83 4003 questions

[Prowl]

Hey guys I've had my bass for many many years and it also hasn't been set up in many many years, and I'm looking to make some adjustments. My intonation is off and I think the neck has a bit of a bow to it. I know the newer 4003 basses are meant to have very straight necks, is this the case with old ones? I've never adjusted truss rods ever and I've read the bass anatomy threads as well. Thing is I believe that my tension rods adjust under the pickguard rather than the name plate, as the pick guard is two pieces. I'm really not sure what to do here. I use mostly rotosound flatwound strings but I'm looking to switch to Tomastik as well due to their low tension. Can anyone here point me in the right direction?

[rickenbrother]

Welcome to the forum, Miles. The 4001 neck should be as straight as possible. You are correct in thinking that the truss rods adjust at the body side of the neck.
If you really plan on changing to TI strings soon, wait until after you install them to do your setup.

[Prowl]

Hi and thanks for the welcome. I thought that that may be the case with my bass. I was thinking of just taking it somewhere to have it looked at, but I really don't trust local shops. I've had this bass for a long time and if anything should happen to it I'd be heart broken. Know what I mean?

[jps]

Welcome, Miles!

Where are you located? There may be a forum member who can help you out.

[Prowl]

Thanks Jeff. I'm just outside of Tampa, Florida

[windchimp]

Hmmmm....sounds like a micro-confluence is in order...

[jps]

Thanks Jeff. I'm just outside of Tampa, Florida

There are a few qualified nutscases forumites that can certainly help you!

[wints]

Welcome Miles,

Myself and JDog are close to you. He's in Tampa and I'm in St Pete. We'll have to meet up and try to help you. Losing those Roto's and fitting TI's will certainly take tension off the neck, and as Joey says, then you can make adjustments.

[jdogric12]

Yep, what they said. Welcome! Mini-con time!!!

[Prowl]

Hey thanks guys. We'll definitely have to meet up soon. I've a crazy work schedule though and I'm lucky I even get days off, but we'll have to figure something out. I'm still sort of new to the Tampa area. Where is there a good place to check out music? I hear Ybor City and Clearwater are the places to be. Then again I hear Ybor City isn't the safest of places either.

I like the Rotosound strings and I've used them for years but after reading a bit about how high their tension is, and after speaking with someone at Ric about it, I was pointed in the way of TI. I never knew they even made bass strings. My dad uses TI's on his acoustic so I guess I shouldn't have been all that surprised.

I've also been thinking about doing some updates to this bass as well. I've already changed out the Grover tuners (because they were constantly slipping and not keeping tune). I was thinking of changing out the two piece pickguard for a single piece like on the later 80's basses, as well as to a tailpiece that doesn't have the two bolts in the bottom. I do sort of like the look for the 60's 4001 with the full length triangle inlays, checker binding, toaster pickup closer to the neck and all that, but most of all I like the vintage bridge as seen on the V63 and C64s. I've heard horror stories though of the bridges lifting. Is this true?

[Prowl]

anyone?

[jps]

Miles, I would not change out the pickguard for a one piece as that would make it far more difficult to do truss rod adjustments. I have changed the tuners on a coupe of my Ricks so I have no problem with that. With heavy strings the tail can lift, but some have come up with a diagnosis and solution in that the route area for the three bolt under the bridge is acting as a fulcrum, and they either add washers or wood to make the bottom of the tailpiece snug up to them. YMMV.

[Prowl]

I had a 4003s that also had a split pickguard and I did away with it for a V63 pickgaurd. That bass got the whole vintage package, but that was really only because I found all sorts of weird things not right with it. For instance the finish on the fingerboard was completely stripped, and the fret wire was replaced by jumbo frets. So the bass wasn't all the significant to me. Not like my main bass. I want to swap out the pickguard primarily because the two piece never really looked right in my opinion. As far as the tailpiece goes, would the Rotosound flats that I use be considered too heavy a gauge to merit a tailpiece swap? Lastly as for my pickup situation, does anyone here have or know of any videos or audio comparison of the 80s pick ups versus the new hi-gains? Just curious.

[jps]

That bass got the whole vintage package...

I have a white version of this PG on it now, but how is this for the "vintage" package?

[rickaddict]

Sorry to add my $.02 here Miles, but...

I'd leave that 7 screw tail. They have proven themselves to be MUCH more reliable. Volumes have been written here on this forum complaining about tail lift, how to fix it, how to prevent it, and all that was needed all along were those two little screws. If yours are rusty and ugly, I'd say go to your local hardware store and get stainless steel replacements.

And about the jumbo frets on your 4003S...What year was it? I have two 1987 4003S's and a 1988 4003 that all were born with jumbo frets: http://rickresource.com/register/user_i ... llsize.jpg

I love my 80's 4003's. IMO, they're the best sounding, best playing, and most reliable of the 25 or so Rick basses I've owned from a '71 4001 to a 2007 4003. They're nothing to be ashamed of.

And there is NO WAY I'd ever replace the pickups on one of mine with new ones.