Rickenbacker 4003 Bass

feb. 2001 made in america. 21 frets 4 string

sounds good playing a variety of rock and roll tunes. it has 2 tone and bass controls for each pick up.you can play songs from a high treble "play that funky music white boy" to a deep "black sabbath" groan

i got this bass still in the shipping box from a local guitar shop direct from Rickenbacker.i took it out and was ready to play. i didnt even have to tune it. the action was is so sweet.nothing at all wrong with this bass.

this bass will last a life time. everything is perfect on it.

i have emailed customer service with a few questions and they reply imediately

i have been playing off and on for nearly 20 years. mostly for my own enjoyment. my first bass was a `68 p bass. it wont EVER get lost. but if it is ever stolen i pitty the fool.i love the treble with the constant deep punch of the bass pickups. i dont hate anything about this bass.i tried everything out there to be sure i just wasnt partcial to ric`s. from bc rich to gibson to obviously fender. ( i wish i knew what happened to fender, even the american made ones, they all sucked)

Maple neck-through. 2 single coil passive p/u's. Midnight Blue (Almost Purple), with black binding. Inlays on neck.

What else can I say, it's a Rick. I bought it used, and it had really, really, really old rusted/dirty round wounds. I loved the sound, but when I went to tune them after I cleaned a little of the gunk off, one of the strings broke. I know all true Rick fans will hate me for this one, (but try it before you curse me), I strung it with flat wounds. It has the best "Thump" of all my basses.

The neck is great. The action is really nice and low. You have to get a little use to it, but after that, it plays like a dream. I had to take the plastic guard off the bridge pick-up. Its just a lot easier to play that way.

I've only had it for 3 months now, but as I said, I bought it used and it looked like it went through a little "Stage Rage". A few dents, paint scrapes, things like that, and it still plays and sounds great.

I've never had to deal with them, but some friends of mine said they were great. So, I'll put a good word in for them.

I love this bass. I am running it through an Ampeg SVP-II Pro pre-amp. From there, into a Carvin XC-3000 crossover, into an Alesis 3630 Compressor. From the high end, I go to a Carvin XP2 processor then into the amp. From the low end, I go straight to the amp, a DCM1000, 1000 watt power amp. I am running that into a Carvin RL-210T 2X10 cab and a Carvin RL-115 1X15 cab. That way the high end has the effect, but the low end stayed nice and clean. Its a bit of a set-up, but it sounds fantastic.

I own 3 Ric basses, and want more. The one I'm reviewing here was born in May of 1995, at Ric's skunkworks in CA. I'm the original owner. It's a standard 4003. This one's jetglo (black) with white binding and plastics, chrome hardware. 20 frets (very nicely finished and crowned from the factory), rosewood fretboard (with pearloid trapezoidal "shark fin" position inlays) which is laquered, 4-string with non-locking Kluson style reverse-wound tuners, large tailpiece but with a two-point floating bridge (Rics are So strange!), thinline solid body maple with maple 1-piece neck-through-body and dual truss rods, 2x Ric "button" pasive but very high gain/output single coil pickups, 3-way selector switch, vol and tone for each pickup (arranged "upside-down", with volume below tone), stereo output (though I only play it in mono). Go to www.rickenbacker.com/ to check out their instruments.

A Ric neck is very similar to a Fender P-bass in width at nut, but they are narrower at the heel (and with a much more sculpted heel) and are "flatter" top to bottom. But if you've played a P-bass, a Ric will feel familiar. Similar in tone and balance, with more wood and growl than, a Jazz Bass.

Came in a hardshell molded plastic case (black interior, with very little storage space), polishing cloth, instruction manual, and case lock key. This is a VERY secure case, and much improved over the Ric bass cases up to the early '80s.

I give Rics a '9' on features. Everything you need but no gizmos. Changing strings is a snap (not through-body stiging) but because they have a floatin bridge, don't remove all the strings at once (it's also hard on your guitar's neck to remove them all). It is not possible to set each string height individually - the entire floating bridge adjusts on 2 screws - but the bridge is rounded to match the fretboard radius. It seems that a Ric wouldn't have all that much sustain, because of the floating bridge, but they have sustain for DAYS, and lots of punch.

Rics can suit almost any style. Notice I said "almost". I'll begin with what they *don't* do well.

They are a hard and brittle bass in construction, and this means they are not fogiving of any misfrets. Also, they are inherently noisy (clicky) when played hard, as the strings tend to hit the 20th fret. On a Fender, this yields a great "chiming"/popping tone but an a Ric it is just plain an annoying click/clank. My advice is to remove the bridge pickup plastic chrome cover (cosmetic only) so that you can finger pick over the breidge pickup, so as to lesson the string play and the "clicking". Rickenbacker basses are not usually considered snap-and-pop funk basses. Where a J-bass (even a P-bass) yields a great tone when slapped, a Ric just balks. Some people might have the touch for this to work on a Ric - I certainly don't. But that's not what Rics sound great at anyway. The "button" single coild pickups have WAY more output than a Jazz Bass, so be prepared for some noise and for LOTS of noise if you are under neon signs. Also, when finger picked, the neck pickup can be (and often IS) muddy with a capitol MUD. If not EQd properly, Rics can be extremely BOOMy. They are NOT a bass for the beginner, nor are they for everybody. And they are certainly not a "do it all" instrument.

There, I hope I scared some of you away from betting a Ric so that I can own more!

What they do EXTREMELY well: When EQ'd properly (scooped, cut some bass - they have plenty of that) a Rickenbacker sounds like NOTHING else. This is a good thing - no, a great thing! AUTHORITATIVE tone. More growl and wood than a Jazz, more sustain and honey than a Precision. Full and bright tone. Very versatile. There's a huge tonal palette with those 2 single coils. Unbelieveable sustain! They have also got to be THE fastest, easiest to play necks on the planet. With the neck-through and all maple construction they give a LOT of punch and ringing attack, great tonal definition. And it sounds GREAT, whatever style I'm playing (except funk/slap).

I play or have played (studio and/or gig): country-western, classic (50s - 80s) rock, Beatles covers, Irish pub music, indie art rock, jazz. At all these, my Rics excel.

My current rig is the Ric through an Ashdown ABM-500 "bass magnifier" and into a David Eden 410XLT cabinet (no effects). OK, I get to brag here: IT SOUNDS LIKE GOD.

Factory set-up was very good. Rickenbacker does the best job in the production guitar business, better than most boutiques, at the 3 F's: fit, finish, and fretwork. Rickenbacker basses can acheive incredibly low action, and I have a very light touch so I have mine pretty darned low. I run GHS Boomer 40-95s (lights) on it. There were NO FLAWS of ANY KIND. Incredible!

Unlike on my Fenders, I do not attempt to do my own set-ups on my Rics. That dual truss rod thing is just too bizarre, and too easy to screw up. But when they are RIGHT, there is NOTHING better.

This is THE guitar I grab when going to play live. It is my 1st choice, period. It can be a bit noisy in the studio (single coil hum) but it has a tone that makes you sit up and take notice. I've played Ric basses (as well as Fenders, and others) for 20 years and have had NO PROBLEMS of ANY KIND with ANY Rickenbacker instrument. ROCK SOLID. Stays in tune. Keeps a set-up. ABSOLUTELY DEPENDABLE. Unless I have a reason to gig with a 2nd instrument (a Fender for some tunes) I don't carry a backup. In 20 years of playing I've never needed a backup for a Ric. I've had P-bass and J-bass pickups go dead, had tuners fail, had pots die - but never on any Rickenbacker.

I have good gear, and I take pretty good care of it. I play live quite a bit, and have to rely on my gear. Stuff happens. But I've never had ANY problems with ANY RIC.

Rics have very small strap buttons. I recommend strap locks. I don't use them, but I'm very easy on my instruments and don't jump around. But I have knocked my basses off the buttons before (thank goodness I caught them!).

The finish is bullet-proof(+). It's been in every kind of meteorological condition, played and sweated on for hours at a time, often 4 days a week. I change strings, and sometimes I even wipe it down. I've NEVER polished it. It still looks absolutely brand new. It's still absolutely rock-solid.

+ Word of warning: do NOT put anything with chlorine (either to clean or to hold the instrument) near your Ric's finish! I've never done it, but I've seen it on other instruments. OUCH! Melts it.

I've had pleasurable experiences with Rickenbacker, the 3 times I have contacted them. But that was DECADES ago. I've sent off 2 letters (asking for serial number information) and called once (regarding vintage instruments). They returned my letters promptly - and they weren't form letters. The person I spoke to on the phone (after a 10 second wait) was nice and friendly and helpful (they don't sell or track vintage instruments - sorry). But that was so many years ago I can't justify an opinion.

It should speak well that in 20 years, total, of owning and playing Rickenbacker basses, I have NEVER had to contact them about ANY kind of problem!

I can't remember exactly what I paid (I think it was around $800) but whatever the price it's been worth every penny. This is my favorite tool. It plays instinctively. The scale is different than a Fender and plays much "tighter" and easier, with a lighter touch needed.

I've been a bass player for 20 years. I own other Rics (3), plus Fender basses (4), Yamaha (1) and Hofner (1). They all have been gigged and recorded with. But this 4003/JG is by far my favorite, 1st choice instrument. This 4003 is better than my other 4003/S, but actually is NOT as good a bass as my '86 4001! But this is the one I grab on instinct most every time I head out the door. It feels, fits, looks, plays and sounds PERFECT.

If it were lost/stolen/destroyed I'd cry. I have other Rics to play, but I'd start looking right away for a replacement 4003 or 4001/V63. This one is a GREAT bass. It plays itself, sounds fantastic, is versatile, is absolutely reliable, and still looks new after 6 years. If that's not perfect, I don't know what is.

If you are in the market for a bass guitar, I'm not recommending you just go out and buy a Ric. Read my "Features" and "Sound" sections of this report. They are NOT for everybody and if you are heavy-handed they will balk and sound like crap. But, please do check them (4003, 4001/V63) out for the TONE, the fit and finish and quality of construction and attention to detail. They are individually made, so each one feels different from another - so try out a few. And then remember that these are production instruments! Ric constructs and finishes about 12 instruments at a time - and the attention to detail and pride shows. Try one out, and see what you think. Fellow bassists that I've asked to try out Rics scoffed at first - until they picked one up and played it. Then they have nothing but good things to say, even if it's not the bass for them. I play other basses and Rics are my favorite.

Created in California (as are all Ricks) in May of 1995, jetglo (black) with white binding and chrome hardware, trapezoidal fret inlays, stereo (Rick-O-Sound, never used) or mono output, 4-sring, VERY solid body (all maple with rosewood fretboard), 21 medium frets, Kluson-style reverse-wound tuners, 2 single-coils with 3-position toggle switch, volume and tone pot for each pickup (upside-down: volumes are the lower knobs).

It's a stock, black 4001 - if you don't know the features or what it looks like, visit www.rickenbacker.com.

I purchased it new, but cannot remember what I paid for it. Came with a molded case and polishing cloth. Whatever I paid, it's been worth every penny and then some.

I give it a 9 for features not because it has every bell and whistle ever invented for a bass, but because I can't think of a way of making it better except possibly for it to have J-bass controls (vol/vol/tone). Also because the instructions for filling out a review say "Superficial, glowing reviews will not be published." This review is glowing, but it is NOT superficial.

I own 3 Ric basses (this 4003JG, a 4001MB and a 4003S/MG - plus a few Fenders and others). The 4001 is the best instrument I own but I don't gig with it. I play the 4003 the most, by far, of any of my basses. It is my 1st choice for whatever music I'm playing or project I'm working on - and I actually get requested by musicians and sound men to play it, it sounds THAT good. It feels, plays, sounds and IS exactly right. It plays itself and all I have to do is drive it from place to place and plug it in. If that's not a "10" I don't know what is.

DISCLAIMER: All Rickenbacker instruments are, to a great extent, hand-made (at least, hand-finished). This means each one will feel a little different. I've found some 4003's with thicker, rounder necks than others (I prefer the wide, shallow/thin necks) and some that had very high action due to the factory cut of the nut. If you are one of those enlightened individuals who are looking to acquire a Rickenbacker bass, try as many out as you can (just like with any manufacturer). Not all Rickenbackers are perfect: just most of them are near-perfect. A good 4001 has to be THE fastest bass in the known universe. A good 4003 is probably the 2nd-fastest.

General neck dimensions are (on paper) the same as a Fender Precision. And some of the rounder, fatter Rick necks do feel (and play) like a P-bass. Same width at the nut. But the radius seems flatter on a Rick, the neck IS slightly narrower at the heel (which, being neck-through, is much more comfortable than any bolt-on), and the best ones (to me) have much flatter thinner "C" neck depths than Fenders (which are generally rounder). Slightly different scale as well, and I find the Rickembacker more comfortable to play plus, using the exact same gauge of strings between the 2 the Rick's strings seem to feel "tighter" and much less loose and floppy than a P-bass. The fretwork is MUCH superior on a Rickenbacker. Lacquered necks, and lacquer over the fingerboard. Admittedly, the looks are aggressive and I will sometimes favor playing a P-bass if the gig is "more subdued"/acoustic or if there's a high probibility of beer or other projectiles being cast at the band. God, I hate those gigs. Those people don't deserve to hear a Rickenbacker anyway.

I love this bass. I'm changing my rating back to "10".

My current rig is an Ashdown ABM-500 "bass magnifier" through a David Eden 410XLT cabinet. No effects. With any of my Rics plugged in and the EQ scooped (roll off the bass a bit), it is my opinion that this is what the voice of GOD must be like.

Yes, the pickups are single coils. Yes, they hum. And in all honesty, if the (small) venue has me standing under more than one neon sign I will often opt to play a Precision. But in most situations, as with any single-coil pickup, once you play the hum is not heard.

Incredible rich, ringing, "woody", growly (in the best possible way), sweet, * authoritative * tone. Great description: authoritative. I'm a finger player, and play between the pickups not at the bridge , and the neck-through construction, all-maple neck and body and the high-output single coils give me great punch and crisp attack without being overly brittle or muddy. But the bass CAN get very muddy - with my technique, anyway - and very brittle so watch your EQs on your amp. This is NOT a slap-and-pop funk bass, as it is far too hard, bright and brittle-sounding when played that way (get a Jazz Bass if that's your style). Rickenbacker basses are not very forgiving of sloppy technique - if you mis-fret, you and everybody else will hear it. But it is (to everyone else's astonishment, not mine) an incredibly versatile instrument with a wide range of tones. If you haven't heard a Rick bass (and you have, but you might not know it), I describe it as a better, ballsier Jazz Bass. Sorry, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (I play your products as well, so I think I'm a fair comparitor).

I play, or have played, country and/or western (both kinds of music, my a@@), original art rock ala King Crimson, Irish/Celtic "bad Irish pub music" with a rock bent (studio and gig work for all of those), indie rock (studio soon!), Beatles cover band (sharing time with a Hofner), a rock cover band that was primarily based on RUSH and Police tunes, some jazz and "praise and worship music". A Rick can and will cover it all - except the slap-and-pop style, as discussed. And it will not just "cover", it will excel. It can and will fit in to so many styles - yet it always sounds like a Rickenbacker. That is a wonderful and glorious thing.

Lots of Rick bass players out there are Chris Squire (YES) fanatics or Geddy Lee (RUSH) accolytes, and make use (sometimes TOO much) of the high-end sonic range of these guitars. There is SO more to them than "Roundabout" or "Spirit of Radio", tone-wise. For you jazz players, can you say "wood" and "growl"? And if you want it to sound like an upright, use the built-in bridge mute! For you country and/or western players, take the round solid fundamental bass tone of a Precision and add a bit more tonal definition and twice the sustain. For you rockers out there, of every generation, these basses have more balls and "in your face" tone and attitude than you probably need.

Factory set up was, as I remember, a tad high but very good. I have a very light touch so I can get away with pretty low action. And most Ricks can achieve incredibly low action. Fretwork (installation and crowning finish) is impeccable.

Neck is straight as a board (no pun intended) and rarely rarely rarely needs the truss rods tweaked. When it does, I take it to a trusted guitar tech/luthier. I'll take an allen wrench to any Fender and not care, but I don't trust myself with a Rick and they mean that much to me that I don't work on them myself! These "tune-ups" occur maybe once or twice a year. Stays set-up, stays in tune. Period.

Rickenbackers just OOZE quality and attention to detail. They are not just instruments, they are works of art. Fit, finish, nut, hardware, routing, pickups (installation, height), binding, fingerboard inlays and controls were and still are all PERFECT. I, like many 4003 players, removed the pseudo-horseshoe-looking bridge pickup cover plastic thingie from all my Rick basses.

Even though they look absolutely gorgeous and delicate, they are NOT flimsy. The finish looks as good today as the day I bought it. The hardware is just as bright. This bass gets gigged: sweat on for hours, hauled around from freezing to stifling, wet to dry to wetter (I live around Portland, OR). It's a working guitar. I take pretty good care of if, and even wipe it down sometimes and I make sure nothing crashes into it. But I have never polished any of my Ricks (I have a 330FG as well), and you'd never know they weren't brand-spanking new. I don't know what voodoo Rickenbacker does to their people and materials but the end product is absolutely incredible.

Even if you are not in the market for a Rickenbacker but have read this review, please just your next trip to the music store: check out a Rickenbacker and compare its quality to Fender, Gibson or anybody. Then check the prices. Then, stand in amazement and wonder.

If you haven't already gathered, I am a gigging, working part time musician (meaning, I have a day job). This 4003JG gets played. It gets played a lot. Unless I specifically have a gig that calls for music that I feel requires a Fender (or, as stated, I'm under more than 1 neon sign and it's a very small venue), this 4003JG gets the call and goes it with no back-up. I trust these instruments and have years of experience on which to base that trust. I don't need a back-up.

I've been playing Rickenbacker basses since (gulp!) 1980 and I have NEVER needed a back-up for a Rick. I've had pickups and pots die on P- and J-basses, had tuners come lose on Yamahas. I've never broken a neck or headstock (yet - but I'm pretty easy on my instruments) but I have knocked bolt-on necks out of alignment (great thing about Fender - just knock it back!). I have NEVER had ANY problem of ANY kind with ANY Rickenbacker. I broke 1 string, once, at a rehearsal in 1984 (on my arctic white 4001, which I still miss with all my heart - it was stolen, along with a pre-CBS P-bass - and all I miss is the '72 4001). That's it. That is the full extent of "problems" that I have experienced with a Rickenbacker bass: NONE.

Rickenbackers look like the delicate ballet dancers of the guitar world, but they are absolutely reliable, dependable and tough as nails. I can't even imagine how much playing it must take to rub away some of the finish! I've had this 4003JG for almost 6 years and it's as good as new. Incredible!

Rickenbacker has this thing about tiny strap buttons. I'm a big guy and don't jump around, so they work fine for me and I've never had one come lose (I have knocked my bass off the strap, however). But I would recommend strap locks.

I've written 2 letters to Rickenbacker Instrument Corporation over the course of 20 years. Both, they answered within a business week (given a week for regular mail transit). In the 1st letter I asked the year of my 4001 (arctic white, which I bought used and was the finest instrument I've ever owned). Obviously, this was way before Al Gore invented the internet (yeah, right). In the 2nd letter I wrote to praise their products and to ask that they change their instrument cases to better support the neck of the guitar. They wrote back thanking me for my praise (no form letter here) and said that they had already changed the cases to better protect the entire instrument. The black molded modern Rickenbacker cases are the result of that change (had nothing to do with me - I just brought it up). I think that was in the late 1980's. I've also called them, looking for information about vintage instruments sales (which they don't do). I talked to an actual person after a hold of about 10 seconds, and they were polite, friendly and seemed to enjoy working for RIC. I remember that the person alluded to the paint crew being at the beach right now, or something. That was years ago and they are probably more "professional" now. I enjoyed the call. Other than that, I've never NEEDED to contact them.

I'm familiar with a few techs and guitar salespersons, and they have mentioned that RIC is not perfect and sometimes a unit comes in that is seriously flawed (usually from shipping or storage - don't put anything with chlorine in contact with your Rick's finish!). Those individuals have indicated that Rick backs their product, and takes back and replaces any damaged goods. Any such damage/warranty work must be shipped back to Rickenbacker in CA.

One reviewer of Rick guitars in this forum mentioned that Rickenbacker should have authorized repair facilities throughout the USA. I do not agree with that reviewer. Rickenbacker assembles and finishes (paints) 10 to 12 instruments at a time. They are NOT a huge mass-production machine like Fender. And they don't have mass-production qualities like easily-replaced bolt-on necks. It seems to me that Rickenbacker wants its' customers to be amazed at their quality. Anything bad enough to warrant warranty work would likely damage the finish - and Ricks should be near-perfect, at least. So I think it right that Rickenbacker would want the damaged instrument back to replace it, if nothing else. My opinion.

I'm giving them a "10" based on the 3 times I have actually contacted them, plus the fact that NONE of those contacts were because of a problem.

I've been a bass player since 1980 when I heard RUSH, "Free Will", and decided I HAD to play whatever the heck that was! After only a few months of playing (Peavy T-40, baby) I stumbled across a used, beat-to-hell with cigarette burns galore, rusted brown and hairy with mold strings (I'm not lying) arctic white (fading to yellow) with black binding and plastics (chrome hardware) Rickenbacker 4001. I knew Geddy Lee played a Rick 4001, so I had to have one. This one was in a pawn shop / hardware store in Longview, TX, and the proprietors did not know the 1st thing about Rickenbackers. It felt like nothing I had held before (Peavy, Fender) and I KNEW that this was a great, if neglected, instrument. I plugged it in to the "Rick-O-Sound" input to try it out and (low and behold!) the bridge pickup just didn't work! The shop, not knowing any better, assumed it was damaged and so gave me a tremendous deal just to get some cash out of a "broken" beat up guitar. Don't try this con in the big city, where they understand how stereo inputs work! I played it for years with no back up and only later along side a pre-CBS P-bass. Both were stolen and I still mourn the 4001.

I've invited fellow bassists to try out a Rick, especially the "new" 4001V63 (I want one, but can't justify it yet). The comments range from "Better than I expected - it's really a nice instrument" at the low end, to "WOW! What an amazing bass!" and "Amazing tone! My God!". These comments come from Ken Smith and Fender American Deluxe players. I haven't sold one yet, per se, but I've got quite a few locals players admiring them and recognizing how many recordings have been made with Rick basses.

But they are not for everybody. And it's fine that not everybody has or plays a Rickenbacker - it makes them that much more special. And, honestly, if someone is starting out and needs a single instrument to cover all the "bases", I wouldn't recommend a Rickenbacker. I would, and have (many times), recommended a Jazz Bass. I no longer play J-basses, prefering P-basses and my trusty Rickenbackers. What can I say? I'm a wide neck nut.

If this particular 4003 was lost/stolen/destroyed I would be very angry. Every instrument is different and this one would be hard to replace. But I would look around and "feel" them all and would likely find a 4003 just as nice. Maybe even better.

I own (and play, from time to time):
Fender - P/J "California Special" that I've ripped off the Jazz neck in favor of a Fender '57 reissue P-bass neck,
Fender - P/J with fretless Jazz Bass neck,
Fender - 1957 reissue P-bass,
Fender - Mexican Standard P-bass (for outdoor raining gigs or beer-throwing gigs - I hate those),
Yamaha - BB1600,
Hofner - 1967 5000/1 (with oatmeal "thud" tone),
Rickenbacker 4001,
Rickenbacker 4003S,
and this Rickenbacker 4003.

Dual truss rods, rosewood fingerboard, fine hardwood single piece construction, mirror-like finish, separate volume and tone for each pick-up, etc., etc., etc.. What more do you need?

I play several styles, but mostly hard rock, punk fusion, and some soft jazz. The 4003 works great for all of these styles. I use the 4003 with a Trace-Elliot combo amp. I pre-amp it with a vintage Bass Rockman, which has a mild chorus and good compression already built into it, with optional KILLER distortion. The sound is large, versatile, and unique. It sounds great on stage and in studio. What I like most about it is the Rick-O-Sound feature, which I use to run separate effect loops from each pick-up. Through the treble pickup I run modulation effects (stereo chorus, flange, and slap echo), and through the bass pick-up I run another chorus, EQ (for punch), and digital delay. The possibilities when using this are infinite. Just don't buy the overpriced Rick-O-Sound cord for this. A Y-Jack with a Hosa dual cable works just as well for this.
In sum, I love the sound produced from the 4003 and the versatility it has to expand on it. No other bass I have played comes close.

I bought my 4003 several years ago, and received it fresh from the factory with absolutely no flaws. Like fine wine, it has only gotten better with age. It has taken a lot of abuse from touring and bar-banding, and held up well. The only suggestion I have is to have an authorized dealer do the repair/maintenance work on it. The last time I had it re-strung and the intonation adjusted at a non-Rick shop, the action was set so high that I could not play it and it would not tune accurately.

As I said, this bass is solid as a rock. I have never used a back-up, even when I broke a string during a performance (just play it with three and get on with it!). I have played it all over the country. It has been dropped, kicked, left out in 110' Phoenix sunshine, and still looks and plays brand new.

The company always returns my calls and responds to my mail requests immediately. The Rick web site is awesome, with specs on all parts and the ability to order them.

I have been playing for over 22 years. I have owned a P-Bass, a Jazz Bass, and a Peavey Bass, but gave them up when I discovered the wonders of the Rick 4003. If it were stolen or lost, I would replace it in a heartbeat, regardless of cost. There is none like it!

The absolute coolest bass in the world. Now when it comes to fingerboards I don't usually like maple...but with maple with a satin finish can't get much better. It has bass/treble volume and tone nobs, for a very wide range of sound.

I got this bass for the sound, I'm not gonna kid anyone about that. The mid-range punch of this bass is amazing. I play mostly dream-pop/shoegazer stuff, and the Ric through my SWR cuts through prefectly. Best bass I've ever heard period.

The action was great I got it. A lot of people seem to think the pickup cover gets in the way, but I always play behind it and never had a problem. This color is amazing. I got the Jetglo, I was considering midnight blue, but it wasn't dark enough for me. When it comes to Rickenbacker you can't beat Jetglo

I haven't had it that long, but I think it's pretty sturdy. I would gig with my Epi Viola bass as a backup, only because I want different sounds for some songs.

Never had to deal with them so I can't give you a rating, but I know that Rickenbacker is a small little company and I'm sure they would take care of any problems I might have.

It's been my dream bass since I started playing. I mean it's a Rickenbacker! When I got it, I thought it was pretty insane...me with a Ric, who would have thunk it?

I'll just submit a single review for two 4003 Rics that I own...91 Mapleglo/98 Midnight Blue. Features....hmmmm....just your basic 4003's, nothing special added. I do prefer the newer SKB case to the older style...it takes more of a beating (without tearing the tolex, since there is none) and is noticably lighter a 3am after a gig.

My rig is an Ampeg SVP-Pro preamp, Ashley 1000 watt power amp, and an EV 4-10 cabinet (and various effects). The sound is sweet perfection. The sustain, growl, punch and tone are unbeatable. The lows are low and non-muddy and the highs are clear and bright. The best part is the sound is so unique to a Ric that it makes it's presence known without drowning out anyone else in the band. It's tone cuts through the mix to be heard but not at all overpowering. I play in a Metallica tribute band (also some Pantera, White Zombie, Motorhead, etc.) and there is no other choice for a bass for me. I've had other brands of basses (alot) and they are all gone (except for my 1st) because the Rics are perfect for my style and taste.

Both basses were set up well fom the factory, any instrument is going to need some tweaking to set it up perfect for you and Rics are no different. This is where my one minor complaint comes to mind....that damn bridge....once it is set, it never needs to be touched again....ever, but it is a pain to adjust. Don't get me wrong, I love the looks and it is a "set and forget" bridge and I wouldn't change it....but all that being said, I hated to do the initial adjustments. The finish on both Rics was excellent from the factory, Rickenbacker has an excellent paint process that is obvious to anyone that views the mirror finish. The 91 Mapleglo arrived as ordered in perfect condition and almost 10 years later, the only flaws are that the finish is wearing slightly in "high use areas" but this only lends to the character. The 98 Midnight Blue is a different story. I fell in love with it for it's beautiful color and wanted it for an upcoming gig (at the time). It wasn't until I got it home that I noticed that several of the fret markers were cracked and there was a small dent/paint crack in an obvious part on the face. I was already "bonded" to this bass and instead of reurning it to the store, I opted to keep it and have it repaired later. I don't know if it came like this from the factory, if it happened during shipping, storage or display at the store.

I have subjected these fine instruments to conditions which they should never see. I have spilled beer on them, cut my hand during a set and bled on them, and at show I think the 91 Mapleglow may have been vomited on (I'm not sure exactly what it was, but it sure looked like puke). Nothing ever needs adjusted. They always sound excellent and there is no issue with dependability. The finish wearing that I mentioned above has been through extreme hard usage and my aggressive playing...I would expect no other finish that looks as good as a Rics to last any longer. I replaced the Ric strap buttons with Dunlop strap locks, just because I like 'em. I don't think there is a more durable and reliable bass made. No batteries, no complex wiring, no active gadgets, neck through construction, dual truss rods, need I say more??????

They have been helpful with the planning of me sending in the 98 Midnight Blue for the problems described above. We'll see if the 5 year warranty is void because of some stupid reason once they get my bass. Other than that, no opinion

I have been playing for 15-ish years and have had many other basses. As far as the styling and the sound goes, either you like it or you don't. If you like it, you will not be disappointed in the purchase of a Ric. I have sold all of my other basses because they are not necessary anymore, yet I always want another Ric (Just bought a used 4003S-5 :-). I had other wonderful basses and once I got my first Ric, I just didn't want to play the others anymore, they made me feel cheap.

It's a regular 4003 produced 1998 with all the known features.
I like the strap lock pins (Schaller like)come with it from the factory, so no need to change some weird strap pins. The bass p.u. handrest IS PLASTC !!! (had some old 4001 with metal one). Although I removed it anyway, this change from metal to plastic makes the bass appear cheap! But it reduces the weight as the given specifications (9lbs)are easyly overrun by 2-3lbs in some pieces. I'm lucky - I got a light 4003. The other ones not only hurt your underarm with the sharp body binding but also your shoulder after playing a 2hrs set. The pick up switch tends to surprise you by slapping back to the middle position when touched by chance during playing. The neck string saddle positions the G-string too close to the fingerboard edge and not 100% over the p.u. pole pieces. I fixed it right and had to remove a bit of the low string side. Eversince the setting is near perfect. I agree with all others: The original bridge is an unacceptable relict of the past. I exchanged it with a replacement Rick bridge copy of "ALL PARTS" from the guitar shop "Rockhaus", Milwaukee. That's the best one can do. Came with a nice siver, but heavy OHSC.

I play the 4003 over a customized (EV15-B) Peavey TKO-80 combo. Every grafic-eq-parameter flat main bass control +3dB (2 o'clock), main treble control 0 (12 o'clock). This really rings, growls, bangs,... with an endless sustain!!!
About the versatility of the sounds: I don't know about the other Rick player in the survey what kind of strings they use, but A RICK NEEDS NICKEL STRINGS! They give THE SOUND!! My bass has very different sounds in the 3 p.u. selector positions: from near P-Bass to near active Alembic pick, also different for finger picking, tapping, slapping and plektrum . It is more sensible and versatile than my other 4 string MusicMan (active, incl. a custom 3-way selector like the 5-string version).
I use it for all kind of Rock, Blues and Gospel. Life, it can be located easily, gives a clear cut through all instruments and supports the band with a pound of bass that is round, but does not drown any other instrument of the band. No studio exerience with it.

I don't know about the factory string settings, but most of the 4003/4001 seem to have a too high one. The neck has to be set very carefully and exact for a suitable lower string setting. As the old 4001 necks tend to separate from the fingerboard when you tighten the truss rods for straightening, the necks of the 4003 bend aside left or right, depending on what truss rod you tighten more. That implicates an additional problem with the E or G string regarding their p.u. polepiece position (see above). But when I finally got the neck right it plays fast and like butter, with no buss, even when slapping or tapping.
The wood and its fireglo finish are marvellous, but sadly: it's UV protected, so the finish does not age by darkening (the 4001 fireglo finish had that pretty effect).

The overall construction is durable and solid. The p.u. selector switch is already a bit loose in the single p.u. positions compared to the middle position. If I wouldn't had the hand rest of the bass p.u. demounted, this cheap plastic piece would already be broken during slapping. Truss rods, once they're in right neck position, never need to be adjusted, only if you change to a very thick gauge 105+ to 55. The bridge basic plate material is a bit too soft, I experience when fitting the ALL PARTS Rick bridge into it and extending the holes of the screw for height adjustment.
For life purpose I don't use a back up as I keep my basses constantly in working condition (this one doesn't even need a battery).

One of the knobs (bass tone) is double, so I ordered the bass volume knob about half a year ago. Since today the general dealer for germany (Warwick) didn't get it. Asking about the oddity that the tone blend of one p.u. effects both p.u. when the selector switch is in the middle position (did anybody else realize that??), I didn't get any answer at all. But e-mail questions about the recommened strings were answered prompt.

I'm definately not one of these uncritical Rick fetishists. I tried 2 different 4001's (1 model of 1976 and one of 1978)and 2 4003's (1982), this is the best of all. If you like the sound and design (I love to play it and to look at it) it is the best bass to get!!
The company can shure be proud of the making, finish and sound of the bass, but when it comes to the constructional oddities it runs into the problem of receiving a pityingly smile. The change of the strap pins to the Schaller strap lock system and the hardware ofthe 4004 show a possible way out to newer developments. Otherwise the only future of the 4001/4003 could be as sampled sound for these PC cracks (they don't care about the originating instrument)??!!
The often critizised playability (problems with string height and neck adjustment) may only be suitable for players with the feeling of a steemhammer worker (to justify the use of such a sensible instrument by Motorheadbangers). I don't hope that this is the target customer of the marketing, but when looking at the Rick-homepage(Lemmy-spot)I get some doubts. On the other hand this would explain the factory settings and the neglectance of the constructional problems. As I play bass and know the oddities of the 4001/4003 for nearly 20 years I could adjust it to my needs by myself. If you bring it to a luthier, to get the 4003 working like mine,it can easily cost you another half grand so the price of a Rick with top playability could reach 2000,- !!!
Besides my customized MusicMan Stingray and a Squier Proton Precission 5-string with EMG active electronics (also customized) this is my main instrument, so I hardly play the Stingray any more.

This bass really plays anything:Funk, Rock, Blues, Jazz (but you need a compressor, might i recommend an ADL because Nathan East uses ADL), ska, hip-hop (but very limited usage also use comp.). With my urge as a bassist, i modified the neck pickup by adding shims to the screws so the pickup sits lower from the strings. I didn't do a sucky jobs like medeocre guitar players that lower the pickups and they hang loosely and wobble, i made the pickup stable and low so i can Slap With confidence and without that damn tapping noise! This bass is great

The only reason people say that the bass doesn't sound like squire's or lee's is because they are narrow minded! Do you think chris squire plays out of the amp you have?He plays through a $30,000 Custom rig! Also, did you know that he hooks up to sound modulators and eq's. do you really think he hooks up to an amp and thats it?Do You? Do You?! My bass sounds exactly (not over-emphasizing either) like chris squire's and I have to hook up to a digitech BP8 tube preamp, a DOD psycho-acoustic floor pedal, a DOD preamp grind pedal, a boss EQ, a boss synth, And i have to use the roto-sound and standard jacks! The only thing I need now is a sansamp DI and an Ampeg B-15 Portaflex(Ampeg is the best for prog rock along with SWR and MusicMan Amps:yes they make amps too). The people that can't get the sound honestly have to pay for it. I did and I'm only fourteen! about 1500 bucks all together (Its called sacrifice, I have no videogames, computers and sporting equipment. The pawnshop has it all now! Heh Heh, suckers!) Oh god I have no life....

There were only two reasons i bought this bass: Lee, and Squire among others (Mcartney, REM, Motorhead, etc.) and it just plain kicks beehind baby! i bought this bass after playing a fender jazz bass with a warped neck and action so high, i could put my wrist between the strings and fretboard (Fender's awesome just incase you think i'm raggin' on 'em) and i could still play "heart of the sunrise" as fast as Squire, And when i played the Rick, I didn't know that I could move that fast on the laminated frets! Heaven, pure Heaven!!!

I'm so anal about this bass but whats the point, this things laminated with titanium and chrome plated with kryptonite (metaphors, people. Metaphors)

Love it or hate it. If you love it, good for you, if you hate it, I'll smack you. I've compared it to modulus (Flea), Alembic(Emerson, Lake and Palmer), Stingray (King Crimson and SuperTramp),Fender (Mainly Grand Funk, Jethro tull), Yamaha (Nathan East, Foreplay, I'm probably gonna' get that next), Kramer (Aluminum neck bass), Gibson grabber and ripper (Led Zepplin), Hofner (just guess), Ibanez (They just suck!) and if i had a nickle for every time i said "Do you have any ricks?"

1998, Natural finish maple. Double truss rod, full scale, neck through design. It's a basic, high quality axe with the finest hardware and proven humbucker pickups. I bought it new. I'm afraid to try the stereo output because I might like it and have to buy another amp. It comes in a case that will fully protect it and hold up to airline baggage handling gorillas.

Nothing sounds like a Rick. It's great for fingers, slap, tap, pluck, ghost notes, etc. I have yet to find it's limits. Driving the sound through an SWR 350 & a Gloiath cabinet I can set of burglar alarms on cars 3 blocks away and kill small amimals with ease. After 34 years of bass experience I can truely say this is the finest instrument I have ever picked up and believe me, I have picked up a bunch!

As near as I can tell it is perfect. I can't find even a tiny flaw. The action was set up perfect right from the factory. I like a low action. The intonation is also very close. I have small hands so the slender neck suits me to a "T". If your knuckles drag the ground this may not be the bass for you.

I can unplug it in the middle of a preformance, take it outside, bust all the windows out of three sedans with it, walk back in, plug it in and finish the preformance, without retuning it. In short it is built like a jackhammer.

No dealings with them yet.

As soon as I get a few more coins saved up I plan to buy a Rick 5 string. If I have two of them I can use them for loading ramps for my dragster in between gigs. I started out with some of the fender junk back in the 60's. I've played everything except for a few of the newer brands.