Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello all,

I am using a 4003 ( 2006 ) I bought new a few months back. A very fine bass except...for the neck !! It's a thick one and I'm having a hard time...( I have normal size hands )

I know some 4001 were made with thin necks. I'd like to know which years have those thin necks ?? A friend suggested 75 to 83...Is he right ?? I'm asking because I may have a call on a 1975 4001....Also, were there any 4003 made with a thin neck or they are all the same as the one I have ??

I hope you guys can help me so I can have a better idea on this issue and start to look for a ``thinner one`` as it's sometimes a pain to play with my 4003...

Thanks for the help

Marc

Marc, That issue has been addressed many times here . It is hard to say in my opinion .i have had many ricks lots of different years and they were all different . I have had a couple of 86's that were thin a 99 , an 81 . I think it just happened to be whoever was shaving necks on that particular day . There are some forum members who have 60's ricks that are consistently thin . Since i've never owned one i could'nt tell . The new ones starting in june are sporting a thinner neck profile . Alot compared to last years.They have a flatter feel to them and are alot easier play.There are still some new ones being shipped with last years profile. i have a new one with the thin neck profile and it has been a dream come true to me . Its the nicest 4003 i have ever owned . In fact , I ordered another one a week later . So sell the ball bat and call Mike Parks at the rickenbacker page He'll set you right up.

I have played both a 73 and a 74 4001 and both are thin and flat necks. I understand from a friend that his 76 also sports a thin flat neck as well. I just sold my brand new 2005 4003 because of the same reasons. However you can make that 4003 much easier to play if you file that high nut down some and lower the action accordingly.

I still have to make the data available but the difference between a thin and thick neck turns out to be around only 1/32". The shape seems to be more of a factor than the actual thickness too. Necks will vary as they are hand sanded. For sure the thinnest necks you will find on any Rick bass will be from the 60's.

yep the thin neck years were the 60s ... and 70-72 ... the problem is the necks were so thin they sometimes had structural failure ...

Allgedly, of course...

If the number of surviving examples is any indication, there was plenty of that back then. The old one are pretty fragile.

My '71 (stolen summer 05 - RIP) had a super thin neck, no structural problems. I loved it. Just got a one-owner 73 JG, very similar!

Hey Matt, I forgot to ask you if you're running the cap on that 73 or did you bypass it. I'm currently playing two 73's bypassed and one with the cap.(The dark burgundy in the middle)

I've always thought that my '87 4003 has a thin neck, and when I got it (from Charly G) I heard that the years around '87 had thinner necks. It plays great for me but I do have XL hands (would have loved to get the chance to compare them to Squire's!).

I can't wait to compare to my new 75th 4003!

the 60s thin necks had an upside ... they resonate better ... and of course they feel good in your left hand ...

Greg, I too thought I had pretty big hands. My right is 8 3/8" from the joint line where it meets the arm to the tip of my middle finger. Chris's was about 9", guessing from the brief time we compared.

My 77 SnotGLo 4001 has a great thin neck. The '85-'05 BronzeGlo Abomination has a neck more like a baseball bat, but still playable.

I have small hands and the "chunky" neck on my Laredo actually feels good...

My 75 has a fairly thin feel to it. I like them all!

8 3/8" here too John. That Chris is a monster!