My 4003 arrived

[ghs_boomer]

My 4003 arrived. It was made in September and already has some tail lift.

[phlemmy]

tail lift already? wow

[bob_the_bass]

It probably isn't tail lift (brand new bass!) - my brand new 4003FL BBR looked to have tail lift, but having taken accurate measurements it is definitely body slope - nothing to worry about!

[jim_morris]

It is a well-known but seldom admitted fact that stock Ric bridges are the worst bridges in the history of bass guitars. Tail lift is just one in a myriad of potential malfunctions you may have to deal with in the future. If you're interested in actually playing the 4003 (as opposed to just using it as a collector's piece) it would probably be worth your while to replace the bridge/tailpiece entirely. I have taken some flack for saying that on this forum in the past, but it's true. The stock bridge is nothing but trouble and it should have been redesigned decades ago. I use an original Badass Bridge on mine (the third bridge I've had on my 4003), which some would consider blasphemous. Blasphemy or not, I have had absolutely zero problems with it since installing it.

[bob_the_bass]

Well Jim, I have three 4003 basses, & have never had ANY problems with the bridges on any of them, & they get played (a lot!).

Bob

[cheyenne]

Nice looking Jetglo. I like the dog too.

Hipshot makes a nice bridge. I had one on my '97 white for a while ( experimenting you know ) ,,,, but took it off do to originality issues.

I think their a great replacement though.....

[ghs_boomer]

I know that the bridge on this 4003 is 100% better than my 98 4003 i sold to Jeffery a few months ago.
The intonation screws weren't flush with the bridge and i couldn't lower it without removing the screws.

On my new 4003, everything looks perfect and i can lower the bridge as low as i want.

In one of the photo's you can see a smudge just above the pick cover, it wont come off with the Ric polishing cloth,
Is there anything else i can use to clean it up?

[johnallg]

Nice bass, Mike! Your doggie looks a little put out, like he's being replaced!

Search these forums for ScratchX and Zymol and you will have all the info you need to care for your JetGlo.

[rickenbrother]

I love that Jetglo. The dog looks like he's thinking if it's his!
Don't worry about the tail lift.

[jps]

The only tail lift I see is that on your dog!

[simer4001]

All my 4001/4003 have developed a tail lift. I have never had to worry about any of them.

[simer4001]

God! Here we go again. Off to another thread.

[rictified]

Anyone here ever take boolean algebra? That's what that tailpiece looks like. I've said it before and will say it again, tailpiece lift belongs in the others under: Killed, then dragged by a truck, then run over by the same truck, then shot, then poisoned, shot again and buried 100 ft and completely stomped and beat to death 2 years ago! thread.

[j_gary]

Aw what the heck, I'll throw my hat in.

Hmmm...............I've been dragging around 4001/4003's since the Kennedy administration and never noticed tail lift until visiting this forum. I started poking around the old battle axe collection, some do & some don't.

Just my humble opinion, I cannot detect any difference in tone or playability between the dem's and the don'ts. I can understand how some may not like the appearance, but is this primarily cosmetic or have any of these actually failed?

Bowing to personal preferences, every time I have altered a Rick bass, refinish, bridge, nut, pick ups, it eventually gets the broom. There are a few things I clinch about on the 4001/4003, (pup noise & cover, bridge, tailpiece), but it seems it's these very structural anomalies that help create "the sound".

Would a 1964 small block Ford Cobra be a better car with fuel injection, power windows and A/C? Perhaps, but I wouldn't do it. Well if I was Jay Leno I might.

Oh, ghs, love JG Ricks, very nice!

[rictified]

[quote="j_gary"]Aw what the heck, I'll throw my hat in.

Hmmm...............I've been dragging around 4001/4003's since the Kennedy administration and never noticed tail lift until visiting this forum. I started poking around the old battle axe collection, some do & some don't.

Just my humble opinion, I cannot detect any difference in tone or playability between the dem's and the don'ts. I can understand how some may not like the appearance, but is this primarily cosmetic or have any of these actually failed?

quote]

Well for me it was the Carter adminisration but with everything else I agree. I've owned at least 25, probably more Rics since 1977 and have never had a problem with tail lift, in fact I never noticed it either until reading maybe the 3,000,000th thread on the subject here. I'm not saying none of them have lifted just that it's been a small degree and it has never bothered me or have I noticed a change in tone or sustain, but then again I don't like 3 minute notes on a bass (or anything else for that matter).
I have read about a couple failing over the years, Owen had one and someone else had one bend in half, those are the only real problems I remember, of course then there was the famous exploding R tailpiece , that was good for about 500 threads too.