Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'd really appreciate it if anyone can help me. A couple of years ago I bought myself a jetglo ricky, which I absolutely love! The thing is, all the specs (neck profile, nut width etc) match those given for a 4001, but the serial number suggests it was made in 1995! I heard that the 4001s were not made after about 1981! Any ideas?

yup - its a model 4003S

Looks like a 4003S to me, and if the two "upper" digits are a letter and a number, and the number is 8, it's definitely a 1995.

Welcome aboard, Tim.

Your baby looks like a 4003S to me.

Quotes from Mr. David Axt's "4000 Models" article:
*********************************

-------------4001S-----------
The designation "S" stands for "Special"
This bass is a simplified "no frills" model of the 4001. This bass is also known as export model "1999" sold in Europe by the Rose, Morris & Company.
Features: Horse shoe bridge pickup, toaster neck pickup, separate volume and tone controls, mono output, unbound body, 9 dot inlays, unbound Padouk fingerboard, clear plastic finger rest, truss rods adjust at head.
1964 - Introduced
1967 - Bridge with understring mute was added (1967?) - Bridge with under string mutes was added 1969(1967?) - Discontinued being sold by Rose Morris
1980 - Reintroduced as standard US model with center stripe walnut laminate, high gain neck pickup, high gain bridge pickup and cover, no finger rest.
1986(1984?)(1985?) - Discontinued (replaced by 4003S model


----------4003S-----------
This model replaced the 4001S.
Features: No body binding, mono output, 9 dot inlays, unbound Padouk fingerboard, truss rod adjustment at body, two-piece pickguard. (Refer to 4003 for specifications and changes.)
1980 - Introduced
1995 - Discontinued in November

Hey Tim, welcome! How is the neck? It would seem that the late 80's and 90's had various width necks. Some are thin like a 4001 and some are a little beefier. A very nice 4003S you have there, I love Jetglo!

Hi everyone! Thanks for your help and warm welcome. In response, Dano, the neck is 42mm wide at the nut, 52mm at the 12th fret, and is 21mm deep(front to back). The serial no is J5 4997. I see from Paul Yan's posting that a 4003s has the truss rod adjustment at the body, which mine hasn't. Thanks again.

Hmmm, "J5" means October 1992, Tim.

If memory serves me, like most 4001/4003 basses made during '80-'84, a 4003S has the truss rod adjustament at the body.
It's been changed back to be adjusted at the headstock and one-piece pickguard after 1984/85. I humbly think David Axt forgot to add that.

Anyone please correct me if I'm wrong.

You're right, Paul.

Tim, the "first edition" 4003 and 4003S models had the split guard and adjustment at the body end, but they were changed after 1984. Yours is a 1992.

Don't be concerned about the neck dimensions, they have varied slightly over the years.

Paul the 4001's that were made in those years still had the adjustments at the headstock, (early 80's)