Rickenbacker 4003 Bass

Rickenbacker 4003 burgundyglo, 1981
20 frets, tone and volume control for each pickup, 2 single coil original ric pu's. Modified: stero/mono switch- you can use two normal mono cables to run it "ric-o-sound" which sound really great especially with the neck pu "dry" and the middle pu with wahwah or anything else.
everything on this bassgutar is original (except for that stero switcht)
I give a 9 because of the great "STEREO" sound

I play many different music styles from heavy old school rock (sabbath) to nu metal and they all told me it sound great. sometimes it gets noisy when i hit the strings very hard, but that is obvious.
Likes: Sounds very cool. Thru the right amp configuration it sounds aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa great. i played thru a 8x10. sounded great.
i play thru a 1x15 with an old 100Watt tube amp - great sound
well- if you like that ric sound (I do) you'll love it...
I give an 8 because sometimes i have hum on it on live gigs (not in the rehearsal room) when there are a lot of lights switching on/off
No- it sound fantastic---10

I bought is used in 2003.
I put flatwound strigs on it an sewt it up for my needs. So i can't tell if it was set up well by rickenbacker people.
After 22 years the finish has marks that show the basses age - it5 has to be that way!

Very reliable. Until now. I take care of my axe (it is HOLY to me!!)
Whatever. You can destruct anything.

I'm from Germany. The instrument is 22 years old. I won't call them.

I give a 9. I can't give a 10, bacause it means "perfect". And the might always be something better. I don't think so. I trid Fenders and Musicman and... I LOVE Rick. But this is THE AXE. I love it and won't evr sell it. Perfect action and sound (to me). I love the neck thru body construction and everything!!

A Brand new Torquise Ricky with all the standard features. It's all been stated before in the previous posts.

I had a 1974 and sold it because I liked the new color. The 2003 does not sound like the vintage bass at all. I'm not sure why it sounds so different. I LOVED my 1974 and ran it with two amps for Ric-O-Sound but never even got that far with this bass.

TERRIBLE! Chrome was falling off the bridge and the finish had fisheyes on the neck(solvent pops)so bad that you could feel them with your hand. It appears Ricky quality is now a historic footnote. Set up was equaly as bad. It appeared to have never been intonated and the action was 1/4" high. I play very hard and have extremely high action on all my basses but this was ridiculous.

This bass scared me. Even the cheapest Chinese import blew it away in quality. I sent it back to Musicians Friend. They told me it would be sold as a blem..

The worst new bass I've ever purchased since 1968. I contacted Ricky Customer Service about this and after several days got a repsonse to send it back under Warantee and they would "See what they could do"

No one cared and it was easy to tell....They have lost it.

Pure Garbage....Buy a vintage but watch out for the neck problems they had in earlier 4003s. Make sure it is the model with the double truss rods...

Nothing has changed. See other reviews.

Nothing has changed. See other reviews

HERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAS CHANGED!

What is going on here? I purchased a brand new Turqoise 4003 from Musician's Friend. What do I find? Chrome literally falling off of the tailpiece. Fisheyes in the neck paint so bad you can feel them with your hand.

Another manufacture falls apart. The Korenas and Chinese manufactures have significantly higher quality. I'm crushed and will never buy a Rickenbacker product again....

Scared to death of Rickenbacker now that they obviously have no quality control...

Not worth calling when you ship this junk...

TERRIBLE.....The set up was equally as bad AVOID! I play very hard and have high action on all of my basses, but a 1/4"? Who plays with that? BTW- I'm no rookie at this. I'm 50 years old and have played over 25 years. I currently own approximately 20 basses and have gone thru at least 50 in the last 10 years.

This is the story of an awesome Rickenbacker 4003, in JetGlo finish (black), made in February 2003, and purchased used in July 2003. It is in absolutely as new condition, except the fact that the bridge pickup cover has been removed (but supplied with the bass). Anyway I prefer playing without this cover, so I even didn?t have to remove that cover.

It was delivered with all its original accessories: SKB hard case, polishing cloth and hex key for saddle adjustment. Unfortunately, Rickenbackers are never supplied with the key for truss rod adjustment. But I have one, so that's not a problem.

The features are those everyone knows, and that can be found on the RIC website.

I work simultaneously on two projects : a progressive rock band (currently studio working), and a Beatles tribute band (gigs). For both of these projects, the sounds I get from my 4003 are perfect.

For the studio, I basically plug my 4003 into a Johnson J-Station, which has a great SVT emulation. No much tweaking needed to get a heavy tone, something between Geddy Lee and Chris Squire.

For gigs, I use an Ampeg B-100R amp, and I add a Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI in between. I have a fat tone, and even though my bass is mounted with roundwounds, my tone gets very close to Paul McCartney?s.

The 4003 is a bit noisy, but as far as I experienced, all single coils are a bit noisy.

When I received this bass, the strings had been changed, and I didn?t like those that were mounted. I even don?t know what brand of strings that was. The action was a bit high too, but I must say I play with VERY low action.

I mounted Rotosound SR66 strings (45-105), made an adjustment of the saddles, and got a perfect action in seconds. This means you really can have a very low action if you want. Many basses don't allow this.

The finish of this bass is perfect. No flaws at all. It appears that high care is given to the making of these basses.

I always have another bass when on stage (a Fender Precision), but it is dedicated to some songs, not as a backup. Of course, if I experienced any problem on stage, I?d use the P as a backup, but I never had to do. The 4003 seems very solid and reliable, and if I had no other bass I wouldn't be afraid to gig without a backup.

I didn?t have to deal with the company.

I?ve been playing bass for almost 28 years. I knew what I was buying because this is my fourth Rickenbacker through the years. There?s nothing I hate in this bass, but what I love the most is the neck. Perfect for me. And of course this unique tone that no other bass can mimic.

If it was lost or stolen, I?d immediately get another one. This is my main bass, and more specifically in my progressive rock project this is THE bass of MY tone. And I?m not afraid to say that the way it plays and sounds inspires me every time I build a bass line. There are many of my bass lines that I believe wouldn?t sound good if played with another bass model. No other bass ever inspired me like a Rickennbacker does.

Made in 2002 in the US. Maple Glo. Comes with case. All the other features are here alredy, so I won't bore you with that.

I play Contemporary Christian and Classic Rock. This bass is perfect for both. It nails the old Rush and Yes stuff, and really sounds good in church. It can always be heard through the mix. I'm playing through a David Eden WT 300 head, Eden 210 cab and GK 115 cabinet. Sounds amazing. Very rich, sweet sounding bass. Like nothing else. You could take 1000 different bass guitars, play each one, and the Rick would be the easiest to pick out. Nothing comes close to the sound. The pickups are a little noisy, more than I would like. I've only played on stage and it's great. Compliment after compliment on the sound.

Factory setup was bad. Action was way high. I lowered it as much as I could, but still higher than I'd like. Pickups were equally high, and needed to be lowered, but that was the easy part. No flaws in the finish. Everything was tight.

Haven't had it very long, but I don't forsee anything going wrong with it.

I sent a few emails, and usually don't recieve a reply for a few days. Up to 5. That's not too good.

I've been playing off and on for 11 years. I actually sold this bass to buy a Stingray. I miss it now. I was displeased with the action, so I sold it for something easier to play, but also gave up the sound that I love so much. I will buy another one day, but it will be a 4001v63. I don't care for the binding on the 4003, the cheap plastick pickup cover, the sharktooth inlays, and the action on this particular bass. I would recommend playing one before you buy it

2002 Fireglo 4003. For details go to www.rickenbacker.com

Awesome! I put some Rotosound JAzz flatwounds on mine and it sounds alot better then the rounds that came with it. I'm running it through a Vox t-60 and I have no complaints at all. This bass will keep you interested.

High action but I was able to adjust it pretty easy. I have small hands and its still feels good to play. I never feel like I'm not going to make a note in time.

Seems solid! Its freakin heavy!

I haven't broken it yet.

I can't put this thing down. I was going to buy another hofner bass after selling my last one, (long story) But I decided to try something new. I was glad I did! This bass is like a drug!!!

Mine is a 2002 4003 in Jetglow (black). Its absolutely bog standard - 2 ricky pick ups, volume for each and tone for each. It has the ri-o-sound option too, but i've never used it. The bridge pick up had one of those awful covers, but i've removed that.

It came in a gorgeous fully lined ric case that smells 'new guitar'.

The sound is great! I played a music man in my band prior to switching. I got sick of the music man having poor output volumes on the G and D string. I plugged this beauty in Sound Control and was totally blown away! Straight into my Ashdown (300W 1X15 and 10X10 Hartke) this bass sounds perrrfect. Lots of bottom end and too much top! I just kill the treble on the amp and its just brilliant.

I use a carl martin compressor for studio work, but find absolutely no need for it live as the pick up out puts are very even and warm. Add in to this a chorus pedal and wow! this baby sings!

As said earlier - the pick up cover has to come off as I believe it seriously compromises your sound. Its positioned right in the sweet spot for finger playing!

Basically, when people talk of clank and fret buzz from rics they are just admitting their own 'ham-fisted' technique! Play her nice and light and let the pickups do the work.

Odd, I assume Soundcontrol carry out setups prior to releasing their goods. Rockenbacker are known for their terrible set ups, but mine was fine straight off the shelf (obviously the pick up cover had to come off - those things annoy me).

The bass was finished to a very high standard, although the black finish shows every scratch and finger print on it under lights (I'm glad i don't have a black car!!!). The pick up selector was a little noisy due to being sat on the shelf unplayed for a while. Some DW40 in there sorted it out!

This bass is an absolute animal. They are certainly built to last (apart from minor deterioration in the paint work). Everything on the bass is built for the long haul. I don't believe I will have to replace anything. Oh and genius! Rickenbacker fit it up with schaller strap-locks!

Would I use it at a gig without a back up??? WHilst I totally trust the bass I always carry a spare (spector). If I had to take just one bass, it would by the Ric!

I wouldn't know and hopefully will never have to contact them!

I have been playing bass for about 10 years. I suffer from a condition called 'gottahavit. Basically this condition means I see a nice bass and I've got to have it. The side affects are never having cash in the bank. The positives are that you get to use a lot of differenf gear. However, I think I've found a cure....... My Rickenbacker!

I've played warwick, spector, fender, gibson, danelectro, G&L, music man etc and to be honest nothing comes close to this!

If I lost it or it got stollen/broken I'd probably cry! .... then buy another!

Why do I love it? It looks like a porn star and sounds like a bass should!

This is a review of my Rickenbacker 4003, purchased used in July 2003 in mint condition, since it was made in February 2003.
Many people here, before me, described the features of this bass. I'll just specify that this bass is in JetGlo (black) finish. Looks awesome.
About the features, I'll add that I never use the Ric'O'Sound (stereo) output.
This is a passive bass with simple features, but it has all you need. Perfect for me.

This bass is very versatile, and the sound you'll get will depend on what you do with your fingers, and which strings you'll mount. For me, it's always been Rotosound Swing Bass (RS66) in 45-105 gauge.
It's a very rich sound, and depending on the controls you go from very agressive tone to very smooth. But you'll always cut through, and that's one of the most characteristic things in the Rickenbacker tone.
I use this bass with an Ampeg B-100R. Either with or without my SansAmp Bass Driver D.I. in between, and either when I player with fingers or with a pick, the sounds I get are awesome.

Well, that's an interesting point. As I said above, this is my 4th Rickenbacker. I had two 4001's and another 4003 before this one. I often switched to something else (Fender, Ibanez, Status, Music Man, etc.), and always came back to a Rickenbacker. I believe this is because the Rickenbacker neck is the one I feel the most comfortable with.
As I said, this bass came in mint condition, and was perfectly setup.

My 4001's never caused me any trouble. I had some with my previous 4003, but I won't say whether it was a manufacturing default.
I have owned this new 4003 for only a few weeks, so I can't tell for the moment.

Didn't have to deal with them.

Probably one of the best basses in their price range.

Nothing I can say that hasn't already. Made in 2002. Mapleglo finish.

Great sounding bass. All that I expected. I used to really be into Rush and Yes, and if you are then this is the bass to have. Always sounds bright, cuts through the mix really good. Pickups are noisy. I've run it through a David Eden WT300 and David Eden 210 cabinet. Not a lot of variety in the sound. It does it's thing well, and that's it. If you are reading this, you know what these sound like. People love it or hate it. I love it.

Action was awful. Terrible. Pathetic. I could go on... Bass was finished beautifully. They should take as much pride in setup as they do in the finish. Wood looked great. Everything was tight. My first bass, a Sears Harmony, had better action. Absolutely pitiful. I brought it to a Luthier, and he couldn't do anything to help. It was that bad!! The guy felt sorry for me. The binding around the edge is awful. Digs into my arm. It's heavy!! The shark inlays are cheesey too. Pickup cover is in the way. Take it off, and it makes things worse.

Had it 6 months, and sold it. Not sad to see it go either. I know people who have had them for a long, long time. If this bass is your thing you will have it forever. Not for me.

Rude. As useless as tits on a bull. Contacted them about the incredibly high action on this bass, to see if they could maybe take it back and replace the nut. Got a big hell no!! Screw them! Pitiful.

Been playing off/on 10 years. I have a Stingray that I love. Wouldn't trade it for anything. I wish I'd never bought this bass. I lost $300 bucks on the deal. If someone would have stolen it, they probably would have brought it back with that pitiful action.

Made January 2003 in Santa Ana, CA. Standard 4-string Ric bass in Jetglo, maple body and neck w/rosewood fretboard. Won't bore you with the features, the others have listed them enough. More features than you'll find on most basses, though. Being able to switch between pickups is awesome! Oh, and the bridge pickup cover doesn't bother me a bit, so I'm leaving it on.

I play modern and classic rock, and let me tell you, this bass can do it all. Not a great slapping/popping machine, so get a J-bass if you want to do that. For straight-ahead ballsy bass sounds, you can't beat this bass. I've played P-basses, J-basses, and an Ibanez soundgear, and this thing smokes them all. (I have to say that the Fenders are still excellent basses, though.) I thought my amp was the problem for my lack of power and volume, but I was wrong, it was my old bass! Once I bought the RIC, my amp came alive. Great sound on all pickups settings. Did I mention how nice it is to have a pickup selector on a bass?? My bandmates love it and don't want me to play anything else. I'm only too happy to oblige them!

My only complaint was the action. I'm not sure if it came that way from the factory or if Music123 set it up that way, but the action was way too low. I got fret buzz anywhere below the 12th fret. I'm going to raise the strings a bit, that should fix it. Finish is excellent, although jetglo (black) is hard to keep clean. It'll show every little smudge, but it still looks awesome.

I think this bass is rock solid and would withstand any live playing. Wouldn't recommend jumping around with it unless you get some straplocks, though. My strap came undone on the bottom of the bass, but fortunately I was able to catch it before it hit the floor. Be careful with those straps. The bass feels solid and I'm sure it will outlive me. The neck-through design makes it even more dependable.

Haven't had to contact them for anything and probably won't have to, given the quality of this bass.

Been playing guitar for 18 years (also own a Ric 360 w/vintage pickups) and have been playing bass for about 7 years. Been through many basses: Guild Ashbury (with the silicone strings), Fender Precisions (Mexican and American), Fender Jazz (Mex), Rogue Violin, and this one. The Rogue is pretty cool for early McCartney tones, but not much else. This bass is expensive, but in my opinion, it was worth every penny. This is the best bass purchase I have ever made. I'm sure I will never regret buying this bass, and neither will you.