Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello Ric forum! My first time posting here! Such a great place for information and kind people.
I have some questions for you all! I'm going to be acquiring a 4003SW soon but going to be converting it to look like a 4001V63. I already have the Vintage TRC, Vintage pickguard W/O modifying, and Vintage knobs. I'm not drilling new holes which is good but I want to get a Horseshoe pickup but the surround screw holes look different compared to the Hi-gain's surround. It is a simple "Drop in"? or new holes need to be drilled.
If it doesn't fit, I'll drill holes because I don't think i'll sell it in the future OR I install the horseshoe pickup in the Hi-gain surround to make it look like Sir Paul's 4001c64s! Tell me what you think! Also, what flats should i use? I heard Ti flats are great but heard Optima RB flat wounds are like old Maxima's. I'll post pics when she's all finished!
Thank you everyone for your time,
Gabriel.

Welcome Gabriel!

The RI horseshoe pickup will fit the modern/standard surround. This one happens to be a real magnetic horseshoe pickup but the concept still applies. Give the TI Jazz Flats a try first, they are fabulous strings that suits a Rick bass perfectly.

bonzogabe98 wrote:Hello Ric forum! My first time posting here! Such a great place for information and kind people.
I have some questions for you all! I'm going to be acquiring a 4003SW soon but going to be converting it to look like a 4001V63. I already have the Vintage TRC, Vintage pickguard W/O modifying, and Vintage knobs. I'm not drilling new holes which is good but I want to get a Horseshoe pickup but the surround screw holes look different compared to the Hi-gain's surround. It is a simple "Drop in"? or new holes need to be drilled.
If it doesn't fit, I'll drill holes because I don't think i'll sell it in the future OR I install the horseshoe pickup in the Hi-gain surround to make it look like Sir Paul's 4001c64s! Tell me what you think! Also, what flats should i use? I heard Ti flats are great but heard Optima RB flat wounds are like old Maxima's. I'll post pics when she's all finished!
Thank you everyone for your time,
Gabriel.

The Optima RBs are quite different than the Maximas, but I think they are great strings.
The Optima 4099's are quite good as well.
Both can sound a little unbalanced at first, but after some break in, they have a nice mid range tone that the TI's don't.

I have been told that Optima plans to introduce the 4099's in the same gauges as the RB's. I had them custom gauge some 4099s similarly years ago and they some fabulous on my 4005.

The 4001V63 has a different tailpiece to the 4003 too.

prowla wrote:The 4001V63 has a different tailpiece to the 4003 too.

Not by much. Just the cutout in the middle tooth.