Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

hey everyone, am very close to pulling the trigger on a 4004...i have a jetglo 4003, which i had the opportunity to try and fell in love with (and picked up). but the opportunity to try either a cheyenne or laredo is virtually impossible. i play anything from doom metal (a la pentagram/saint vitus) to blues. regardless of brand, the 4003 had "that look/feel/sound" just curious about the 4004. after reading reviews, i haven't seen many good ones for the laredo. but not many reviews are objective...they are either rickenbacker haters or simply worship the brand blindly. most reviews tend to talk about finish and colour than actual playablility. i need a review of the 4004 (either or) from real players. cheers, adam

I am a Laredo owner. I play in a 3-piece that primarily play blues and classic rock. Although the 4003 I own is quite capable, the 4004, with the humbucking pickups, is the icing on the cake. The best review I can give is that not only am I pleased with the bass, but the drummer thinks it is a great addition too.

I agree with Dane - there can be a big difference in necks. My 2008 4004 BBR has a terrific feeling neck - very flat in the back and easy to play. I liked it so much that I picked up a 2005 (?) 4004 MB. Unfortunately the neck was much chunkier and more work to play. I'd definitely look for a more recent model.

No one loves the 4004's more than me. To me, they are the best kept secret in the world of bass guitars. They sound great, have a great deal of output, yet they are dead quiet as far as noise is concerned. I have the opposite problem with bass necks than most people do, I'm uncomfortable playing on a skinny neck, so I don't care if I run into a 4004 (or 4003) with a thick neck.

I have played four or five Ciis to date... maybe more... and they were all fine basses, although a couple of the necks were uncomfortable to me. A couple of them were two-piece and the rest were one-piece. The pickups sounded quite different from each other, the neck pickup was way more "useable" than I expected it to be, and overall I thought these were good basses if not the best looking (I like some bling on my basses).

On the other hand my good friend Dan, who is a very nice guy and a Ric fan via his 1980s 4003, had a string of awful luck with 4004s from the 2008 batch. I don't know if he had bad luck or what because all of the basses I played were made in 2009 or later, right after he gave up on 4004s altogether. He got a 2010 4003 that was pretty great but still ended up selling it and keeping his older one. Here is his website dedicated to his experiences with bad 4004s. He has some strong opinions about RIC, but I trust you are an adult and can judge for yourself. The main thing is you can use his experience to watch out for any problems you might encounter... considering the 4004s I have played I doubt you will have any trouble. http://bassthatricbuilt.web.officelive.com/default.aspx

86kubicki wrote:I agree with Dane - there can be a big difference in necks. My 2008 4004 BBR has a terrific feeling neck - very flat in the back and easy to play. I liked it so much that I picked up a 2005 (?) 4004 MB. Unfortunately the neck was much chunkier and more work to play. I'd definitely look for a more recent model.

The 4004 wasn't CNC built in 2005. My 2005 4004 has a neck as you describe of your 2008. On the other hand, my 2008 has a chunkier neck like you describe of your 2005...not that I care. I can't play J-basses. the neck is too skinny at the top for my fretting hand.

cassius987 wrote:I have played four or five Ciis to date... maybe more... and they were all fine basses, although a couple of the necks were uncomfortable to me. A couple of them were two-piece and the rest were one-piece. The pickups sounded quite different from each other, the neck pickup was way more "useable" than I expected it to be, and overall I thought these were good basses if not the best looking (I like some bling on my basses).

On the other hand my good friend Dan, who is a very nice guy and a Ric fan via his 1980s 4003, had a string of awful luck with 4004s from the 2008 batch. I don't know if he had bad luck or what because all of the basses I played were made in 2009 or later, right after he gave up on 4004s altogether. He got a 2010 4003 that was pretty great but still ended up selling it and keeping his older one. Here is his website dedicated to his experiences with bad 4004s. He has some strong opinions about RIC, but I trust you are an adult and can judge for yourself. The main thing is you can use his experience to watch out for any problems you might encounter... considering the 4004s I have played I doubt you will have any trouble. http://bassthatricbuilt.web.officelive.com/default.aspx

i've read this page too...and a few similar to it. i saw a demo of a laredo on youtube and it sounded great. a good portion of the reviews say that the neck warps very easily. gotta say my 4003 is built like a tank (and i love the metal plate) and sounds wonderful. the demo i saw the laredo sounded great. just the reviews give me pause. anything from poor craftsmanship (which frightens me because of the price and non availability of these-if it happened to me there would be serious hell to pay) to poor pickups. scuffs in finish i can deal with. but it sounded real good in the demo, lots of *** and that rick tone.

thank you to all the replies. means a lot and these were real replies, no rick haters (that's just politics) and endless bantering about colour (too much of that-how it plays and feels matters most) keep them coming, and all the advice ya got is appreciated. i like hearing from real players-not people who are just slaves to the brand looking for museum pieces (an exception would be the 59 les paul standard but i would never want one of those anyways-would be too afraid to touch it lol) i've played many vintage 4001-i wasn't impressed-i liked the neck and oomph of my 4003 much more. the 4003 sounds great even through bad amps...sound and durability are always the deal maker with me.
i play everything from doom metal to blues and jazz with some funk and classic rock.
i am mostly a trumpet/flugelhorn player with bass as a close second but play everything
here's my "implements of mayhem"

2007 JG rickenbacker 4003
2001 gibson les paul standard (bought from victor griffin of place of skulls/pentagram)
1995 yamaha 6310z trumpet
2005 yamaha 6310z flugelhorn
2004 ovation cs-257

again, thank you for the open minded replies, and wishing everyone well in their musical endeavours.

If you can secure a 4004 at a good price or can return/exchange it I don't see what the harm is in trying. All the ones I have played have been very nice, though they were all more recent Ciis.

Normally I would let that link stand. It isn't exactly the APPRECIATION of all things Rickenbacker, for which this forum is based, but I'd like to give JH and Ben the opportunity to see how someone is public insulting their business (if they haven't already). However if Peter wants it gone, There will be no argument from me. I remember that "First Laredo" very well.

If it has to go, fine--I just wanted the OP to see what was out there, from my positive opinion to Dan's highly negative opinions. Apparently he already knows about it.

By the way, OP, don't limit yourself to a Laredo if you can help it... Cheyennes are great, and the "walnut sandwich" does not make the bass sound dark at all.

I love the pre-2009 "baseball bat" necks too. They feel just right in my hands for some reason. Both of my 4004's and my 4003 are of that style and at this point I don't have any reason to look elsewhere. And what I really love about the 4004 is the simplicity of the knobs. Too loud? OK, just dial it back a bit and you're all set. For blues/rock the 4004 is right up there with the P-bass except that it looks a lot better!

cassius987 wrote:By the way, OP, don't limit yourself to a Laredo if you can help it... Cheyennes are great, and the "walnut sandwich" does not make the bass sound dark at all.

Yes, and the maple on those is much nicer than most 4004's. The maple on my April '09 4004CiiFG is off the hook and well worth the extra $150.00 or so this model commands.