Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

(You guys are most likely baised.)

I'm getting a job pretty soon, and all the money I'm gonna get is going toward a new bass. My 4001? I just don't trust it. I'm never gonna sell it (My fist Rick, how could I?) but I want something to take over as a work horse. I still want to stick to a back bass/white guard scheme though.

I have a thing against Fenders.. just a comformity factor to it.. but the Geddy Lee bass looks like it could be ok.

BUT I'd like to stick to a Rick. My style has been adapted to playing the Rick. I just want a more comfy shape. (The binding gets on my nerves from time to time.) A 4003s would fit that perfectly. I could use my strings (rounds) without having to worry about warping the neck. My 4001 scares me.

Now the jazz bass would prolly be a backup bass. I like the Rick more. And if I get an "S"? Well the "S" would be the main bass.

I want the Fender because I've never owned one.. and if it sucks? Well it'll be some nice wall art. But it would also be a big waste of money.

I know the 4003s will not suck, but the rarity of them is my problem. Sure they're not all that rare, but finding one on E bay is my problem. I saw a Jetglo 4003s on the bay recently, but I don't have any money atm.

I see the J basses on E bay all the time.

So.. when I do get my money.. should I go fer what I see or stick it out (Rush pun not intended) and wait for an "S"?

I do have a custom bass OTW... as some probably know. But that bass is still #17 in the queue. I have a long wait ahead of me still.

the geddy and the 75 reissue (same necks) play like a dream and the geddy has sweet sustain with the badassII on it. but the tone? *puke* i hated it. loathed it. detested it. i could never tweak my rig enough to get it to sound like i liked it. the 75 reissue was the same way. PERFECT necks on 'em. i suggest taking your rig to your store and test it out. my store lets me do that on anything i am interested in.

i no longer own either fender...or any fenders now.

Every Geddy bass I have played (Fender) has a bad set-up, bad neck, fretting out on certain notes, dead spots, I tried maybe 5 or 6 of em before just saying "Screw this!". I had a sweet Jazz I had to sell, but this one, did nothing for me.

The GL Jazzes I've played feel more "shaved" and thin than my own '75RI. They look the same, but I think the profile is much different.

-a

The profile is different between the Gl and '75 RI. I've owned both and the GL has a much thinner neck profile. Sonically, I think the '75 has a fuller sound than the Geddy Lee. I eventually wound up selling both since I use my 4003 so much and I still have a '62 RI J-Bass.

they both felt the same to me but i didn't own both at the same time to compare. either way, i didn't care for the tone at all. i had to work with my 4003 to get it where i wanted it and now i have it perfectly clanky.

I love the look of the Geddy Lee jazz bass ... but every single one that I played was substandard ... they are better than a Squire but not better than a mim and no where near an American made Jazz ...

A 4003 is a great gigging bass ... if you want a jazz bass get an American jazz ... all of the Fender re-issue basses make good wall art but they are not player basses ...

Nate - what is it about your 4001 that you don't trust as your main gigging bass?

Just dig in & get a 4003 !!

Steve: I use rounds on my 4001 and I don't trust the neck. It looks like it's bowing... not to mention kinda beat up. Ramdom nicks scratches here in there. Bad belt buckle rash on the back (not from me). The tailpiece is lifting and scratching the finish out of the front. Mostly cosmetic reasons.. but the main reasons are the neck and the tailpeice. The binding kinda bothers me too. But I deal with it.

There's always the thought in the back of my mind.. will this set of strings break the bass? The worrying about the flats and rounds thing, I just hate it. I wanna use rounds and not have to worry about the thing not being able to handle them. That's why I'm sure the 4003s will be worth it.

Rath: I'm not spending $1000 on a Fender. How're those Warmoth basses you build?

Musician's Friend is selling new 4003's at a very good price, particularly if you're in the US. They have a Midnight Blue in stock & a JetGlo due on Dec.18. Check the price! Also they're now an authorized dealer.

That would help.. but I'm looking fer a 4003s.. you know.. without the binding?

The Fender style basses that I build are the following:

bodies - mighty mite, Fender mim, or noname ebay
necks - mighty mite or allparts
bridges - schaller
tuners - import
pickups - Seymour Duncan or others
pickguards - various ebay
pots - Carvin, Stewmac, or others
and various other parts from various sources or what ever is in my workshop.

I can usually build a reasonably good p-bass or jazz bass with my cost being $350 to $500 ... But if you use Warmoth parts that gets you into a higher price range ... but it is also better quality ...

If I were to get one built I get one done like Steve Harris' P bass. The Lake Placid Blue body would be my only prob.. heh. Steve's P has a maple fretboard, duncan pups and a badass 2.

Or I could go all out and do that all black J bass I've been thinking about.. hehe. ALL black hardware, black guard, graphite neck, back body maybe even black strings... Kinda like this fretless I saw on the bay.



But back to my question.. since the Geddy basses are ****.. the "S" is my best bet.. or should I stick to a normal 4003? I like the dotted fretboard and the lack of binding on an "S" a little more than on a normal 4003.

Oh yeah! Steve's bass has a wine red mirror pickguard too.