Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I am interested in buying my first real bass, a Ric 4003. I mainly play drums and guitar, but have noticed more bands seem to want a bass player than anything else. So I hope to roll over onto bass occasionally. At my age I have no illusions about ever being really good, and just prefer to be traditional and solid, you know with good meter, solid notes and runs, etc

So here are my questions to get it together:

1. How does the Ric 4003 sound, and how does it feel in a strap compared to the usual other basses, ie Fender Pbass? I have already played an Ibanez mahogany bass, and sold it, since sound was too thin for me.

2. I like the maple look the best, what should you look for in a new bass and in the wood appearance? This would be other than just what seems to look nice to me.

3. Are there any potential set-backs with a new Ric bass, or common problems that might crop up?

4. I have a professional musician bass player friend who uses Fender basses, but told me about a bridge replacement he had done on his 1973 Ric 4003. Is this often done amongst the solid Ric bass players?

5. Is a 4 string bass sufficient? As in why even mess with more strings if 4 will work? I hope this is not a dumb question. (I really do prefer the early years of rock such as Beatles, Byrds, CSN, maybe through to REM and Sheryl Crowe)

Thank you!
Craig

The absolute best thing you can do is a go to a shop that carries several basses on a quiet day and noodle around on several with a couple of lines you love. Barring bad setups, it can give you an idea of what your niche is on bass. When I started, everyone basically screamed "Jazz Bass" at me. Turns out I'm not a Jazz guy due to the pickup spacing and to a lesser extent the neck profile, so I should have been a little more willing to try things instead of just buying into conventional wisdom. Same goes for a 4003 or any other bass, don't assume you'll like it because others do.

idealassets wrote:1. How does the Ric 4003 sound, and how does it feel in a strap compared to the usual other basses, ie Fender Pbass? I have already played an Ibanez mahogany bass, and sold it, since sound was too thin for me.

2. I like the maple look the best, what should you look for in a new bass and in the wood appearance? This would be other than just what seems to look nice to me.

3. Are there any potential set-backs with a new Ric bass, or common problems that might crop up?

4. I have a professional musician bass player friend who uses Fender basses, but told me about a bridge replacement he had done on his 1973 Ric 4003. Is this often done amongst the solid Ric bass players?

5. Is a 4 string bass sufficient? As in why even mess with more strings if 4 will work? I hope this is not a dumb question. (I really do prefer the early years of rock such as Beatles, Byrds, CSN, maybe through to REM and Sheryl Crowe)

1. The 4003 is like a bass-ier version of a Jazz Bass by virtue of the pickup positions... nice and warm, still growly, lots of tonal options with the two pickups and controls (and ROS). The bridge pickup is kind of a Fender killer (it sounds like a brighter/growlier P Bass with a little less low mids) whereas the neck pickup is 100% Ric, a warm fat grindy tone that can mimic an upright bass pretty good with proper strings and technique.

2. Just what looks nice. People will make a big deal about certain kinds of grain but if it works for you that's all that matters. My only thing is I avoid flame maple necks because some say they are weaker and the ones I have played had a sub-par tone to my ears relative to straight grain necks I played side-by-side of the same model.

3. Some people, it seems like the majority, get a great bass but then we occasionally hear about really bad problems. It seems like the 4003 is the least prone, maybe as the flagship it gets the most QC scrutiny. Stuff I've heard about is usually regarding the finish bubbling or flaking, or the neck being sub-par in some way (stiffness/truss rods, fingerboard/frets). Just have a good look before you buy it or make sure you can return it if ordered online.

4. Lots of bassists think that the Ric bass bridge/tailpiece is either mediocre or bad. It's not my favorite design on the planet for sure but it's not hard to make it work either so I leave it on in some cases. There's no right answer here. There are aftermarket tailpieces like Hipshot's and there are guys like Dane Wilder who will modify the stock tailpiece into something a little more pleasing to modernists as well. The only time you NEED to change the tailpiece is if A) you require palm muting or B) the tailpiece lift starts happening and is causing problems in the sound or fit/finish. I've only seen two real life examples of situation B, out of a couple dozen Ric basses.

5. I play 4-string and 5-string basses, I have two of each. 5-string is wonderful for some things but the VAST majority of music does not require it and in a lot of settings if you take a 5-string and insist on using the low B people will get mad because in a quiet mix it's like a thunderclap. For dance music that kind of makes it indispensable, however. Also, more strings = more sympathetic vibration, so you have to watch your technique more or use a scrunchie. If you're on the fence I would just get a 4-string as that will get you through 99% of gigs, even ones where a 5-string would not seem out of place. But if you play bass long enough having a low B is pretty wonderful because of how many extra positions it gives you and the lovely timbre of those low notes.

If I could go back in time to when I was just starting out I'd tell my past self to try a jillion 4003s and P Basses and buy one of each that played the best of its respective type.

Hi Craig,

I bought a 4003 about 3 years ago and I've been gigging with it ever since. It weighs a ton, and is extremely uncomfortable when playing for a long time, but I love it anyway because it sounds great and looks the bomb.

Things to be aware of:
- You'll need a very wide and comfortable strap to support the weight.
- Standard strap locks can't be fitted...you'll need to buy ric specific strap locks (Cost: £15 - see link below)
- The bridge pickup cover had to go, so I bought a "deluxe treble pickup bezel" to plug the gap (Cost: £39.99 - see link below)
- The Rick will buzz fairly loudly unless you're touching a string, or the pickup - I knew this before buying the bass, but it took some getting used to
- the neck binding goes over the edge of the frets, so if you need to replace a fret in future, it may make a mess of the binding
- the standard 4003 hard case that is supplied with the bass is very brittle, and tends to crack around the metal stud "feet"
- did I mention how heavy this thing is ?

All the extras that i've bought have been from this guy......
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/RickySounds-Sp ... Since-1973

If I were buying today, I'd probably go for a Jazz to be honest.....if only for the contoured body which I find much more comfortable to use when playing for hours at a time. Having said that, I really do love the Ric, and I wouldn't ever sell or trade it. I've completely fallen in love with it in a way that I never have with any other bass. I can't explain why.

BTW - the bridge is absolutely fine.....never had a problem with it. Oh, and four strings is all you need

cheers,

Elliott.

idealassets wrote:I am interested in buying my first real bass, a Ric 4003. I mainly play drums and guitar, but have noticed more bands seem to want a bass player than anything else. So I hope to roll over onto bass occasionally. At my age I have no illusions about ever being really good, and just prefer to be traditional and solid, you know with good meter, solid notes and runs, etc

So here are my questions to get it together:

1. How does the Ric 4003 sound, and how does it feel in a strap compared to the usual other basses, ie Fender Pbass? I have already played an Ibanez mahogany bass, and sold it, since sound was too thin for me.

2. I like the maple look the best, what should you look for in a new bass and in the wood appearance? This would be other than just what seems to look nice to me.

3. Are there any potential set-backs with a new Ric bass, or common problems that might crop up?

4. I have a professional musician bass player friend who uses Fender basses, but told me about a bridge replacement he had done on his 1973 Ric 4003. Is this often done amongst the solid Ric bass players?

5. Is a 4 string bass sufficient? As in why even mess with more strings if 4 will work? I hope this is not a dumb question. (I really do prefer the early years of rock such as Beatles, Byrds, CSN, maybe through to REM and Sheryl Crowe)

Thank you!
Craig

Hi Craig - here's my two-pennyworth

1. My only 4003 is an 8-string so that would hardly be a fair comparison for you. My two 4001s and my 4002 feel light to wear all night, but prior to buying them I was using six-string basses of considerable weight, so I guess it's a question of what you're used to! With volume and tone controls fully open, Ricks sound bright and edgy with plenty of "grunt", and a 4003, when used with a good amp/speaker combination, can be a seriously powerful beast. There's flexibility to tone this down to a rich, deep bass if you need it.

2. There are some who say that a tight grain in the wood gives a "better" sound - whilst there may be some truth in that, sound/tonal quality is pretty subjective, so providing you're comfortable with the feel of a 4003, strapped on, standing up, and you personally like the sound, I wouldn't worry too much about the finish colour - go for what pleases your eye.

3. The neck-through body design of a 4003 means that it has its own strengths and weaknesses. On the minus side, because Rick necks are generally slim and fast, I've found they respond best when they're looked after properly -treat it like a lady Depending where you live and relative humidity levels, truss rods may need adjusting on a seasonal basis, according to humidity levels, and whenever you change your choice of strings, so learn the basics of this. On the plus side, because the strings are anchored at both the machine heads and the bridge/tailpiece on the same piece of wood, tonal quality and sustain are unique and very important factors in the Rickenbacker sound. In 40 years of playing, I've not found any other bass that sounds anything like a Rickenbacker - that's its strength - players either love that sound or they don't. To my mind the aesthetic qualities of the design of Rick basses is unbeatable though!

4. This is sometimes done - whether it's "often" done is a question I can't answer but I haven't seen any need to replace any of my Rick tailpieces/bridges (apart from changing a five screw version for a seven screw). They do the job well enough so I personally see no need to change them.

5. My Ricks are always my "weapons of choice" for live work, but I still carry one of my custom six-string basses with me for certain songs. There's a lovely 5-string 4004 Laredo on E-bay at the moment that, if I could afford it, would allow me to drop the use of those six-strings and use Ricks exclusively. Whether or not you "need" that extra low range is a matter of opinion and dependent upon your band's set list and personal preference, but I'd seriously miss not having the flexibility of at least the low "B" string, and likely the top C as well, on the odd occasion.

Ash

cassius987 wrote:The absolute best thing you can do is a go to a shop that carries several basses on a quiet day and noodle around on several with a couple of lines you love. Barring bad setups, it can give you an idea of what your niche is on bass.

I couldn't agree more with Josh's comment here. You can read every pertinent post on every bass forum and read every review in every publication and learn very little compared with 30 minutes of first-hand A/B testing.

idealassets wrote:1. How does the Ric 4003 sound, and how does it feel in a strap compared to the usual other basses, ie Fender Pbass? I have already played an Ibanez mahogany bass, and sold it, since sound was too thin for me.

2. I like the maple look the best, what should you look for in a new bass and in the wood appearance? This would be other than just what seems to look nice to me.

3. Are there any potential set-backs with a new Ric bass, or common problems that might crop up?

4. I have a professional musician bass player friend who uses Fender basses, but told me about a bridge replacement he had done on his 1973 Ric 4003. Is this often done amongst the solid Ric bass players?

5. Is a 4 string bass sufficient? As in why even mess with more strings if 4 will work? I hope this is not a dumb question. (I really do prefer the early years of rock such as Beatles, Byrds, CSN, maybe through to REM and Sheryl Crowe)

1. A 4003 is capable of a huge range of tones, depending upon string selection, set-up and technique, from thumpy Beatlesque to superbright and nasty. I'm not sure it gets that midrange growl of a wide=open J-bass exactly but it covers more ground either side. I find them to be comfortable and about as heavy as a my J-bass - I recently played a gig consisting of three 45 minute sets and had no issues with fatigue. The bound top can provide some players with an ergonomic challenge, though it doesn't worry me.

2. Depends on your preferences. Given a choice of a number of 4003s, I'd go with the one that was most comfortable to play - there are small variations from bass to bass that can make or break the deal. Figured wood is a beautiful thing and may lead to better resale but playability is king for me.

3. I think RIC qc is pretty good, but there have been some finish issues (small crack and flaking near the tailpiece) and neck angle issues in a small number of 4003s and this has caused some controversy. The finish issue can be avoided by going over a prospective purchase thoroughly. The neck angle issue should also be obvious - it will be impossible to set up a bass with consistent low action with this issue present. The neck angle issue could, however, be latent and arise later, particularly if you move to high-tension strings. Note that the use of high-tension strings will void the warranty for this issue - the RIC website states:

"The warranty is void if, upon inspection by RIC factory personnel, the defect is determined to be the result of damage due to misuse, exposure to environmental extremes, modification, or the use of replacement parts, including strings, not in conformity with factory specifications".

4. I have nothing to add to Josh's excellent insights re the tailpiece.

5. I have personally never needed a 5-string bass. There are some genres where it might be useful (metal in particular) but 4 strings will be enough 95% of the time. For the music you're looking at, 4 strings will be fine.

Take the above advice to heart. Not trying to shoo you away from a Ric, but you not being a bass player "yet"....that is a chunk of change to put down on an experiment...even IF you get a good deal on one...it will still likely be around $1000+ unless it is totally trashed, our you find a super deal.

Keep asking questions. They are generally good solid instruments.

Folks,
Thank you for your critique on the 4003. These comments are about what I was looking for. This site sure beats having to buy local guys a drink in order to get them to say what's up about basses!

I actually do like to hear about the look of this bass, since actually I do like the appearance. For the wood grain, I can agree. I have heard many comments on the maple grain of the acoustic Guild 412 and Gibson j200. The flamed maple looks pretty, but a few folks have stated their preference for straight grain on these guitars.

As for the money aspect to try this bass, no problem. My motto is to try and sell 2 current guitars before buying one new guitar. My approach has been to buy different guitar models to see if they work for me, and then sell off what I don't like. The cost of experimenting has been a break even deal, since I wound up getting some virtually new, and unplayed "used" guitars that were sold as used.

Have you noticed that quite a few folks on this site have more than just one guitar or bass?

Thank you,
Craig

idealassets wrote: Have you noticed that quite a few folks on this site have more than just one guitar or bass?

Bet you can't have just one Rickenbacker too ! !

Bet you can't have just one Rickenbacker too ! !

I have already succumbed to Ric jonesing and currently own a 2011 Ric 360/12 maple. It is a great guitar. If I grab the 4003 bass, that will be 2 Ric's for me...

Most of my guitars are acoustic, and I have planned for a certain amount of space for them all to stack up. BUT I was invited to an open house wherein a particular fellow had built racks in his basement to house over 100 electric guitars in his collection. And he was glad to keep pulling them out to show them to everyone.

In my former days as a drummer I would "like" a set, or a particular cymbal, because it mostly served its purpose. But with guitars you can get to "love" one or more guitars. Hold it, I can hardly believe the sound of my own philosophizing.

Craig

Craig,

Where are you located?? USA, Canada, Australia, Europe?? Here in the states, I can find a couple of dealers that are within a half hour drive that normally stock Rickenbackers. Perhaps that's one benefit of living withing 7 miles of Manhattan!

OK, like others have said, play one, better yet, play a few and see how you like it. I really don't feel they are heavy. I use a 3 inch wide strap and it support it just fine. Then again, I am 6'4" and tip the scales at 227 lbs so what is heavy or light is a relative term..

New bass issues?? Yeah, a few. Hand inspect 2011 Midnight blue and early 2011 Jetglo basses for finish issues. For some reason, it's common on these. Although it's no fault of the factory.

Inconsistent saddle quality. The intonation adjustment screw on an apparently large amount of bridge saddles was drilled incorrectly causing the saddle to be slightly raised off the bridge and rock back and forth. it gives an annoying buzzing sound while playing. Grab the saddle with the tips of yoru fingers and rock it side to side. if it moves, it should be replaced.

Yeah, you could swap out the stock tailpiece with a Hipshot but I've never felt the need to do that. Sure, it makes set up s a bit easier but I just don't like the way they look! Once you set up your bass you rarely have to screw with it unless you change string gauges and manufacturers.

I do prefer my older Rickenbackers to the new basses and there are several nice basses for sale in the market place section here. If you have the coin and you like black, there are two Shadow basses for sale here. They are a limited production 50 or 60 units made and I have yet to hear of a lemon in the batch!! They are great basses that don't get the recognition they deserve.

Sepp

I'll be brief.

Find one in a shop, try it first. I love the feel, weight, tone and even the bridge myself, but for most of the people out there, you either love them or hate them.

I live near Saginaw, Michigan. The closest selection of Ric's seems to be at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI.

I'm not too concerned about a bass being totally perfect, was just looking for anything major to consider. For the Ric 360/12 a lot of folks don't know how I am able to switch from a very wide neck Guild F412 to a very narrow neck 360/12. The answer I give is that its not that difficult if you really want to, or in other words if you really like each guitar.

It appears to be a matter of taste and style, and really I don't want to be just another Fender bass player, so many of them already.

Craig

idealassets wrote:It appears to be a matter of taste and style, and really I don't want to be just another Fender bass player, so many of them already.
Craig

Amen to that!! I'm a Fender convert so I know exactly of what you speak. I get nothing but compliments on my tone and the look of my Rickenbackers from the audience, the staff, and professionals at every gig! You will get noticed either by your appearance while playing the Rickenbacker or by your tone. Maybe even both!

Sepp

idealassets wrote: At my age I have no illusions about ever being really good, and just prefer to be traditional and solid, you know with good meter, solid notes and runs, etc

Craig

I don't know if anyone else caught this but being traditional, solid with good meter, solid notes and runs etc, is WHAT it is all about and is usually the last thing many bass players learn. Most bandmates do not care if you could play everything Jaco could play as long as you are solid, and get a good sound and give the band that cushion. Being a drummer you must know how important it is to play with the drummer especially the kick drum. That at least to me is the essence of being really good. You got to love bass to play it, the sound and the feel of it.

rictified wrote:...you must know how important it is to play with the drummer especially the kick drum. That at least to me is the essence of being really good.

What so does one do if the drummer has a lousy kick drum foot, and is all over the place with terrible tempo problems, too?