Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've never been fond of removing the handrest on the 4001/4003 Bass. Why? 1)It creates two discrete playing areas and provides, together with the tailpiece top surface, a very useful rest for my hand when I play with a pick in either of said areas, 2) it protects the pickup from knocks and from sweat and 3) it adds to the looks of the instrument.
I gather that most Rick players prefer to remove the handrest. I for one prefer to leave it on.

I'm totally with you on this. Mine will never be removed.

I hear you! I always leave them on mine too for the same reasons.

Same here. Not only does it look better with the bridge pickup cover, it's where I rest my hand too.

Yeah, I'd rather keep it on, too. But I'd prefer to swap the hi-gain for a horseshoe, in which I did to my 4001. When I rest my hand on the horseshoes, I know I've got the "real deal", and not a "look-a-like" or "pretend" horseshoe p/u. I would still prefer the look of the cover, if I buy another one, but I just didn't care for the chromed plastic. I think they are made of styrene, right? The same stuff plastic models are made from?

for years I played without one on the 4001 (got it that way, used) ... but added a second Ric, a 4003 that came with one. I left it on for looks mainly I must confess, but I noticed that it forced me to re-think my playing style... because of the cover, I play closer to and sometimes over the neck.. using the neck as a thumbrest. My playing speed/precision increased dramatically. One thing I noticed however that I don't like about the cover is that on the 4001, I can mute the strings by pressing my hand into the bridge and pick with my fingernail... giving a stacatto (sp?) effect occassionally. But on the 4003 it is more difficult to do that because the cover is in the way. As of now.. I'll keep them the way they are though.

I recently restored a 75 4000 that was missing it's cover. And after a refret and refinish and setup I still could not tell if it played well or not. It just did not feel right until I had located a cover for the pickup.
Once fitted the bass felt, sounded and looked right!
I guess I'm just used to it being there.

Gee, am I the only one... I removed the cover from my 4003. I never use a pick ever anymore and to be able to rest my thumb on the pickup is best for me. I make do on the 4001S because the sweet spot is just behind the pickup on that one. The bridge pickups are in different positions.

Gerry I think you are probably in the majority of Rick bass players. I used to remove cover on my Ricks until I started playing my v63 a lot. Then I got used to it, so I put the covers back on all of my Ricks. I can slap, play fingerstyle or with a pick without the cover bothering me. It makes a great palmrest!

I've tried to get used to playing 4001 basses without removing the pickup cover, but after several weeks, I always wind up removing it. If I was mainly a pick style player, I wouldn't remove it, but since I play mainly fingerstyle I find that directly over that pickup is where I place my right hand most of the time

I have always taken the Covers off of Fenders but not Rickenbackers. They just seem to work for me and the bass just does not look right without it to me.

I have 3 Ric basses and all have either the handrest or horseshoe in place. I recently purchased a Fender Hotrod P-Bass and ordered a handrest from Allparts for it. I play with a pick exclusively.
I am a working musician and I average 3 gigs a week.
Nigel

Scott-- I feel exactly as you do about leaving the bridge pick-up cover on. It DOESN'T look right without it, and I've never had any real problems with it being in the way. I'm strictly a finger-style player and always pluck the strings pretty much over the neck pick-up anyway. It makes me cringe to see a Ric bass with the bridge pick-up cover removed. Not meaning to go too over the top on this, but subconsciously it's the equivalent of seeing a facially deformed child in public.

By the way, I also keep the handrest in place on any bass I own that has one.

I totally disagree. I took the handrest off my 4003 and its much more comfortable to play. I am also a fingers-only player and find that most of the time my fingers are landing over the bridge pick-up. I still think any RIC looks great with or without handrest. I guess its just a matter of opinion.

I bought my 4001 used and the prior owner had taken it off and lost it. I got accusomed to playing without it. I actually rest my thumb on (or in as the case may be) the bridge pickup.