Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Wildwood are specifying weight of basses in stock and I have just noticed that the new 4003SW's are about 1.5lbs lighter than maple-bodied 4003's. The lightest one they have is only 8.01lbs, compared to 9.24 to 9.84lbs maple 4003's.

It makes sense, but I never thought the difference will be so significant.

https://wildwoodguitars.com/?s=4003

I find it interesting that both my '72 4001 basses are, at least so far as I can tell, no more than 8 and a half pounds. They're probably the lightest 4001 basses I've played. A while back I played a friend's relatively new 4003 and it was much heavier than my basses, I would have said easily a pound, maybe a pound and a half (I have chronic back, neck and shoulders problems so it really makes a difference). Sounds like the walnut basses will be an easier wear in that respect. I've only played one, at the same time as playing the above 4003, and it was about the same weight as my basses.

Yep, I have consistently noted about a pound less weight on the W models. May be total coincidence, but I always tend to think lighter weight basses have a more "open" sound.

cassius987 wrote:Yep, I have consistently noted about a pound less weight on the W models. May be total coincidence, but I always tend to think lighter weight basses have a more "open" sound.

I agree wholeheartedly, certainly in my experience.

My modded 2016 4003 is 8.8lbs

I imagine that if you want to best recreate the RM1999 sound with a modern bass the best starting point would be a 4003sw
I would if I could...

I played an SW once at POTR and it was super light. I just got a 72 4001 and it's very light as well!

jdogric12 wrote:I just got a 72 4001 and it's very light as well!

Curious... I have a '72 4001 (LKxxxx, November 1972), and it's actually pretty heavy, 9.8 lbs. on the postal scale at work. Part of that is the reissue horseshoe, but I think even before that it was about 9.2 lbs., not what I'd consider "very light."

I'll say this, though: something about the bass makes it feel much lighter than my F*****r Jazz which is 10.0 lbs. Maybe it's just the psychological effect of looking down and seeing that thinner body?

What month is your '72? Does it have the skunk stripe? IIRC, that was an early '72 change, I wonder if something affected the weight in conjunction with it?

Do you know what the actual weight is?

songdog wrote:

jdogric12 wrote:I just got a 72 4001 and it's very light as well!

Curious... I have a '72 4001 (LKxxxx, November 1972), and it's actually pretty heavy, 9.8 lbs. on the postal scale at work. Part of that is the reissue horseshoe, but I think even before that it was about 9.2 lbs., not what I'd consider "very light."

I'll say this, though: something about the bass makes it feel much lighter than my F*****r Jazz which is 10.0 lbs. Maybe it's just the psychological effect of looking down and seeing that thinner body?

What month is your '72? Does it have the skunk stripe? IIRC, that was an early '72 change, I wonder if something affected the weight in conjunction with it?

Do you know what the actual weight is?

Sept, skunk. It may very well be the pyschological thing! I'll try to remember to weigh it when I can.

I can confirm that my 4003sw is about a pound lighter than its maple-winged cousins.

songdog wrote:

jdogric12 wrote:I just got a 72 4001 and it's very light as well!

Curious... I have a '72 4001 (LKxxxx, November 1972), and it's actually pretty heavy, 9.8 lbs. on the postal scale at work. Part of that is the reissue horseshoe, but I think even before that it was about 9.2 lbs., not what I'd consider "very light."

I'll say this, though: something about the bass makes it feel much lighter than my F*****r Jazz which is 10.0 lbs. Maybe it's just the psychological effect of looking down and seeing that thinner body?

What month is your '72? Does it have the skunk stripe? IIRC, that was an early '72 change, I wonder if something affected the weight in conjunction with it?

Do you know what the actual weight is?

Both my Rics are '72s, a pre-skunk Feb and a skunk Aug. They're both the same weight, give or take. I've played lots of '72s - my favourite year - and I've only played one that was noticeably heavier than mine. That was Neil Brewer's bass, from Druid. The skunk itself doesn't seem to make much difference. It's quite possible that yours is on the heavier side, but generally IME they tend to be relatively light, as Rics go. Of course we're only talking maybe half a pound to a pound absolute max, but as I have chronic back problems I really notice the difference.