Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I was thinking about bass prices and noticed that the two "standard bearers" in the bass area, the Fender Precision Bass and Jazz Bass, are running about $900 (American versions). Meanwhile, the Ric 4003 can be had in the $1,000 area. You have to wonder how a Ric can be so competitively priced given its neck-through construction vs. bolt-on neck and IMHO overall higher fit and finish quality. I like Fender basses, but given that scenario, I'll take a Ric any day. I surely congratulate John Hall for making such an excellent bass at a very competitive price.

For what my opinion is worth there is no comparison between the fit and finish of a new Ric over the Fenders of today. The Ric feels and plays like a quality high end bass. Fenders are mostly shoddy and badly built with flaws in the paint and poorly fitted fretboards etc. Show me a Jazz bass where the strings actually pass accurately over the p/up poles. I dont think it happens these days. I love P & Jazz bass guitars, I have 2 P's and a variation on the Jazz, but none of them Fender. Well done Ric for keeping the standards and quality up. Fender guitars are quite a bit cheaper than Rics in the UK, but I would still go for the Ric every time !

THe challenge is that most people gravitate towards a Fender because that is what they see most people playing. THis is the incentive to keep the prices up. I agree, the newer ones have a really poor build quality. I have not found a new one yet that would stack up to the ones I used to have. Of course, I have had Ricks do the same thing but i have become way more picky about which Ricks I keep and which ones I sell/trade...

The Deluxe Custom Shop Fenders ain't bad at all, especially the Jazz - I played one about a week ago, ergonomic with that sweet 60s tone.

I'd still have a Cheyenne II over this any day, however.

They have their own qualities. That's why I have a Rick and a Fender.




But, if I was going to buy one new bass to do everything, I'd be getting a Rick.
The hard part, around where I live, is you can't go to a local shop to try one out. I have to drive two hours to either Pittsburgh or Cleveland to find a Rick.

Granted, they do have their own sound qualities and I own a P-Bass and two J-Basses (for now, anyway), but it just seems that for approximately the same price, the Ric just seems to be put together much better. I've seen some weird QC stuff on new Fenders lately that makes me question their current prices. I will concede that Fender has come a long way since the dark days of CBS.

I agree with Kevin in that the hard part where I live is even seeing a Ric. My local music shop has more Squires and Ibanezes than you can shake a stick at. However, they just look cheap to me for some reason. I must confess that the reason I did purchase a Ric through Musician's Friend was because of the way it looked. I did not want a P or J clone or something I would consider outrageous, like a BC Rich. The look of the Ric was classic yet disticnt enough to stand apart. Only later was I lucky enough to discover the superb fit, finish, and sound.

fender is the industry standard,i find rickenbackers [4003]harder to play or get used to string spacing ,i like the sound of the 4003 but notconfortable with the neck,fenders for the most part are easy to play the minute you pick one up.believe it or not my faverite bass to play is an older[80s]spector they have a great feel to them very easy to play fast,rics are less user friendly.lets face it we all love the look and craftmanship [sound] that rics have ,but they dont give you that feeling of being[or sounding]better than you are such as a spector.mhi ken

ps i dont own a spector but i do own a ric,what does that tell you ,we all love rics but for the most part its looks, coolness and craftmanship and of course the people we idolize,sir paul,squire...rics are not the norm they have a mystique about them

Kenneth-

I haven't found anything that I consider easier to play than my Ricks. Maybe Ricks just suit my playing style and hand size more than yours!

I do tend to agree with Kenneth in the simple fact that it did take me a little bit to get used to playing my 4003. I can pick up pretty much any bass and automatically plant my thumb on the pickup and play away. I now play my Ric better than my other basses - but it did take me months of practicing at it

I was drawn to try a Ric after seeing/hearing them in the hands of Cliff Burton and Lemmy. When I actually saw one in person I thought it was kinda quirky looking (I was 16 at the time) and probably would have opted for something more "modern" except that after I played the Ric I was entranced. It fit me like a glove and I played it like I knew what I was doing
The wonderful construction and the beauty of the 4001/4003 really didn't sink in until years later when I began to appreciate things like that a little more. Initially it was all about the playability and, of course, that wonderful tone !

I bought a Ric out of happenstance. I was in Washington Music looking at a Geddy Lee J-Bass because I was convinced that only a J-Bass would work with my small hands. So I pulled a 4003 off the wall and played it while the salesman got the Lee bass out of the stockroom. I played the Lee for one minute and put it down. I tried an American Series J-bass and put it down. When all was said and done, I walked out with the Ric. I later realized that I was enjoying the 33 1/4" scale and the wider neck wasn't that much of a problem. I liked the deeper growl I got out of the Ric and most of all, it just felt like it a much more solid bass construction-wise.

I have a Fullerton-made 62 Reissue Jazz Bass that really feels solid and a 50th Anniversary Precision Bass that I think is one of the best P-Basses I've seen in a long time as far as build quality goes, but I think Rickenbacker is far more consistent in construction quality. My 4003 is my "go-to" bass.

Of course, I made the mistake of hanging around here and learning about all the other basses Rickenbacker makes. I hate you guys .

I agree with Jeff, my first 4001 in '78 suited me down to the ground & still does. I find Rics so easy to play compared to other basses, but I suppose that I have played them for 27 years now & anything else just doesn't feel right.

Fender rant coming up......Like all guitarists & bassists, I have always held a deep respect for Fender, for obvious reasons. However, that has all but gone since my invitation to a Fender custom shop tour evening at my local gtr shop. Tickets were free, but like gold dust. Expecting to see beautiful creations that were the best that Fender craftsmen had to offer, I was amazed (disgusted) that the vast majority of guitars were jokingly described as 'relics'. Guitars deliberately messed up with crazy, crazy prices on them, some as much as £2000/2500. Even crazier is that people buy these for that sort of money. I'm sorry, but if this is state of the art custom shop, then I'll take my beautifully crafted Rickenbackers at half the price any time. What is a Fender now? What would Leo think about what has happened to his great company?

Rickenbackers are fantastic guitars/basses. BUT- fender has that kinda instant "for any player, any music" appeal for sure.

The P and J - as well as most fender design's are fantastic. And whilst ill take my 4003's anyday for the rock i play but for R&B bass i'll take my J bass with flatwounds.

Whilst Rickenbacker's are usually of amazing quality ....they are not without their quirks. My 2002 4003 had many issues - such as a ridiculously high nut, badly cut saddles, and high frets in the center of the neck. I can easily take care of these problems myself but others cant/dont want to.

My MIM fender was flawless for what it was....and my friends new MIJ jaguar is great too.