Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a friend who's about to buy one sight unseen, and I'm not too familiar with the new 4003 neck profile. Like, me, he likes the thinner neck, and is concerned that the newer ones might have a thicker profile than his old '73 4001.

Compared to my 1976, my 2010 has a neck that is just barely bigger. My 1976 has a neck I would describe as "paper thin".

Thanks ! Also, any idea of what the crown radius is and where to measure it ?

It's odd but my '73 4001 is very slim but my '04 4003 is very chunky and I really don't get on with it although heaven knows I've tried. It intersting to hear that the 2010 is quite slim. Did they make different profiles simultaneously in the same year, or did they change them for each batch?

I have an 80 4001 . A friend liked it and bought a new 4003 in 2010 . The neck is almost identical .

He got a really nice bass .

From what I've read, most of the necks described as chunky were '98~08. I wonder what was going on in those years?

In April of 09, the current two piece neck was put intro production on the 4003, and the necks slimmed down. 4004's feature that same two piece neck now as well. (There are a few isolated examples out there featuring two piece necks from earlier years, but they are extremely rare.) Of my three Rics, my 1993 and 2009 necks are both seem very slim, easy to play, fast, and both are about identical.

coolhandjjl wrote:From what I've read, most of the necks described as chunky were '98~08. I wonder what was going on in those years?

Not everyone likes playing bass on a skinny neck.

gareth wrote:Thanks ! Also, any idea of what the crown radius is and where to measure it ?

It's 10'' in the case of my 2007 and 2010 4003s and I usually measure closer to the end of the fingerboard but I believe it's consistent. My 4001FL is around 8-9'' and my 4003FL, because of a fingerboard sanding/refinishing, is more like 12''.

rickenbrother wrote:

coolhandjjl wrote:From what I've read, most of the necks described as chunky were '98~08. I wonder what was going on in those years?

Not everyone likes playing bass on a skinny neck.

It's also good to point out that RIC has gone slowly over time from less consistent to more about features like this, probably by a combination of CNC and just plain deciding to stick with one neck profile for the human end of the work. I think a lot of the chunky necks in the past were made to try to make a stable one-piece neck, but as soon as RIC went to a two-piece method again, the necks went to and remained thin. My 2010 barely needs its truss rods to stay straight. Maybe a three-piece neck would be too much, as much as I like the look of them; my 1976 4001FL can't take light tension strings without backbowing like mad, even if I completely slacken both truss rods.

My January 2009 was one of the last "chunksters", in fact it was a true baseball neck. But it felt comfy and wow, the tone!! Sadly the neck was so thick it had to be replaced. RIC made me a 2010 body and that's the one I referred to above. To be honest I do like it better but I can see where some people like chunky necks.

rickenbrother wrote: Not everyone likes playing bass on a skinny neck.

I agree. My -03 4003 has obviously one of those "chunky" necks. I like it very much, it fits my (relatively small) hands perfectly. My 2010 4003 had much slimmer neck which I didn't like at all. The main reason was that the radius of the back of the neck wasn't even. That made playing very hard for me and fretboard felt somehow wider. Somebody else might prefer slim neck to chunky neck, but for me it wasn't the right one.

I'm with Billy Sheehan on this one: a thick neck shouldn't be a problem for any bass player. If it is, you need to increase your hand strength. Have you ever played an Ibanez Soundgear? The neck is so thin it's like playing a pencil. Completely uncomfortable in my opinion. And just for the record, I don't have Shaquille O'Neal sized hands!

gareth wrote:I have a friend who's about to buy one sight unseen, and I'm not too familiar with the new 4003 neck profile. Like, me, he likes the thinner neck, and is concerned that the newer ones might have a thicker profile than his old '73 4001.

FWIW 2 of the biggest Ric necks I've ever played have been on '73 basses, although I've played some much slimmer ones too (my '73 400 was very slim). They even varied then!

Have to say I like Ibanez SGR necks......horses for courses.

My 2 cents:

my 83 4002 - a little chunky
my old 79 4001 - perfect, not too thin not too thick
my old Shadow - a little too thin
my old 88 4003S - a hair thicker than my old 79
my old 73 4001 - a hair too thin
my old 04 4003 MB - batters up, or, Who's on First?
my old 08 4004Cii - What's on Second?
my old 76 4001 - sold it too quick to remember, wish I had kept it!!!!!!!!!

my 84 4003 two-piece... juuuuust right! now to put the parts on...

(_8^(I)

I've head the Ric Shadow's are about as thin as they got. I think it was Paul Boyer who told me that last year when I stopped by.

My holy grail bass is a pencil thin neck'd 4001 in Mapleglo with the skunk stripe and checkered binding.

jdogric12 wrote:my old 04 4003 MB - batters up, or, Who's on First?

coolhandjjl wrote:I've head the Ric Shadow's are about as thin as they got. I think it was Paul Boyer who told me that last year when I stopped by.

My holy grail bass is a pencil thin neck'd 4001 in Mapleglo with the skunk stripe and checkered binding.

Having played Paul's Shadow last weekend, that is true. I think the only thinner Rick I've seen/played was Jerry Juden's '67 4005.