Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does anyone know if you can custom order from RIC a new 4003 with HB1's instead of high gains?

If so, I can the have the best of the 4003 with triangle fretmarkers, and the pickguard, and have the HB1's from the 4004's?

I don't think so, but if you ever decide to swap out the hi gains for HB1's. I'll buy the hi gains from you if you have no further use for them.

As far as I know, the HB option is available across the line with a small surcharge per pick-up. I can't remember if it's $75 or $50, but it's pretty reasonable. I haven't seen anything that would exclude the 4003. Hey, you can get one with a "toaster" so I don't see why you couldn't get one with an HB. That said, some say that it isn't the best sounding configuration. I think the consensus here is that you should stick with the hi-gains in order to get the most from the instrument. For what it's worth, I love Ric humbuckers, and I really don't see how you could go wrong, especially with a bass. (They're very full and dark sounding pick-ups.)

you can buy them and install them yourself ... if you do then also swap out the 250k ohm volume pots for 500k ohm volume pots ...

I asked Chris from POTR and he said I couldn't order a 4003 with the HB-1's, so I put a deposit on a 4004L BBR.
If those humbuckers sound like the 4002 I had
hopefully that will ease my craving for another.

A 4003 will sound a little thicker with the hb1 pickup than a 4004 because of the 250k ohm volume pots and the more massive body ... but if you put in a 500k ohm volume pot for each hb1 pickup then it may have enough treble bite ... someday I may do a 4003 4-2-5 with a hb1 in the bridge and a toaster in the neck and maybe a jazz pickup in the mute cavity ...

Jeff- put a Fender SCPB pickup in the mute cavity- I think it should fit

I put Seymour Duncan 1/4 pound neck pickups in without the cover ... I have to trim the bobin a little ...