Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Are there any physicists (or psychiatrists) here who could explain to me WHY:

My 4003 (ummmmmm, FireGLo!) feels a lot LIGHTER than my
4004L Laredo (ummmmm MapleGlo!)

The specs say different; the Laredo is I understand, a pared-down model- no p/g minimalist controls, micro-toggle switch, sculpted bod, no binding,
etc. And the 4003 even has the larger machine-heads-
(Ric calls them what, "key winders?" Wassup with that, while you are voraciously answering my query......)

Yet- I will swear on a stack of Bibles that the 4003 is lighter and easier on the shoulder when played.

My imagination?
Must be, if the specs say so....

In my experience, any given model of basses has a pretty wide range of weights. I have no idea about typical 4004s, but I've had some pretty light 4003 and 4001 basses, and some heavier ones. Wood varies.

Specifications
4003
Body Type Solid
No. Frets 20
Scale Length 84.5 cm (33 1/4'')
Neck Width at Nut 42.9 mm (1 11/16'')
Neck Width at 12th Fret 54.0 mm (2 1/8'')
Crown Radius 25.4 cm (10'')
Body Wood Maple
Neck Wood Maple
Fingerboard Wood Rosewood
Weight 4.1 kg (9.0 lbs.)
Overall Length 113.8 cm (44 13/16'')
Overall Width 34.3 cm (13 1/2'')
Overall Depth 31.8 mm (1 1/4'')


Specifications
4004L
Body Type Solid
No. Frets 20
Scale Length 84.5 cm (33 1/4'')
Neck Width at Nut 42.9 mm (1 11/16'')
Neck Width at 12th Fret 54.0 mm (2 1/8'')
Crown Radius 25.4 cm (10'')
Body Wood Hardwood
Neck Wood Maple
Fingerboard Wood Bubinga
Weight 3.6 kg (8.0 lbs.)
Overall Length 113.8 cm (44 13/16'')
Overall Width 34.3 cm (13 1/2'')
Overall Depth 31.8 mm (1 1/4'')
Neck Binding No
Fret Marker Style Dot
Tailpiece Combi
Bridge Combi
Neck Type Through body
No. of Pickups 2
Type of Pickups Humbucking
Output Type Mono
Machine Heads Schaller M4

I hear you, I ordered "another" make of bass, and requested "light swamp ash" supposedly the build team looked at the body blanks...

Funny tho in that the 4004 was designed to be lighter.
Might be my mind playing tricks too.

it definitely varies---my '74 4000 weighs about 7.5 lbs,the '04 cii is 7 lbs,and the '93 v63 is slightly more than 9 lbs. (all of this using the highly scientific "holding the bass on the bathroom scales" method....) i have had the 4000 for about 8 years now,and it has spoiled me with it's thin neck and light weight....and the cii,even with the phatter neck is just like playin' with buttah....

I suspect the specification weight is an average weight based on several examples. Wood, being a natural material can vary greatly in density, so, an individual instrument can vary from the specified weight bay some amount.

Have you actually tried weighing your basses?

Strange that earlier it was presented as historical that the 4004 was made so that Paul McCartney would use a Ric instead of his Hofner, and the general spec provided by Rickenbacker of the Laredo at least is that it is a "lite" version of the 4003-ergonomically at least.

I haven't done the scientific bathroom scale, which is really SOP (can't use a fish scale) and maybe the Laredo is in fact lighter...
But I am swearin' the 4003 feels like a feather.
Now someone posted about forgoing their awaited for FG 4003 because ... the neck was too thick-

Whoa- I can see how a player, if not into say feeling the radius, and being comfortable with it, would find a difference that is uncomfortable between Models 4003 and 4004.

I like 'em both- The Laredo has a different set-up, beefier and requires a great touch at least for me- When I nail the string with the "sweet spot" of my fingertips..

OHHHHHHHH! YES! YES right there! OHHHHHH don't stop! Oh YES! OH Yes!

Kinda like that.

AHem... now then- on the 4003, so flippin' fast and easy, I fell like apologizing when last night e.g. Ron on drums
(he's a BAD mutha!) is grooving with me and says "LJ, Yeh Man!"

(pokka-pokka- BA bumpa-bump- pokka-pokka bumP!) that's his groove, btw.
In Louisiana, they kept telling me:
"Count it "a-one-EE- and- a two- EE and a- one- EE and A- too- EE"
Man they gave me lots of "Stuff" there being a Yankee! Jeesh.
Anyway-

I want to say, "Sorry Man, it's the Ric- this neck- it's MAKING me do this! I wnated a simple fill really, but I hadda add a flat 9th there, it was just...so...EASY.

Big Easy- Incidentally, the Beignets at a place called the "Coffee Cup" in Baton Rouge..


OHHH, OHHH YES Right there...DOn't stop...OH Yeeeees! AHhhhhhhhh---------

They're good.

I've gotta take a shower now. I was going to anyway.

My 4004LK seems much lighter than my 4001'a so I suppose it all balances out......

No two pieces of wood are the same and they all weigh differently.....nuff said!

I have noticed that there are some VERY nice Rickenbacker basses owned by memebers of this Forum btw....

It's easy, Fireglo is lighter than Woodglo, !

Same strap on both basses? Maybe that makes a difference?

Well, I'm glad you asked!!
Just got the Eagle Dancer yesterday from my bud, Chantal in Australia-
Far more impressive in person-
Think it may be for the 4003-
Pretty hefty, 3/1/2" WIde padding sewn in.SUper-Comfortable.
If you want to blow some $$, have her make you a strap-
Besides being the World's greatest Leather Artist, she owns a Rickenbacker- Well, it's a Guitar, but ya know...

And I'm waiting for the ElDorado- May be for the Laredo-
Got it at Namm, SPENT more than I made there, fer sure!

My Cii is definately lighter than my 4001 (and the body is more comfortable, too). I haven't played my 4003 a whole lot, but I believe the Cii is lighter than that one, too. Could it be a balance issue? A well balanced 9 pounds would feel lighter over time than a slightly off blance 8 lbs, I think. Maybe the combination of your body build and the way you hold the bass contributes to this? (it sounds good, anyway...)

4001C64 10lbs, 4003 9lbs, 4004 8.5lbs, nothing light about them.

It MIGHT be that the JOY of having opened ...
THE BOX
and seeing my 2nd RIc, FG 4003
that the euphoria produces a sense of weightlessness-

I should weigh them, that would settle it-
It might be that the neck profile of the Laredo gives it a sense of greater "mass" than that of the 4003 which if any slimmer,
could be used as a toothpick.

SLim!