Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

With the re-introduction of the "S" series, I'm afraid I'm going to have to jump back into the Rickenbacker fold once again. (I just gotta have one).

With that being said, has anyone done a side by side tone comparison with a regular 4003, and the new 4003 walnut model with the maple neck? I kind of like the look of the 4003SW.

Scott,i tested a Ruby,fireglo,and walnut 4003 last time i went to Apple Music. (Those guys now know me,even though i only get in there maybe twice a year,i always go straight to the Ricks.) I thought the W was the best feeling (and lightest) 4003 I'd ever played. I couldn't really discern any big difference in the tone,either,although i am sure there probably is some subtle tone variation because of the maple fretboard,etc. When i did this,i also had a '75 4001 on loan at the time. The neck profiles on the new basses were more "C" shaped,but seemed pretty similar,not too chunky.

Edit.playing it,i thought,yes,an "S" version of this would be nice....but i ended up buying a used walnut Cheyenne,which i really love,so,probably no 4003ws in my future....

Thanks for the review. I was just curious to know if the walnut body wings and oil finish would make much of a tone difference vs. the standard 4003. I am so pumped about the "S" series.

Me too! I can also say that with the 3 different 4004's i have,there are some subtle tonal differences in them,due,I am sure,not just to the fact they all have pickups in different places,but all 3 are different combinations of woods,too. The walnut cheyenne currently has DR Sunbeams on it,and really has a great sound for funk. I am thinking about putting a set of Maxima flatwounds on it,but sort of on the fence about that. I already have RW's on my 4000 and Laredo,and tapewounds on my fretless Cii.

I've actually done side by side comparisons between a 2013 JG which I owned for a brief period (traded it for my 78) vs. my 4003W.

Seems that the walnut provides a much rounder and warm sound and isn't as bright as the normal maple body even with the maple fingerboard. On the walnut if I stay on the neck pickup and pluck fingerstyle over the frets you can get a very thick woody tone (think Geezer Butler's P-bass circa Paranoid) regardless of my amp settings (lots of mids).

The neck is incredible on the W. I love the look of the maple and it plays amazing. The oil finish allows for effortless mobility. I hope that helps!
Cheers

All good info, but you gotta make sure they have the same strings, and of the same age. Subtle changes could be due to such issues.

RickyBubba wrote:All good info, but you gotta make sure they have the same strings, and of the same age. Subtle changes could be due to such issues.

The local Sam Ash I go to moves a lot of Rics and I've played through most of the brand new ones that pass through there (so all of them have the fresh stock strings, same as my 4003W) and I always use the same amp when I go there so while the differences aren't huge in tone I feel confident in my assessment that there is a difference. I'm sure the lack of lacquer is also partially responsible for the warmth.

**edited to add**
I actually have videos of me playing the same song, same day, same amp settings on both. Neither of them are perfect which is why I never posted them. Wanted to splice them together with the audio track but I'm not savvy like that. You're at the mercy of my settings and I couldn't figure out how to embed the videos here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tLJEi_jqD8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr5QGoabEB8

Al,

Thanks for the comparison. Much different tonally from the Jetglo 4003, more than I thought there would be. I'm glad I'm making the modifications that I spoke of in the "S" bass thread. 60's value harness and 60's value pups from Classic Amplification. Woody or mellow is not what I want in my tone. The mods should put an edge on my Walnut "S" when it gets here.

Sepp

Glad to help!

I think the missing sweater with the W adds much to the tonal differences...

At that time it was much warmer in my apartment