Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi! I'm new here. I've been reading these threads for several months now, and they've helped me make the decision to bid on my 03' jetglo 4003. Much bassier than the 77' 4001 I tried at the local music store, yet still cuts the ensemble like a chainsaw! Seems many people have big misconceptions of these righteous instruments, "Ricks have no bottom." Ha! I havent touched my jazz bass since I recieved it late March! Perfect through my newly acquired Mesa Bass 400. Tone to the Bone!
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Clankchris... welcome to the Forum! Excellent choice on the model (4003) and finish (jetglo). 4003's are awesome basses, both in terms of build quality and versatility. My first 4003 was in '94, a jetglo too, and it's an 11-year love affair (and running).

Good choice. Post a picture if you have one handy!

I was afraid to post for so long, Dean.
You guys seem really knowledgeable and steered me towards getting a chunkier-necked Rick. I'm not a big guy, but always liked how sturdy p bass necks felt. This one feels pretty similar. As a big fan of Faith No More,(expecially on the older albums when Billy used a gibson ripper)Paul D'amour, and Eric Judy from Modest Mouse, I find the 4003 comes the closest to some of their tones of all the basses i've played.
I will post pics hopefully soon!

Faith No More put on one of the better shows I have ever seen... summer of 1991, RFK Stadium, Washington, DC. It was FNM, then Metallica, then Guns&Roses. FNM was fantastic. Metallica was crushing and unbelievable. GNR was late and missing Axl for over half the show....

Don't hesitate to post to the Rickenbacker Forum. I have found it to be a remarkably clean, free, friendly place to post (thank you again, Peter M., administrator!). There are some unbelievably knowledgable folks here with regard to Ric's (which you have seen). Anyhow, I know that within my first couple of months here on the Forum, I posted what I feared was a couple of dumb questions (how do you intonate a 4003, how do you remove the rear pickup cover, etc.), and I got great, detailed, respectful responses. This has been a great Forum for me. Welcome!

The modern 4003 is one of the best basses ever, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Post pics if you have them, otherwise keep on postin'!

Yeah, you guys are great! Like I said, I spent months reading these forums, but because I didn't have an email address forever,(Me live in stone age!!)well you get the picture....

I own an older aria pro bass that I frankensteined to heck with active electronics, barts then emgs and then a badass bridge.
I spent a lot of time reading about basses on the internet to find the tone that was in my head and eventually realized rickenbacker's description of their 4003 (ringing sustain, solid underlying bass) sounded exactly like what I was looking for. Then I found this website.
There are others! Scary!

Too bad about Axl, huh? I think GNR had something that comes along not very often.

Yeah, Axl represents a lot of potential and wasted opportunity there... what they accomplished was great ('Appetite for Destruction' is a great album, no matter how you slice it, and Use Your Illusion I/II was a very solid rock double-album), but there coulda been so much more.

Like you, one of the things that attracted me to Ric's was the ringing sustain with solid underlying bass (which is SO true).

Welcome Chris, you'll love it here.

Congrats on your Rick.

Regarding GNR, the thing that made them so great is that they burned so hot. When you are so far out on the edge like that, it was inevitable that they would blow up. But they produced some great music, and Appetite is one of the best hard rock albums ever, IMO.
Chris, welcome! I think you're going to like it here!

"... Appetite is one of the best hard rock albums ever, IMO."

I agree with that. The only problem about the album is I hate Axl's horrendous voice IMHO. Great songs but what an awful voice. It is very unique but it is all falsetto, up in the throat, and has no power to it. I can sing better than he can, but, as I say often, he's famous and I'm not. Let him do what he wants.

Welcome aboard, Chris!

welcome Chris ... remember ... feel free to ask questions and express opinions ... and yes I agree the modern 4003 bass has a better sound than the old 4001 basses ...

Hey Jeff, You wouldn't believe what people in music shops told me about ricks' sound and quality, and some of these guys have been around awhile. When I picked up that 77' it was the first rick I ever played. I bid on my 4003 on my friends ebay account and lost, but he called me late St Paddy's day in the middle of a gig and left a message that the winner never contacted the seller, and he would sell me the bass for my high bid. I figured that was a sign, being in the middle of a gig, and on a whim, I called my friend back and I haven't any regrets. Found the sound after 5 years of searching!

I like the new Ric basses ... I have 2 2001 4003 basses ... I love them both ... the modern rics are fatter sounding than a jazz bass ...

Nice! I don't know why I want another one too....?

I see your pickup covers have fallen off yours also!