Did they really make a short scale 4003?

[Rick W]

Hi guys,
I've been looking for lefty Ric. I posted in the "Wanted" section and Aceonbass was kind enough to point this one out... http://cgi.ebay.com/Rickenbacker-bass-4 ... dZViewItem I emailed the guy about the scale length but haven't received a reply yet. This one sure looks short scale if you look at the placement of the bridge and bridge pickup. 21 frets too. I have shoulder problems caused by some chemo I had to do a few years back and short scales are a lot easier on my right shoulder. I did alot of searching and found some vague references the Rickenbacker "supposedly" making some...Any ideas?
Thanks,
Rick

[bassduke49]

It sure looks like, doesn't it? It's gone, so hope you were the winning bidder. There was some mention of a short-scale 4001 being made in the Smith book, but if any were made, they were for special orders. Certainly never mentioned in catalogs (except for the short-scale 3000), so there can't be many.

[JakeK]

I found the winner:

http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum_view_ ... rt%20scale!

Congrats, Rick.

[Rick W]

Thanks! Yep, I hit the buy it now button...Thanks for any input!

[aceonbass]

Paul, remember a year or two ago when there was a right handed version of this bass on Ebay? It was discussed here a bit too. Definitely worth the price to a lefty with smaller hands.

[Rick W]

Hi,
Thanks for the input. Does anyone here think it's fake? I posted about it on another forum and someone said it was a made over, regular 4003.. Anyone see anything that makes them suspicious? I haven't paid yet..
Thanks again,
Rick

[wints]

Now, does it sound like a Gibson....

[rickfan60]

It is possible that it is reworked. That would have been a lot of work to make that happen. John Hall could tell you if it is real. Based on the photo evidence I vote yes, it is real.

[Rick W]

Thanks Ted...I've been kinda freaking out about it since I read that post....

[dog]

I agree with Ted. To change a standard 4003 into a short scale would be extremely difficult. While I have never heard of a short scale, it does look authentic.

[johnallg]

Looks real to me too. Remember, as to reworking a 4003 regular bass - this one is 21 frets, and the fretboard looks like the bubinga the factory uses. With the bridge moved up that far, we are talking different routs for the tailpiece, and that couldn't happen either without showing. Not sure the neck will be shorter though, as it looks like the scale was shortened by moving the tailpiece and adjusting the frets when it was made. This one is no doubt really rare - probably a one-off. Congrats!

[Rick W]

Thanks for the input guys. Here's another weird thing. I heard back from the guys and he says the scale is 33 inches?? If you closely at the pics, the bridge pickup is moved forward of where a standard one is as well as the bridge being moved up??? Maybe they moved the bridge up to compensate for the extra fret??? I don't get it? Thanks again!
Rick

[rickfan60]

The standard Rickenbacker bass scale is 33 1/4". Short scale is usually 30".

[aceonbass]

Jusding by how far the bridge is moved up, it's probably around 31 1/2". If it were a 30" scale, it would have 24 frets on that fingerboard.

[DanJ]

This piques my curiosity because I like short scale basses. Can anyone here address the following:

When were these made, how many and in what finishes?

It's hard to tell from some of the pictures posted in this thread - were the body and headstock proportionately scaled down in size, or did they simply fit a shorter scale neck onto a full size body/headstock?

I might be interested in one of these, if anyone out there has one...

P.S. IMO a 32" medium scale Rick would be awesome, provided the whole instrument was scaled down proportionately (With the possible exception of the bridge, pickups and tuners, which of course would be difficult or impossible to size down cost effectively - although smaller sized tuners are available, and the bridge from the Laredo/Cheyenne series might work as an alternative bridge.). Make the body and neck unbound and with dot markers, and I'm first in line for one.