Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

There are some interesting quotes on the RIC General Forum from Ben and John Hall regarding whether the factory makes more 4003 basses than 330 guitars (the most ordered guitar). Check this thread:

http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum_view_thread.asp?thread_id=6310&forum=General_Forum&thread_name=Top%20RIC%20seller

Basically, the 4003 bass is the most made model, with the 330 a "distant second" (says Ben), with the 360 in third place. John pipes in that two years ago, the 330 was tops, 4003 second.

Well, we always knew we trod the righteous path!

That's very interesting. Also looking at online stores such as musician's friend, the 4003 is usually one of the top selling bass, if not the top selling bass. Funny, I don't really see them out in the real world too often. Perhaps because the market is flooded with fenders.

I see lots of 4003's around. It seems skewed with all the deals Fender and Gibson do with signed artists, requiring them to use those brands. Movies and TV too. Just my speculation.

John also has stated that there are times when they make more basses and times when they make more guitars ...

I have also heard they used to make more instruments in the old days ... I don't know if that is myth or fact ...

also they have been switching to more and more cnc production ... so that eventually a cnc machine will cut the basic wood shape for all of the electric instruments ...

I was under the impression that RIC's CNC machines already rough cut all the body and neck blanks.

Myth buster: by lunch time these days we'll typically beat the full day production numbers of the very best of the "old days".

Indeed, all bodies and necks are prodcued by CNC and have been for a quite awhile now.

That's why the old ones are the rare ones...

CNC necks:

Please build mine

My 4003 JG order has been in at Wade's for a very long time.

I read on other posts previously that the 4004 necks were still hand made. Is that true? Or is that a misinterpretation of what may have been said previously? I'm just hoping to see more 4004 production (for purely unselfish reasons, of course )

Machines rock!

Are the necks still shaped by hand after the machine routes out the blank (like the picture above)? Just curious. Procedural things like this fascinate me.
I think CNC machines are amazing, frankly.

From what I've heard, shaping and sanding of the necks is still done by hand.

The CNC just does the basic shape, I believe.

The CNC's deliver a part ready for sanding. We no longer even own a shaper.

Wow! Interesting. I guess that certainly makes for consistent neck shapes. Now we just need that nice '60s neck shape!