my 67 365 has thin neck also so ok let's celebrate the 1967 as the super thin neck year

Happy Happy JOY JOY !!! I just got two thin neck ricks in one week !! An 87 in ruby red with black hardware and a 74 mapleglo 4001 . There is a Thin neck rick God !!