Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm not sure how to say this in a way that will make sense, but the "fatness" on the E and A strings sometimes just... goes away. Makes no difference which pickup I'm using (bridge, neck or both). I still get the notes (the upper harmonics), but the fundamental of each note disappears. No pattern of disappearance that I can discern; some days it happens, some days it doesn't.

Is this a known problem? Will a little solder fix this?

Are you certain that it's not your amp?

bad strings? bad cord? bad amp? bad speaker? bad jack on the bass?

I have a bass amp with some intermittent electrical problems ... the problem comes and goes ...

Problem happens on different amps.

When this is happening, I can still get the fundamental of each note on the D and G strings. Could this be a faulty pickup?

I've been playing for 30 years; this is my first Rick, and the first bass to exhibit this sort of behavior. I love to play this bass, but the loss of low-end fundamentals just isn't cutting it. My Fender is fat as a hog on the low end.

I'll re-solder the connections inside and see what happens and if that fixes it I'll be happy, but why would I get fundamentals from one pair of strings and not the other?

Is your 4003 new enough to have the push/pull circuitry for the extra tone cap? With the cap in circuit low end will be cut.

Stating the obvious but check the pickup height on the E string side (both pups) - is it a new bass? If not how old

Bob

This is a puzzler, isn't it?

This bass is about a 2000 model (I've checked the serial number, but now I've forgotten the year). There is no push/pull switch.

As far as pickup height, I've not messed with it, but that would be a constant, whereas this situation comes and goes.

I would also look at the pickup switch - you could be loosing connection on the neck pickup side.

For what it's worth, since I've eliminated the bridge height adjustment screws from my 4001/4003 basses and put dimes or similarly sized washers under the bridge instead, my sustain has noticeably improved and been more consistent. You can determine the number of dimes or washers between the bridge & tailpiece cavity by how high you like your action.