Fantasy RICkenball: 4003S
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 5:59 pm
I have always wondered what it would be like if the main Rickenbacker flagship bass was the 4003S, and the 4003 ("deluxe" version we currently see the most) was a rarer beast. This would cut some costs for RIC, possibly lower prices, and potentially be an answer to the people who say things like "I don't like the binding" or "ROS confuses me", and even an opportunity to get a new bridge going as the frequent excuse for not doing it is people would complain about the break with tradition. If you still offer the 4003 you can still say you support the old tailpiece. Now that the C64 is on the outs there is no direct comparison to be made with the 4003S; previously it probably would have looked weird to offer a cheaper 4003S and a costly 4003S with different pickups and a funny headstock.
Basically I'm thinking something roughly similar to the 330 vs. 360 comparison...
1. 4003S would not have binding on the neck or body, but 4003 would continue to. I don't think Rics have much issues with fret sprout so I'm not worried about this leading to any issues, besides they already offer unbound necks.
2. 4003S would (most likely) use the same wiring harness as a C64, while the 4003 would retain Ric-O-Sound. Another option, but probably too radical a departure, is VVT wiring.
3. 4003S would have dot inlays, and the 4003 would keep its full-width triangles.
4. 4003S would provide an opportunity for RIC to use a modern bridge on a 4000 bass that wasn't the 4004, which is very popular with some but not with others. The 4003 would keep the old bridge. Naturally this little experiment would quickly reveal whether people were ready for a new bridge or not on a "classic"-looking Ric.
In the grand scheme of things this might lower the cost to make a 4003 by a little, probably the biggest savings in the labor required to do the binding and inlays, and that might be reflected in the price. On the other hand there might be an early rush on the 4003S that would drive prices up above the 4003. Eventually an equilibrium would probably happen in production and purchasing and the lower supply of the 4003 might raise its price slightly while the 4003S might land at a price a little (but not a lot) below the current 4003. The 4004 might take a hit in prices as well if the 4003S diverts some of the demand for it (hard to say). It's already, I suspect, a less profitable model (I'm no 4004 hater, by the way, though I do prefer the 4003 for looks).
This is just something I've had in my head for a few years, thought I'd let it out and see how many people come to smash it with baseball bats... Oh well! It would be a nice way to move the 4003S out and drop the current tailpiece system while preserving it in the deluxe model, which I think would be a win-win for most of us. Thanks for listening.
Basically I'm thinking something roughly similar to the 330 vs. 360 comparison...
1. 4003S would not have binding on the neck or body, but 4003 would continue to. I don't think Rics have much issues with fret sprout so I'm not worried about this leading to any issues, besides they already offer unbound necks.
2. 4003S would (most likely) use the same wiring harness as a C64, while the 4003 would retain Ric-O-Sound. Another option, but probably too radical a departure, is VVT wiring.
3. 4003S would have dot inlays, and the 4003 would keep its full-width triangles.
4. 4003S would provide an opportunity for RIC to use a modern bridge on a 4000 bass that wasn't the 4004, which is very popular with some but not with others. The 4003 would keep the old bridge. Naturally this little experiment would quickly reveal whether people were ready for a new bridge or not on a "classic"-looking Ric.
In the grand scheme of things this might lower the cost to make a 4003 by a little, probably the biggest savings in the labor required to do the binding and inlays, and that might be reflected in the price. On the other hand there might be an early rush on the 4003S that would drive prices up above the 4003. Eventually an equilibrium would probably happen in production and purchasing and the lower supply of the 4003 might raise its price slightly while the 4003S might land at a price a little (but not a lot) below the current 4003. The 4004 might take a hit in prices as well if the 4003S diverts some of the demand for it (hard to say). It's already, I suspect, a less profitable model (I'm no 4004 hater, by the way, though I do prefer the 4003 for looks).
This is just something I've had in my head for a few years, thought I'd let it out and see how many people come to smash it with baseball bats... Oh well! It would be a nice way to move the 4003S out and drop the current tailpiece system while preserving it in the deluxe model, which I think would be a win-win for most of us. Thanks for listening.
