Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I love all of my Rics very much; the 4003FL is my favorite, and the 4001FL is a breeze to play, and the tone on both of those basses is exactly what I've been gunning for for each of them. The 2007 4003 was my first and is still going strong. However, my 2010 4003 just seems to exude this aura of uber quality... I don't know what it is but it's just comfy, great-sounding, rock solid, and never a hassle like instruments can be sometimes. Has anyone else noticed this? I mean, I know 4003s have been improving these last few years but does anyone else think the 2010s are bordering on perfection? I'm just so happy with mine. It's not going to replace any of the others but in some ways it does kind of feel like the golden child. I know my 2007 is getting jealous. The FLs at least don't have to directly compete with it...

Love the '10s too.

BTW - Your thread title is going to give some members a heart attack. Your grammatically correct 4003s is going to read as a 4003s.

Huh. I thought he meant he had 2010 of them...


I have to say, I think my 2010 4003 is fantastic, with a lot of the characteristics you mention. But I'm not sure if it's really a typical example of the breed...

4003S, WHERE????!!!

s4001 wrote:4003S, WHERE????!!!

Look what you did to Scott, Joshua!

I too love my 2010. Not sure if you're running flats on it but with the stock Rick roundwound strings (not the ones that came on it but the packaged Rick strings) I've found the tone to be a lot more aggressive than my '78 with same or similar amp settings and when the cap is engaged on the 2010. I surmise this is due to the hotter high gain in the bridge. But even the 7.4k toaster that I had put in the neck of the 2010 is aggressive sounding (i.e., growly) - moreso even than the neck high gain in my '78. I have no idea why - I expected the toaster to be a lot more mellower than the '78 high gain. Maybe it's the wood? I've had to roll the tone knob off a bit just to mellow it out. The sound of this thing can chew through steel when I want it to, though, which I find quite awesome.

These 2010s have combined so many outstanding features (push/pull pot, adjustable poles, two-piece neck, UV finsh, etc., etc.) it's like it's fully evolved. I'm quite pleased to have it in my arsenal. And yes, my '78 and C64 are being neglected while I break her in. If I had to choose one I probably couldn't - each of them have their own distinctive qualities. But the 2010 right now is definitely my go-to bass at home and for gigs. I'm dialing in new tones every time I pick her up.

Well I love my 2010 but then again it is my only Ric so what do I know?

Billsbro wrote:Well I love my 2010 but then again it is my only Ric so what do I know?

You know a fine example of the best bass guitars on the planet!

rickenbrother wrote:

Billsbro wrote:Well I love my 2010 but then again it is my only Ric so what do I know?

You know a fine example of the best bass guitars on the planet!

Thanks! I do know that my Warwick and my custom Carvin are sitting lately!
And I had wanted a Ric since 1976!! A dream come true!! Some things are worth waiting for!

Joshua, thats a nice one for sure.

You should post a pic of all your basses together - I don't recall ever seeing the whole family.
Also, how does the toaster sound in the bridge position?

It's getting better all the time.

superdick2112 wrote:Joshua, thats a nice one for sure.

You should post a pic of all your basses together - I don't recall ever seeing the whole family.
Also, how does the toaster sound in the bridge position?

The avatar bass is my heavily modified 4001FL, which I picked up as a "beater" or player's bass and turned into something more to my liking. I will never get rid of it either, as one thing is absolutely perfect about it--the neck and fingerboard. Heaven. (It has three Toasters by the way, and I like how all of them sound. Clips some day.)

My 2010 4003 has HB-1s in both positions and I like that a lot too, although it takes a little more finesse to get a good sound out of the neck pickup than if it were a Toaster or Hi-Gain. Well, I take that back--essentially the problem is I often like to "jam" at home plugged into my laptop, and the high impedance pickups don't like that. But through a decent amp they sound awesome.

aceonbass wrote:I think the two piece neck is a big part of it.

Big +1! This bass doesn't need adjustments as often as my other two 4003s. My 4001FL, however, is the king of neck stability.

cassius987 wrote:.... My 4001FL, however, is the king of neck stability.

Old style rods. Unless you abuse the neck with heavy pull strings, the old rods work fantastic. My 4001 never needs touching. My 4003s do. Michigan temp/humidity swings dictate twice a year adjusting.

tmossman wrote:Love the '10s too.

BTW - Your thread title is going to give some members a heart attack. Your grammatically correct 4003s is going to read as a 4003s.

I hate to contradict you, Todd, buddy, but I looked it up once and I seem to recall one of the rare instances where an apostrophe is used for the plural is with numbers, so I guess 4003s would be a bass without binding, and 4003's would denote more than one bass with binding. Sorry. I didn't want to post this, but felt compelled to.

I hate myself sometimes, and the dirt won't come off.

Carry on!!!