Buying a Rickenbacker bass

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GlooperGlooper Frets: 5

I’m looking for advice on buy my first Rick bass. Should I wait for the next round of new basses with the redesigned 4003 bridge?

Will this mean I’ll be waiting into 2021 before U.K dealers get any new stock , given Ricks distribution policy.

Is the bridge/tail lift such a big issue, should I go with current models with the original bridge design.   Rick are selling the new designed bridge separately and say they are a direct replacement for the older bridges albeit you need to drill new screw holes.

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    How soon do you NEED that 4003?

    My inclination would be to purchase an instrument sooner rather than later. There is no knowing how far the Pound will fall against the US Dollar. 

    The tailpiece lift on my mid/late Seventies 4001 has not changed in several years of ownership.
    Be seeing you.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Buy a second hand one as soon as possible.

    The new prices have gone bonkers and it won’t be long before used prices start to go up as well.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Tail-lift is not an issue on any of my Rics.
    If it is, you can easily pick up a replacement tailpiece and job's a good-un.
    I'd tend to buy used; there are deals to be had.
    The new bridge is an improvement and is available as a retro-fit, so you'd do as well to buy today and think about whether you need that later.
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  • Be sure to try it in person before parting with your money.

    I have come across a number of newer Rick basses (and guitars) that have just been totally underwhelming, all the more so when you look at the price tag. I've had a couple of them in recording sessions, one where we also had a Vorg by Pearl 4003 copy from the 70s, and the Vorg was just infinitely better - much nicer to play, much better sound plugged in. Interestingly, the two original Ricks have both been bought and sold second hand a number of times locally - I guess people think that they would really like one, get one and then when the honeymoon is over realise that the particular one they have is just not doing it for them. 

    That said, there are some nice ones out there too, it might take a while to find one, I suspect that when someone does find one, they hold on to it. 

    Rickenbacker make a big deal about their all-American craftsmanship etc. but they still manage to put out more than their fair share of absolute dogs
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Be sure to try it in person before parting with your money.

    I have come across a number of newer Rick basses (and guitars) that have just been totally underwhelming, all the more so when you look at the price tag. I've had a couple of them in recording sessions, one where we also had a Vorg by Pearl 4003 copy from the 70s, and the Vorg was just infinitely better - much nicer to play, much better sound plugged in. Interestingly, the two original Ricks have both been bought and sold second hand a number of times locally - I guess people think that they would really like one, get one and then when the honeymoon is over realise that the particular one they have is just not doing it for them. 

    That said, there are some nice ones out there too, it might take a while to find one, I suspect that when someone does find one, they hold on to it. 

    Rickenbacker make a big deal about their all-American craftsmanship etc. but they still manage to put out more than their fair share of absolute dogs
    I own one or two Rics and vintage Japanese copies, including a Vorg; the Vorg and all of the copies I have owned or played are nowhere near as good as any Ric I have had my hands on. 

    I’ve also never come across a dog of a Ric (talking about basses here)
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  • prowla said:

    I own one or two Rics and vintage Japanese copies, including a Vorg; the Vorg and all of the copies I have owned or played are nowhere near as good as any Ric I have had my hands on. 

    I’ve also never come across a dog of a Ric (talking about basses here)
    And that is how it should be, just in my experience it is not always the case.

    The two Rick basses were both quite heavy and dead sounding/feeling, they played alright but didn't play or sound like instruments that cost over 2 grand new.

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    edited November 2019
    Rickenbacker make a big deal about their all-American craftsmanship etc. but they still manage to put out more than their fair share of absolute dogs
    Sadly true.

    For example a 360 with a huge filled gap along the side of the neck joint that would have made a CBS Fender look precise. What was bizarre is that they'd done it in Mapleglo... if it had been Jetglo it would have been invisible. Also a Roger McGuinn with the neck fitted at the wrong angle so the bridge had to be almost down on the baseplate and was noticeably lower than the neck - very odd to play.

    Sometimes it's just final assembly and QC - I came across a 4003 not long ago where the nut had been sanded at such an angle on the bottom that the G string was buzzing on the first fret and the E was about 1/16" too high... how that got out past a simple play check I do not know. But a new nut fixed it.

    That said I've never played any copy as good as a good original.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    Rickenbacker make a big deal about their all-American craftsmanship etc. but they still manage to put out more than their fair share of absolute dogs
    Sadly true.

    For example a 360 with a huge filled gap along the side of the neck joint that would have made a CBS Fender look precise. What was bizarre is that they'd done it in Mapleglo... if it had been Jetglo it would have been invisible. Also a Roger McGuinn with the neck fitted at the wrong angle so the bridge had to be almost down on the baseplate and was noticeably lower than the neck - very odd to play.

    Sometimes it's just final assembly and QC - I came across a 4003 not long ago where the nut had been sanded at such an angle on the bottom that the G string was buzzing on the first fret and the E was about 1/16" too high... how that got out past a simple play check I do not know. But a new nut fixed it.

    That said I've never played any copy as good as a good original.
    I had to get the neck Hi-gain pickup on my 360 rewound. It was unusably muddy/furry sounding. Turns out it was massively overwound - resistance was reading 18k. A tech friend of mine opened it up to have a look and said there was so much wire on the coil it was falling off in loose strands when he opened it. Very disappointing.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    I had to get the neck Hi-gain pickup on my 360 rewound. It was unusably muddy/furry sounding. Turns out it was massively overwound - resistance was reading 18k. A tech friend of mine opened it up to have a look and said there was so much wire on the coil it was falling off in loose strands when he opened it. Very disappointing.
    A Friday afternoon pickup, if ever there was one.
    Be seeing you.
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  • 4string4string Frets: 33
    tFB Trader
    Just to follow up on the bridge comments. I replaced my 4003 bridge recently with the £120 Hipshot. I did it to be able to intonate the damn thing without wanting to do damage to inanimate objects... It is now super easy, with the unexpected extra benefit of noticeably better and more even sustain. 
    Chief Bottle Washer @ Oil City Pickups.
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  • Thanks for all the comments, that’s really helpful. Agree trying before buying is best where possible. Interesting that despite lots on the web about tail lift, it doesn’t seem to be an issue here, but I hadn’t thought about intonation improvements by changing out the bridge.

    So what would you expect to pay for a used 4003 or 4003S in standard colour(but not midnight blue), in good nick?  


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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    4string said:
    to be able to intonate the damn thing 
    To this end, I purchased some "upgrade" parts from Rickysounds. Allen key intonation screws and another pair of grub screws that allow the entire saddle section to be slid upwards for easier access without altering the intonation distances. 


    Be seeing you.
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  • pauladspaulads Frets: 494
    Glooper said:
    Thanks for all the comments, that’s really helpful. Agree trying before buying is best where possible. Interesting that despite lots on the web about tail lift, it doesn’t seem to be an issue here, but I hadn’t thought about intonation improvements by changing out the bridge.

    So what would you expect to pay for a used 4003 or 4003S in standard colour(but not midnight blue), in good nick?  


    I picked up a ruby red 4003s for £1000...condition virtually as new. It's a lovely bass.
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  • 4string4string Frets: 33
    tFB Trader
    Paid £1,100 in a private sale for a 'good' condition black 4003S last year. original case included, along with a curly lead :-)
    Chief Bottle Washer @ Oil City Pickups.
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    edited November 2019
    Glooper said:
    Thanks for all the comments, that’s really helpful. Agree trying before buying is best where possible. Interesting that despite lots on the web about tail lift, it doesn’t seem to be an issue here, but I hadn’t thought about intonation improvements by changing out the bridge.

    So what would you expect to pay for a used 4003 or 4003S in standard colour(but not midnight blue), in good nick?  


    You can pick up a Ric 4003 for around the £1000 mark if you keep your eyes open: this year I bought a 2010 Jetglo for that (plus £55 for a Hipshot eXtender).

    Some of the tail-lift thing is when people put high-tension ships hawsers on their Rics.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Some bridges seem weaker than others. My '73 4001 had substantial lift when I got it, which I straightened. I fitted 45-105 strings (Rickenbacker's own standard gauge) and within a couple of years the lift had started to come back. I've now made a small 'tailpiece' a bit like a miniature Fender bridge which fits inside the hollow casting and is screwed to the body, which has fixed it permanently without needing to change the bridge.

    I've never had any problem with the intonation on mine either. It's not the easiest thing to set I agree - you need to raise the bridge far enough to get at the screws, then lower it again, and repeat multiple times if you didn't get it right, which is a faff - but once set it's never needed adjusting again.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • p_jay78p_jay78 Frets: 182
    I bought a 4003 new in 2015 and it was absolutely killer with no issues at all to report. Well, except the nut fell out the first time I put new strings on it! 

    I had to get Ruby as at the time there were no Jetglo or Mapleglo ones anywhere and the lead times were comical
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    ICBM said:
    Some bridges seem weaker than others. My '73 4001 had substantial lift when I got it, which I straightened. I fitted 45-105 strings (Rickenbacker's own standard gauge) and within a couple of years the lift had started to come back. I've now made a small 'tailpiece' a bit like a miniature Fender bridge which fits inside the hollow casting and is screwed to the body, which has fixed it permanently without needing to change the bridge.

    I've never had any problem with the intonation on mine either. It's not the easiest thing to set I agree - you need to raise the bridge far enough to get at the screws, then lower it again, and repeat multiple times if you didn't get it right, which is a faff - but once set it's never needed adjusting again.
    The later 4001 bridges had minimal splines between the string routes inside the tailpiece; they are more substantial on the 4003.

    I’ve been meaning to hack a sub-assembly inside a tailpiece; that’s really what RIC have done with the new assembly, where the chrome top is really just a cover over the bare metal screwed in tailpiece and doesn’t hold the strings. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    prowla said:

    I’ve been meaning to hack a sub-assembly inside a tailpiece; that’s really what RIC have done with the new assembly, where the chrome top is really just a cover over the bare metal screwed in tailpiece and doesn’t hold the strings. 
    I haven't seen the new RIC one yet, but this is what I did to mine...



    The strings run through the holes in the original tailpiece first, then through this. It's made from a piece of the trim strip from the sides of a Peavey bass combo speaker grille :).

    Also note the hilarious 'precision' of the original body rout!

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    You should sue RIC for that design. ;)
    Be seeing you.
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