Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Long ago I had two Rickenbacker basses, a 4003FL and a 4001CS. At the time, I decided I preferred other basses, so I sold them. (These days I mainly play a koa Alembic Spoiler (32-inch scale), a '65 Fender Jazz Bass, and a Fender 60th Anniversary Precision Bass with a really pleasant MusiKraft maple slab neck & small Tele-style headstock.)

I'm considering buying another Rickenbacker bass, maybe a 4001c64s, 4001v63 or something like them. (Suggest one for me?)

I'm aiming for (and like) the bright, roundwound/Rotosound slightly-clanky sound.

I'd appreciate hearing opinions about the differences between the modern horseshoe-and-toaster pickup configuration versus the two High Gain pickups configuration.

More wants: dot markers rather than shark teeth; natural finished headstock with dark wings

I'd suggest one of the new 4003S basses. Dot fingerboard, no binding, a timeless classic...

You could always retrofit pickups if you didn't like the stock ones.

Thanks, Scott!

Looks nice, other than the new style square bridge pickup surround.

Does the 4003S have a High Gain for the bridge and another High Gain for the neck?

Hi Len

if your're looking for the classic clanky sound, I'd strongly recommend a 4001 V63 - they're seriously powerful basses and have the features you mention. There's an interesting one currently on Craigslist at a very reasonable price:
https://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/5349126891.html

It really depends on individual preferences and tastes but I've always preferred the classic toaster/horseshoe combination to the more modern sounding but still meaty high gain pups. I own a V63 and even though I've replaced the re-issue horsie with an original (with magnetised shoes) and the toaster with an older, short-pole variant (sounds like hot butter, if you can visualise that!), the pups installed on a standard V63 still take some beating.

Ash

LenMinNJ wrote:Thanks, Scott!

Looks nice, other than the new style square bridge pickup surround for the bridge pickup.

Does the 4003S have a High Gain for the bridge and another High Gain for the neck?

Both pickups on the 4003S are the High Gain type, i.e. they don't have the Toaster+Horseshoe pickups.

1984 first run v63 with toaster and real magnetized horsie. All the bells and whistles.

Sepp

As we seem to have similar taste in tone, I think I can help because I have an '86 4003, an SPC (maple fretboard) and a V63 with the C3 added.

The V63 is my favorite of the three, but not by much. All three are all Rick, for sure, so you can't go wrong. But, the V63 has a little more glug and gurgle. Keep in mind, I swapped out the stock jack in the V63 for a stereo jack and had the C3 added. If you take out the stereo jack then the 4003 becomes my favorite (it also plays the best). For whatever reason, the SPC doesn't quite sound as good as the other two, but we are getting into hair-splitting territory, now.

I guess what I am trying to say is that while I like the horseshoe+toaster combination a little better than high-gains, having a stereo jack is more important. You also may want to have Dane make you a wiring harness with the correct pot values. That also gave the V63 an extra boost.

When did the change from the old style magnetized horseshoe pickups to the re-issues happen?

Is there much of a difference in the way they sound?

LenMinNJ wrote:When did the change from the old style magnetized horseshoe pickups to the re-issues happen?

Is there much of a difference in the way they sound?

Paul's book states that some early production v63's had the real magnetized shoes with a special screw top pick up. RIC does not release numbers but I'm sure the numbers are quite low. The v63 came out at the end of 1984 and I mine is a November instrument. I think others a bit afterward do not have the special treble pick up. The tone is very close to the original 1960's horseshoe pick up. The neck on this bass is quite thick. I'd say it's a solid "C" profile. Probably the most chunky of any Rickenbacker bass I've owned. That's the biggest difference compared to is 60's relative.

Sepp

I played a 1981 4001S today at the local Guitar Center. It had dot markers and a nicely yellowed/aged white finish on the entire body, neck and headstock. It looked like it probably had flatwounds on it since it was built, as it had almost no fret wear.

A previous owner had replaced the neck High Gain pickup with a Toaster. (The original High Gain pickup was in the case.) The bridge pickup was a High Gain with the rectangular chrome surround.

I loved the look but didn't enjoy the sound. Part of it was probably the flatwounds. And oddly, the neck Toaster had a lot more output than the bridge High Gain - it dominated the sound.

They wanted $2200 for it.

I'll keep looking.

LenMinNJ wrote:I played a 1981 4001S today at the local Guitar Center. It had dot markers and a nicely yellowed/aged white finish on the entire body, neck and headstock. It looked like it probably had flatwounds on it since it was built, as it had almost no fret wear.

A previous owner had replaced the neck High Gain pickup with a Toaster. (The original High Gain pickup was in the case.) The bridge pickup was a High Gain with the rectangular chrome surround.

I loved the look but didn't enjoy the sound. Part of it was probably the flatwounds. And oddly, the neck Toaster had a lot more output than the bridge High Gain - it dominated the sound.

They wanted $2200 for it.

I'll keep looking.

The treble pups back in '81 were underwound relative to current higains (around 8kohms) and would have had the bass filter cap in circuit, reducing output significantly. This would explain the output disparity. Additionally, the replacement toaster may have been a "hot" toaster (wound to around 13+ kohms).

As a dealer price, $2,200 is ok, assuming a mark up of 30% from street.....

Interesting! If I go back to play it again, I'll bring an VOM and measure both pickups.

The attractive look of that bass has stuck with me.

Does anyone know if I can swap a re-issue Horseshoe for a High Gain bridge pickup in a 4001S without much trouble?

Would I have to route any body cavities or drill new mounting holes?

Thanks!

LenMinNJ wrote:Does anyone know if I can swap a re-issue Horseshoe for a High Gain bridge pickup in a 4001S without much trouble?

Would I have to route any body cavities or drill new mounting holes?

Thanks!

Drops right in.