Rickenbacker 4003 Bass

My 4003 in jetglo was manufactured in March 2003
Last year I refitted it with the capacity mode switch, as I heard this when paying a visit to one of my buddies owning a 4003 from the 2006 series. From 2006 onwards Rickenbacker delivers the 4003 with this tone switch, allowing to choose between the classic "old" sound (some low frequencies are cut off in tjis mode).
I liked the "old school" sound, because this recalled the classic sound I heard in my youth when listening to records by Deep Purple or Yes.

It fits perfectly to "my" music.
My sound gear consists of an Ampeg B500DR, played through two cabinets of Ampeg's BTX series (one 2x10 and 1x15 speakers) and additionally, I own a 4x10 cabinet by House of Speakers, a local manufacturer who is building very good sounding cabinets. The reason for this choice: Excellent sound, perfectly matching the sound of the Ampeg cabinets, but wheighing almost "nothing" ;-)
Occasionally, I use some effects by EBS: DynaVerb, UniChorus, BassIQ and (well, this is not really an effect) the BassComp.
With all this I am able to get any variety in sound I like and I don't miss a thing. Interestingly enough, the Rick's sound is so warm, rich and full that I really don't miss any effects when playing my baby.
Al in all I haven't any dislikes witj the sound of the instrument, even more since I have the option of choosing between both sound worlds thanks to the switch for the capacitor mode.

The factory set-up was very satisfying and arrived in excellent condition.
Only when changing the type of strings I had to adjust the neck and the the bridge a bit. After testing a lot of different strings (brands and types), finally I ended up with using flat wounds. In my case it is the La Bella Deep Talking Bass 760 FL. The natch perfectly to the sound provided by the Rick PUs and give me a good feel when playing.

No complaints at all. A nice bass equipped with very good hardware. Now, I own it since five years, playing it very often and nothing has failed so far.
The paint is excellent and it survived my radomly "bangs". Once, it even fell from the stand, because I hadn't put the bass firmly on it - nothing happend, not one scratch or even worse damage!

So far, I didn't need to contact Rickenbacker.

As I just wrote, I own it since five years. I am the first owner and I will be his last, because under no circumstances I will mot sell it.
If my Rick should be stolen, immediately I would by a new one. Hopefully, this never will become necessary!
Currently, it is somewhat difficuld to get a new one in Central Europe, as for which reason ever the deliveries to Europe seem to be scarce. I heard from people interested in buying a brand new one that meanwhile it is no exception that you have to be very patiemt, because you have to wait up to one year until you receive a brand new one. ;-(

I had a 4001 several years ago which was stolen and eventually replaced it many years later with another 4001 but was never happy with it so sold it and in September 2007 I spent a day phoning every guitar shop I could find until I came across my new baby. It is a 4003 in Bluesburst. I wasnt sure about the colour at first but have grown to love it. It came in a Ric hardcase with a cloth and a manual. The hardcase isnt as good as the old ones but is lighter. It has strap locks as standard which is handy for switching between the Ric and my fender Jazz, although the Jazz is getting very neglected recently. It never goes out of tune and I have only had to adjust the E tuner once because I clonked it on a cymbal. I have always liked the pickup cover and have left it in place. if you persevere with it you eventually find what Rickenbacker were aiming for. The finish is lovely, as it always is on a Ric, the see through finish showing the mahogany wings is a nice addition, something the jetglo users dont get to see! This bass gets gigged regularly and hasnt let me down in any way and it is always getting compliments and admiring looks, One bass player even tried to get his roadie to mug me for it!

I play in a rock/blues band and this bass fits in well with what we do. we are a 3 piece with a singer and the vintage tone on the Ric fills out the sound. I play it through an Ampeg b2r and an Ampeg 410HLF cab. The depth and clarity of sound is awesome even at high volume. I dont use any effects or pedals, just a Fender rack tuner and the Ampeg. I use it with both pickups and volume and tone turned right up and adjust the tone and volume through the amp. i set the amp with high bass,midtones and top. I use the graphic eq on the amp and drop the sliders between the low/mid/high down by about 20% I find this gives me a good tonal range that is very 70's I use it for recording as well. I havent found anything I dislike about this bass

The set up from the factory is fine, it is set up low, almost to the point of rattle which is how I like it. I tend to play fairly light and let the amp do the work. The pick ups are fine, they seem to be about right.
Didnt notice any flaws although with a hand made instrument there must be some.

I use it for live and rehearsals and it looks and sounds just as good as it did on day 1.
Ricenbacker seem to use good quality parts so I dont expect anything to wear out to quickly.
The finish is very good and seems to be quiet thick and durable and isnt showing any signs of wear.
This has got to be one of the most reliable guitars on the market and I havent had to adjust anything.
I have 5 basses and only use this and a fender Geddy Lee Jazz for live work. 90% the Ric. I have started leaving the Jazz at home as the Ric is all I need and I do trust it.

I dont think this really applies as I live in the UK and Rics warranty only seems to recognise the good old US of A. Even if it did apply to the UK I dont think it would get used as my previous Rick was over 25 years old with no problems

I have been playing since I was 13 (now 50)
My current gear consists of
Ric 4003
Fender Jazz
Thunderbird
Vintage 5 string
Yamaha RBX
Thinline telecaster
semi acoustic jazz guitar
Samson airline bass wireless kit
Ampeg B2r
Ampeg 410hlf
fender rack tuner
if the Ric was stolen I would get another in a heartbeat.
I love the Ric because it makes the walls shake and it looks so beautiful, also it is the coolest looking bass ever!
I compare it to other basses but nothing ever comes close.
if you have never owned a Ric then I advise you to sell your possesions and family to get one.

Nothing that you probably don't already know--made in the USA, 2 single coil pickups, standard 4003--though mine is a 1983 so I guess the truss rod adjustments are on the opposite end compared to later 4003 basses. My Ric was just set up by a well known shop here in the St. Louis area and I'm told that Ric's are the only basses in which the truss rods can be replaced in the field. That's nice to know, though I've never had to have it done.

I'm solely a rock bassist since I was 15, and that was 25 years ago. The Ric still turns heads when you take it out of the case. I DO have the Ric-O-Sound box but haven't had the opportunity to fully explore all of the sounds. With home recording, I find that I'll take the bass side directly into the board and mic the treble off the cabinet. I first started playing with a Peavey Combo 300 25 years ago. The sound was...well....less than desired. Plug this thing into a nicer amp and all the personality you've read and heard about comes out. I have two bass amps--a Marshall 3520 and a Trace Elliot GP7SM--both are 200 watts. I play these through a lower end Hartke 4x10 cab. The sound is good, but I believe I'd like to try a stereo setup of a 2x10 for the highs and a 1x15 or 2x15 for the lows. Lastly, I'm itching to try the Ric through a tube amp--perhaps an old Sunn or an old tube driven SVT.

Having had a recent setup, I believe that the bass just now delivers the sound that I want--accentuating the fact that if the bass isn't setup correctly, not only does the playability suffer, but so does the sound.

I bought this used in '83..or was it '84? Anyway, the action was okay but not nearly as good as it is now. Now it's lightning quick. The Jetglo (black) finish has done extremely well over time.
Aside from one issue (see below), I'd say that, overall, it's a well made instrument.

I've done a few live gigs with this and it has done outstanding. There's no question that you can count on the Ric to see you through the gig. I also play guitar as well, and compared to my Les Paul, the Ric is a piece of cake to wear for an extended period of time.

Back in '84 or '85 I did send the 4003 back to Ric for a neck adjustment after my local guy said he couldn't get the neck to setup right for him. Thinking back, I have a feeling that he didn't know quite what he was doing. The company took care of me, but I believe that at that time there was a fee for the service. Either way, they did what they said they would but seemed somewhat indifferent.

I've had/played Fender basses before and haven't been satisfied with the quality or the feel of the necks. The Ric isn't quite as thick as a P Bass, but isn't necessarily as cramped (toward the nut) as a Jazz.

If this thing were stolen or lost, I'd be devastated. As an '83 I have to assume it's starting to appreciate some...considering I bought it originally for $400.

Turn the gain up on your amp and mix a balanced amount of treble and bass and enjoy a nice, warm growl. That's probably why you bought a Ric in the first place...

It's a solid instrument--neck-through construction, 3-way pickup selector, and a stereo output. Also very stout, if somwhat over-sensitive to environmental sourroundings... Mine doesn't have the push/pull pot, so I can't comment on that.

I like the "Rickenbacker tone." in addition to being very "jangely," It has a very warm sound in the upper register, at least when played through my solid-state amp. Try playing it with a pick, and maxing your amp out--works for me. As for applications: in the studio your producer might not like the direct sound; it's somewhat "gruff"--you might try using a small amp and eq-ing that, then using a mic. On the stage, people don't seem to notice the signature "growl." Of course, I wasn't around to hear Yes when they were at their peak, or the old Rush, for that matter, so I can't say if this bass will really project in that manner--perhaps it's of note however that at these particular gigs I was either using an amp meant primarily for the upright or going direct through a rather colorless PA...

On my particular instrument, the 6th fret on the G string side was a little too high, so there's some buzz on that string. Also, the mono output has a crackle that comes and goes, and my dealer couldn't fix it (my advice, by the way, is to buy this bass from a local, independant dealer--if you can find one--simply because they tend to stand behind their products, and from what I hear the truss rods are somewhat delicate).
On my ric I had to install steel strings, lower the bridge and raise the neck pickup to get the sound Chris Squire used to get.

The finish on this bass is quite impressive. Very glossy. It does get worn with lots of persperation, however, so take your beater if you're playing on a 115--degree day. The tuners are almost TOO precise. The truss rods must be adjusted with changes in environment as well as string-changes, so find someone who can do it or you may end up with a bass that buzzes like hell or has action like an acoustic upright.

Since I bought mine from an independant dealer they performed all the maintanance, so I've never had to deal with the company itself.

I've been playing for about fourteen years now, in a variety of styles ranging from blues to pop-rock to prog-rock. I intend to be buried with it, simply because the only new ones I've come by are ridiculously expensive. That being said, if I could afford it, I would buy another one. This bass has its own personality--"it's a good thing." Playing through everything from a practice amp (alone, of course) to an all-tube Ampeg, this bass asserts itself--something I think a bass (and its player) should do.

1996 Rickenbacker 4003 bass. Jetglo (black) finish; two single-coil pickups, each with their own volume and tone controls; 3-way toggle switch (neck, neck/bridge, bridge); 20 frets; dual truss rods; wired for rick-o-sound stereo jacks; all the style you'd expect from a Rickenbacker. Came with a hardshell case.

Classic Rick sound. Aggressive and powerful. Not a particularly versatile bass in the way of tone. In my opinion, it is best suited for rock and pop playing. Not the bass of choice for every style. I have used mine professionally for the ten years I've had it (first owner) and do sometimes feel limited by what I can play with it. I know they say it's a poor musician who blames his instrument, but I've never been able to get that warm, smooth Motown/Stax sound with it. For the bulk of my playing though, it has served me very well for a very long time.

It was almost perfect the day I bought it. The action was good, though I did have to tweak it a little after it was home. The finish was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was like electric sex gleaming on the Mars Music wall. I told the clerk I'd buy it before I even played it! In ten years, I have only had a few minor chips and cracks in the finish, most of which were caused by some excessive drinking during some gigs. The factory finish is (in my opinion) bulletproof when treated like a lady should be.

I have never used a backup bass. This is the only bass I've used for years. I have never even so much as broken a string during a show. I used to joke that I would never have to tune this bass. It was almost true. It would stay in tune through two hours of a gig. It's just a very solid beast of a bass. Without a doubt, it's a tank.

I think it was a year warranty, though the option to GET the warranty in the first place expired three days after purchase. I wish I would've known, I would've liked to have had the warranty.

I was a young Beatles fan when I first fell in love with the Rick. It was perhaps a little stupid of me to base my desire for an instrument on one source of listening. Silly me...I had never heard Yes or Rush or early Genesis. I just thought that beautiful bass that McCartney was playing had the sweetest, softest, most bubbly sound ever (other Rick owners are laughing). When I bought it, I was shocked to find out that it didn't sound a thing like the bass I had heard on Sgt. Pepper. It was ballsy and hard hitting. It cut through guitars like a chainsaw and I liked it. It will never sound like a Fender, it will never sound like a Gibson. Buying one will certainly not make you Chris Squire. It is a unique creature that doesn't compare to anything else. If it were stolen, I would cry like a little girl. I don't think I'd be able to buy another right away, but I would certainly buy another.

2007, USA, fretted, 4-string, thru body neck, two passive single coil pickups, volume and tone for each pickup with vintage tone selector for bridge pickup, 3-way pickup selector switch, comes with case and allen wrench (which seems to be the wrong size).

It has all the features I want. (I could drop it to an 8 for the allen wrench but I have allen wrenches.) I've been playing a Tobias Growler for the last 10 years and it has too many features. The complicated EQ on the '97 model makes it too much effort to dial in a sound I like.

I played a Guild B-301 for 10 years before that and all it has is one single coil with volume and tone. I never had a problem getting a tone I like out of that. I just bought the Rick yesterday and found the sound I like after only 5 minutes of playing.

The reason the bass gets a 9 instead of a 10 is the goofy cover over the bridge pickup. It makes the bass impossible to play since that's where I hit the strings. It's also just chromed plastic and totally non-functional. It was removed in 10 minutes but it leaves a big hole. I may fabricate a new cover so I have somewhere for my thumb.

Way to go Rickenbacker. You lose a point on features for the one you added that I don't want!

I hear a lot of discussion about the tonal range of the 4003 but that's BS. It sounds like a Rick. That's why you buy it. It has the single-coil growl of my old Guild but with much more warmth. I always wanted a Rick after hearing Paul Gray from the Damned and Lemmy from Motorhead but price and availability cost me 20 years.

I have played a lot of styles from alt-pop to punk to metal but I always liked the growl of single coils. These days I'm playing in a punk/alt-rock band. The Rick will be sweet.

Like I said I found the sound after only 5 minutes. I tried each pickup alone, played with tone (discarded the idea of ever using the vintage setting), then I put the switch in the middle, turned everything up, rolled the neck volume off just below half-way and there she blows!!!

To be fair there is tonal variation, especially with the vintage sound. It's not really something I'll use though and it's not as flexible as my Tobias. BTW, the Tobias will be up for sale this week. So much for flexibility.

Action is great. Small amount of fret buzz but that's a lot to do with how hard I play. I usually set my basses up this way anyway. Neck is dead straight (yes that's how it's supposed to be). I did adjust the polepieces on the pickups for the E-string but I think it's the string that's a little dead.

I do see some minor paint flaws around the neck/body joints but I would expect that on a hand produced product. Maybe I'm being over generous. There's certainly no defects I would complain about. I tried a Schecter in a store a while back that was unplayable since the strings were touching the fretboard along the whole length.

It seems very solid. I'll update my review once I've played it a while. I'll probably resist beating on it like I normally do for a little while until the newness wears off.

Finish looks solid and mine came with strap locks. I would rely on it as much as any other bass I've owned but I never play without a backup!

No comment

I've been playing for over 20 years. I own a Guild B-301 and a Tobias Growler (until I sell it). Strictly a 4-string player. I just switched my bass rig. I'm playing through a Line6 PodXT Live floor board, a Crown XLS-402 power amp, Fender 4x10 and Ampeg 1x15.

If my new baby were lost or stolen I'd definitely buy the same again (assuming the insurance paid up). This bass is drop dead gorgeous. It looks and sounds distinctive in an era where my Tobias looks like any Yamaha, Ibanez, ESP, modern-styled bass. I'm done with humbuckers. Single-coil's only from here on out!!!

I narrowed down my selection to a 4003 or a Stingray but the Stingray just sounded like my Tobias. I do like the balance of the Tobias and Stingray better than the 4003 but I'll adjust to that. It's way less head heavy than my Guild.

The only advice I'd give a potential purchaser is to be sure you know it will never sound like a Musicman or an MTD. It will only ever sound like a Rick.

Standard 4003 USA made in 1997. I just discovered how to dramatically improve the output level while decreasing the single coil noise these pickups produce while also improving the "Growl" Rics are famous for so I'd thought I'd share my findings with other 4003 owners. I'll get to it in a later category. Mine is white with black hardware and binding. Like all 4003's it is a neck-through body consisting primarily of Maple and I don't even know what the fingerboard is made of,, some sort of Mahogany?? Two single coil pickups with a volume and tone control for each one. I've made no alteration to the bass in the last 10 years I've owned it until now and I wish I'd tried this simple mod sooner.

Well, these basses have a very unique and attractive sound as most of us know. For those unsure about the tone of a Ric 4000 series bass some key examples are old Yes or Rush records. You can hear examples of those two bands songs on classic rock radio stations all the time. "Roundabout" by Yes may be the best example of the Ric sound. Paul McCartney used a Ric for years during the late 60's with the Beatles and throughout the 70's. It seems to me that he favored the neck pickup with his amp set for a fat, saturated tone and this is not the tone most of us think of when we think of a Ric bass. Bright, Springy, Growly and Punchy is what most of think of. I almost always favored using both the neck and bridge p/u together with the tones all the way up and I might roll the volume on one of the two pickups down just a hair to either boost the bass or treble a little. The bridge p/u sound I've always liked but seems a little too thin for my tastes on it's own but it is a good tone. I never liked the neck p/u alone sound,, it is muddy and dark sounding and unlike the bridge p/u it lacks clarity. The only thing I ever loved about the neck alone tone was that I discovered that I could get very close to Geddy Lee's bass tone on the "Moving Pictures" album by using just the neck pickup and cranking up my Ampeg SVT-350 into a SVT410HLF amp/cab. When you distort that pickup through an Ampeg you'll get that super fat and crunchy sound. I decided to see if I could brighten the tone of the neck pickup though by switching out the .047u capacitor attached to that pickup between the selector switch and tone control. I found after experimentation that disconnecting the capacitor altogether and not using any substitute brightened the tone greatly giving the neck pickup a Growl like the bridge P/U. It is a big change that I like a lot. It also really seems to boost the total output level and the bass is much less noisy. You don't even have to solder anything to try this. Just remove the strings, open up the control cavity and clip the capacitor lead at the bass tone control,, cut it close so it can be resoldered if you don't like the change. Then put it all back together. The sacrifice is that you no longer have a tone control on that pickup but personally don't care because I never used it anyway. I went ahead and did the same thing on the bridge pickup to see what happened and it didn't seem to alter the tone of that pickup at all but it did seem to make the neck pickup up a bit more bassy and seemed to improve output and noise reduction just a bit more as well. It also seemed to give the both pickups at the same time combination more of the character it had before I altered anything. So, now I have no tone controls at all but I extremely happy with the change.

The bass sounded horrible until I put new strings on it when I first got it brand new. I think I had to tweak things quite a bit when I first got it but it was 10 years ago so I don't know for sure. They are easy to setup if you know what you are doing. The double truss rod in these basses are downright awsome,, thank you Rickenbacker and shame on everyone else. I also want to point out that parts quality and workmanship inside the control cavity are excellent. The finish had flaws before I even bought the bass down by the bottom strap button. There are orange streaks from where it had been sitting on a cheap guitar stand in the store. The cheap foam caused the finish to stain. This is not Rickenbacker's fault but I should say that the finish,, although beautiful seems to be sensitive. My white bass is showing signs of yellowing. I don't care though,, the feel and sound makes up for it. You can really get a low action with these basses and mine rings clear on every note. Frets are in great shape after 10 years of medium play but I never use stainless steel strings,,, always nickel. All frets are cleaning laid in the neck still,, no extrusions out of the sides. Everyone says you can't slap on a Ric but you can with a little practice. You have to really pay attention to your slap hand placement and you can't have the pickups raised too high. The slap tone is great. You're not going to go as slap happy as you can on a Stingray or Fender though. There is a limit with slapping on a Ric but you can slap on one.

The only problem I've ever had was with an crackling sound coming out of the bass on occasion,, I tried to track it down and couldn't. It wasn't the jacks. I've played it live,, no problems there. It came with strap lock buttons from the factory. Thanks Ric. As I mentioned, the finish is prone to discoloration but the clear coating seems very rugged from a durability point of view.

I never had to call them about the bass although I tried to call them about selling them computer goods and they hung up on me. It really hurt my feelings at the time but I gotta respect them for that.

I've been playing since '85,, dreamed about having a Ric for thirteen years before getting one. If I sold or lost it,, I would probably get something else but I know I'd eventually want another one. I gotta say something about the value of these basses. Although they are not cheap,, they are so much worth the money when you compare them to other basses in the same price range. You're getting an AMERICAN HANDMADE instrument,, a neck through ,, not bolt on necked bass for the same cost as this stuff being mostly made in asia with a few finishing touches done here in the US and being called American made. Definitely worth the price tag.

Made in 2006 - Jetglo with standard RIC features except that I had the bass pickup (HI_GAIN) changed for a vintage one.

Less bottom than the standard hi-gain bass pickup but if you are into crisp, cruchchy, ringing piano-like sounds, stop looking. I used the 4003 with an Ampeg rig consisting of a B2re head and 2 SVT 410 HE cabs. Sounds as good as my first brand new 4001 back in 1972.

Set up was re-done?? by the store where I purchased the bass. I did my own tweaking of the trussrod and bridge with much better results than the store. Action is as low as you can imagine . Finish is excellent and stability of the neck is fantastic considering that I live in an area where temperature ranges from damn cold in the winter and hot and huimid in the summer.

I own and owned several RICs and other brands of musical instruments and Rickenbacker is in a class by itself as far as reliabilty is concerned. Contrary to some urban legends, the 4003 is not a fragile instrument. By the way I am not a all-year gigging musician therefore I take great care of my stuff and by simply avoiding the typical idiotic macho behaviour of many colleagues out there; example : carrying the bass in the trunk of your car while the case "sleeps" under your bed. Anyway, banging guitars off the wall should not be a criteria to prove the instrument is well-made!

Again you here all kinds of horror stories surrounding dealing with RIC. Hever had any problem and my few questions and requests have been handled in more than decent manners, that goes back to the 70's - remember the good old postal system?

RIC seems to be stubborn in producing super wide variety of special features and options work or in introducing new models and that is probably why I love these instruments so much. NO MARKETING BULSH>>>!
One good wood, good hardware and dedicated people!

Mine is a Fireglo made in U.S.A. in 1998. Usual specs: 4 strings, 20 frets, 2 pickups, passive controls (treble volume and tone, bass volume and tone), 3-way-switch for pickup selection (bridge only/neck and bridge/neck only), maple body, neck-through construction, original Rickenbacker tuners. Came in original case - which is excellent - with key, cleaning cloth and maintenance manual. What's missing, though, is a tool for adjusting the trussrods as it's a pain in the butt trying to get tools in inch sizes here in Europe. Should definitely be included!

Treble punch, massive growl and the most wooden tone I have ever heard from a bass. No excessive lows, this one rings more than it booms. We play melodic hard rock with a slice of punk and metal and it cuts through the mix (which includes two Marshall stacks) easily. I play it through a Maxon tube compressor, Hartke 3500 and an Ampeg SVT-810 cabinet. The pickups make for quite some variety: the neck PU on its own produces a warm sound, albeit muffled and devoid of highs, while the bridge PU just slashes your eardrums (Mot??rhead, anyone?). Interestingly, with the toggle switch in middle position, the sound has more lows and highs than the respective pickups deliver on their own, but it is scooped a wee bit this way. All three are unique and I have not been able to replicate them with other basses so far (my T-Bird with the bridge PU rolled off comes close, though). No discernable noise. Haven't done studio work with it yet, absolutely shines on stage (visually and musically). Definitely NOT built for slapping - strings touching the open polepieces produce an audible click that ruins everything. Keep a Ric in safe terrain (that is, use a pick for Christ's sake, or at least pluck it heavily if you use your fingers!) and it's clear sailing all the way.

The neck on mine is not dead straight, but as it has two trussrods, you can make up for that to some degree. Adjusting the pickups is simple, but can be time-consuming. I've come across many many Rics that had weak E strings; mine has a weak G string, so I'm lucky in a sense... Rickenbackers are wild creatures that need to be tamed. Expect challenges!

Has withstood many gigs, never had a problem with it. Finish cracks if you look at it wrong and stains easily, but if you keep wiping, you have a chance to maintain the gloss. When mine arrived it already had security locks so I don't know about the original strap buttons.

No idea.

I've been playing for six years. I also own a Gibson Thunderbird and as both sound great, I switch between them all the time. The T-Bird fills the lower frequency ranges of the mix whereas the Ric just cuts right through. The best thing about it are the three totally different sounds you have at your hands with the pickup selector switch. And it simply looks awesome! Sometimes I find myself longing for a 21st fret to be able to reach an E on the G string while soloing, but that's about the only flaw I can find. One of the best basses around!

You all know the specs...mine was a 2003 model which I bought in 2004...the fireglo

I have an Ampeg SVT 200T head with a 410 HLF cab and it rocks. Those who hear hums or buzzes...well, if you stand right in front of the cabinet with the guitar facing the speakers...I love the leathery sound that comes out of it and wouldn't trade it for anything else. My Fender jazz bass has more versatility sound-wise BUT when I need this particularly beefy tone that only a RIC can provide...I always use it. If you get a decent amp/cab set up you can make most any sounds you need...so that's part of the overall picture.

Everything was fine...but I always adjust my guitars to the way I like them to feel and sound. Plus I use this website...to help me find my way..it's great: http://joeysbassnotes.com/Joeys%20frameset.htm

This should last forever even though I play the hell out it! I have a very hard touch...but if you got an amp with guts and a cabinet to handle the thing nobody is gonna hear you pounding...it just sounds great! I have adjusted the truss rod 2 or three times in the 3 years I've owned it.

No need to yet!

Been playing for 40 years and finally decided to treat myself with a little help from my family ( Yeah, just hit Mom up for it!)Only complaint was the folks at Muisc 123 decided to pawn it off as new and it was a refurb! Be wary of them...I got my discount as you see however from an asking price of $965. It was retouched at the jack area where there is still a little indentation and is clearly marked as repaired in the truss rod pocket.

Mine is a 2006 Ric 4003 in Mapleglo: Dual-truss rods, neck through construction, seperate tone & volume controls for bass and treble. 3 way toggle switch for neck, bridge and combined pick-up configuration. It has Schaller locking tuners, single coil hum protected high gain pick-ups (pasiive electronics), mono and stereo(the famous ric-o-sound)output jacks, mechanical mute, the newly added push-pull treble knob for high frequncy boost. Maple neck & body.

Are you Kidding me? This bass has got balls! Its got that famous and distinctive growl that no other bass can match. A wide varitety of tones are available simply by playing on either the neck (warm & bassy) or the bridge ( more trebly and bright) The frequeecy boost feature on the new rics gives it even more tonal varieties-crunchier mids akin the Chris squire limited edition 4001 Ric put out a few years ago. Haven't done any studio work with it, but live, this bass holds it down!

These bases are not known for being set up well from the factory, but I did not have that problem. I ordered it from Muscians's friend and the actions was right where I like it right out of the case, neck was straight, tuners tight beautiful finish. As far as the finish is concerned the only flaw i could dsicern is that it had the potential to blind you when reflecting light- it was that shiney. This bass is beautiful. No problems with saddle or frets-all top of the line hand crafted quality you would expect from Rickenbacker. This is a first class operation making a top of the line quality instrument.

Bass is built like a tank. Im not one of these guys who hangs these ric's on a wall to jerk off too beacause I wanted one for show-This is my main axe so finish/looks take a backseat to making music. I gig without backup all the time and it looks and sounds just as good today as when I first got it a year ago. Haven't had to adjust neck yet but I plan to take it in for a tune-up soon just for proper maintenence purposes.

I believe its one year on finish and tuners (one of these other posts will specify)and something else for the body and neck, really im not sure. Never dealt with company and don't think I will ever have to. No opinion.

For a hand crafted instrument of this quality Ric could charge alot more. Been making music and playing instruments since I was in kindergarten. I have tried jazz basses, stingrays, some Ibenez's, uprights-I like this bass better then all of them. The new thinner neck and updated features revealed with the 2006 models are really nice. I not a huge fan of the bridge though- kind of antiquated. Thinking about making the change to the Hip shot replacement bridge (which I have been hearing good things about) But for know the Ric's vintage appeal has me satiated. Curved lines on the body would make is more confortable to play but thats a minor quibble. If it was lost or stolen would replace asap. Excellant resale value on this bass as well- You'll get your money back and possibly more due to its relative rareness. As far as not being good for slap and pop thats Rickdiculous (as far as the new ones go)all you need is heavier gauge strings and a little bit of compression/equalization and your in fender jazz bass land: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_evMBRIm2rY, http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=LjOM5YjMZ8w&mode=related&search=, case closed....!

1983 Ric 4003, first version. Maple body. Maple neck, with rosewwod fretboard & MOP sharktooth inlays, and dual trussrod. 2 RIC single coil "High Output" pickups, neck volume & tone, bridge volume & tone, 3 way pickup switch, and dual output; standard and "Ric-O-Sound"; designed for use with the Ric-O-Sound box, sold seperately. The bridge has the traditional string dampener.

Ricenbackers have a sound all there own, and RIC's are consistant, they don't have big sound differences from one 4003, to the next. I've never come across another bass that had 2 pickups that sounded so different, but if you look at their physical position on the bass, their actually more like a neck and middle positon, where as most 2 pickup basses have their neck pickup in the spot the 4003 has bridge pickup, the neck pickup on a 4003 is about 1" below the neck. The neck picup is more bassy, and muffled, and the bridge is more bright and kind of clanky (but in a good way). I never tried running it through the Ric-O-Sound box, but who else really has.

4003's are not good finger style basses, horable for slapping (unless you like the pop of strings touching the pickup), and I mainly use mine for pickstyle, which the action is perfect for. The finish is 24 years old, but doesn't look a day over 10. When I got my 4003, dampener skrews were missing. The dampener is where the ground wire conects, so it buzzed like crazy, also there were no springs in the neck pickup, but it was used, thus not RIC's fault.

I never had a problem with mine, other then the simple fix mentioned above. I was always afraid to touch the truss rods on these, but on some RIC 4003's you can replace the rods.

New a RIC has a 1 year warranty, and that's voided if it doesn't have RIC strings (and yes, they can tell). They also have no custom shop and will do NO one off basses or guitars (unless your names Lemmy). Plus if you want a certain color, you buy it when you see it, otherwise it can take 6-8 months to get one custom ordered ( and I've heard you should expect it in 8).

Anyone buying a 4003 is more then likely going for that old 4001 sound, and this bass doesn't disappoint. If a company were to come around now and put out a bass like this; a but chanky, kinda weak in the low end, pickups that seem to have no power, tuners that rattle, and a body that's routed out more then any solidbody bass out there, chances are that company would fail (or retool and make Fender wannabes). But the design's been around for so long and everyone has a place in their heart for a RIC. Plus RIC is one of the cheapest basses made by such a small company by hand.

2005, 20 Frets, USA Made,
2 volume, 2 tone controls,
toggle switch for pickups
ric-o-sound and normal mono outputs
Midnight Blue Finish
Dual Truss-Rod
Short-Scale
Included Case
Bought used at Guitar Center Summer of 2006
Maple Neck/Body
Polished Silky-Smooth Rosewood Fretboard with triangle markers

I was originally out seeking a Fender P-Bass of sorts last summer, leaning towards the American made ones that start around $1000. I was really having a hard time getting a vibe from them. I think the thump sound is classic, but it wasn't thrilling me or making want to fork out the checkbook. Then...
KaBoom! I stroll into Guitar Center and right smack dab in the middle of a wall of P-Basses is one lonely, sparkling, amazing Rickenbacker 4003 in mint condish. Granted my amps at home are definitely beginner's trash, but through the Ampeg it stunned me. It brought a sound I can only describe as a "GRowl" for the bass, which is something that hooked me into the buy.
There are so many good tones from this instrument, you can be deep, bassy, and balzy, or you can be bright, shimmery, and poppy; your choice. I find the Ric-O-Sound jack to be an amazing addition for those with good equipment (hence the reason I don't use it) I would recommend using the Ric-O-Sound kit to hook it up if you have two amps or would like one dedicated for your amp and one dedicated for the soundboard at a concert or what not. Its basically like having control over treble in one amp, and your bass in the other amp/sound board. However it is most intriguing and I get a lot of questions about why my bass has two output jacks.

The only problem I have with the sound is an occasional humming from the pickups. They are hot and heavy, but I've noticed that my bass doesn't sound nearly as loud as many electric guitar setups I've heard since they daisy-chain numerous effects together. The better your cables the less the hum, also a ground lift helps on a direct box, or your amp's direct out. A quick fix is to turn the treble tone knob down to 1 or 0 and virtually all hum is irradicated while sacrificing just a bit on sound quality.

The sound is indeed Rich and full. My guitarist pleaded with me that I use the Rick at our next gig. I decided to bring out the old OLP (musicman copy) instead and he immediately noticed that it wasn't the Rick and it wasn't Growling.

Mixed with a good solid amp this bass holds up amazingly. I use the normal Rickenbacker String set and haven't felt the need to change. The fretboard being polished and glossy provides a smooth playing field and super easy slides and overall fingering feels very comfortable. The shorter scale length also helps with less finger stretching when playing octaves or even the occasional 10th

If I were professionally recording I would probably get better cables and not stand directly in front of a high watt light or high watt TV or monitor. I think the hum would be eliminated. I've done a little self recording and I get more noise from my keyboard than I do from this so its not that noticeable.

Sound WAS the main reason why I bought this bass. I give it a 9 for the hum, but it can be avoided if you are well grounded and everything else you play through is well grounded.

Bass was set up properly and professionally by the original owner just 6 months before I bought it at guitar center.
The bridge pickup did not include the metal cover but I'm not unhappy. I normally rest my thumb on that area by the bridge pickup anyway so it would have probably just gotten in the way.
If you use the Rick cloth this thing shines up very quickly. Apply a light portion of guitar polish (non abrasive and non-chemical) and it really busts out some shining glory.
Sweat NEEDS to be wiped off after you play
I've gone a few times without wiping the neck and fretboard down and the sweat dries onto the lacquer like finish reducing slide ability and making some "rough" spots where your thumb may stick to.

There was only one noticeable spot on the fretboard where the guy must have really pushed his finger into the fret leaving a little scratch mark in the polished rosewood. I have not been able to scathe this baby even in the 8 months I've had it. The fretboard is supposed to last 25yrs. I don't think it will ever break down if it has stayed this solid over the past 8 months.

All other controls and tuners work fine
I am also a big advocate of Strap Locks, they do indeed prevent accidental slippage and damage due to strap fall off

This bass has been to many Campus Crusade events in the past year.
The most time I had ever used it consecutively was during a practice set for a 4 day period in Indiana. I played for 9hrs straight during rehearsal and then at least 3-4hrs per day for the next 4 days. It stood up solidly even with 8month old strings. The best sound I've ever had with it came from that weekend. Probably due to the 8,000 Watt subs that it was running through. MASSIVE.
Tuners tune very well and most importantly STAY in tune.
Finish buffs up so clean its like a newly waxed Porsche
Straps with locks stay on like cement
I've never had the neck/truss rod adjusted because it doesn't need it
I have and continue to use it without a backup
but I do have my lovely OLP just in case

Haven't had to deal with them
I also don't know if my warranty is any good
because I filed it, but I wasn't the original owner


... oh well

I've been actively playing bass for the past 2yrs. Total of 6yrs between guitar and bass. I've also been playing piano for about 10-12yrs. I run the Rick through a GK 600 Backline head and backline 2x10 BLX-II cab with a Behringer 15"cab below. The sound is truly immense. I would not have done this transaction any differently than the day I bought it. For $1000 it was a steal. 3 other people were ready to lay down the grand but I got there first. Yippie for ME!!
If it were stolen by a bassist I'd ask him to try it and while he went into a bassist's ecstasy period I'd be able to steal it back no problem. The joy lasts for about a week straight before you realize that you now own a Rick.
I love the sound. I don't love the hum (but its really not that bad)
My favorite part of this bass is the ease of playability. It will let you do whatever you wanted to do on your other bass, but ten times easier and ten times more rockin'
I chose this over a P-Bass, a Jazz Bass, and numerous other basses. I think if I ever sold my OLP I'd get a P-bass probably because of the classic thump. But for now I'd gladly miss the thump for the Growl of a Rick.
I would never sell this bass unless someone offered me a brand new one for free, or would at least trade me for it.

My particular 4003 was manufactured in the early 80s during a period in the manufacturer's history when they strayed from the standard colors. Mine has a "satin silver" finish with black hardware.

The changes I've made to it include a Hipshot bass detuner on the E-string (which I will add allows me to drop my E-string all the way down to a B, thank you very much), and the addition of two black-capped mini-toggle switches (one for each pickup) that allow me to instantly bypas the tone control setting and go to "full bright". (Between that, the pickup selector and what I can do with my fingers I've a very wide selection in overtones or lack thereof.)

The spring-wire "Rikky sound" (ala Gary Strater or Chris Squire) notwithstanding, I can get a very usable range of sounds out of my 4003, even though I string it ONLY with either RotoSound 606LC "Funkmasters" (the original PSD string) or LaBella Super Steps, both in a moderately light guage. The exposed core contributes to brightness and sustain, and my frets are in quite good shape considering these string sets are fully round-wound, although it's worth pointing out that I don't abuse the fretboard for the sake of "tone".

Considering I originally came from the Fender Precision camp (when they were all made only made in the USA and weighed enough to give you a workout over the course of a night), my 4003 produces a full, deep fundamental that works well enough to satisfy those full-treble-rolloff fanatics at the studio or in the audience.

My musical mainstays are (in no particular order) early Motown, Jazz and neo-classical Prgressive Rock, although I've used my 4003 for just about everything including Beach, Country and Bluegrass with good result.

My main stage amp system includes ADA MB-1 and MP-1 preamps, Aphex Aural Exciter 104, Digitech DSP-256XLs for eq and effects, DBX-120 subharmonic synthesizer, and a Peavey 400-WRMS amp top running 12-inch and 15-inch drivers. My studio system consists of a Zoom BFX-708 and a Peaver TKO-65 portable bass amp.

My 4003 was well made and it's been reliable throughout it's life. I expected a quality manufactired instrument and paid dearly for it, and that's exactly what I got.

I take very good care of my equipment, instruments included. Aside from a routine polishing with Super Hard Shell Turtle Wax (yeah, the stuff for cars....and it's absolutely the best stuff I have ever used), my 4003 has no other magical things done to it. And despite spending more thana few nights in a freezing van, car trunk or trailer (in it's case, of course), it has remained stable.

Provided they are still made now as they were when I bought mine, I'd have no problems either buying another or suggestion a long serious look at buying one to anybody that's looking for a well made 4-string bass that's a joy to play (and looks pretty cool to boot).

Every time I ever called the folks in California, they were pleasant and helpful. I was miffed at them once upon a time because they were being difficult about making a double-neck for me, but I certainly won't hold that against them. (I was probably in a testy mood, anyway.)

Nobody ever gets a TEN from me on anything, but I will go the stretch and give my Rickenbacker 4003 a solid NINE, overall. In doing so, I'm considering my other current basses and those I've owned in the past (and those lists include Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Carvin and Hohner......oh, and a Chapman Stick). I've been playing since the early 70s (geeze, I must be pretty old, huh?) and although I'm more of a 6-string electric bassist these days, I will be honest and say that my 4003 is, all-in-all, my favorite bass of any I have ever owned or own now.

If you're lucky enough to be able to afford a 4003, I hope you find yours as satisfying as mine has been for me.

Best of luck!

Made in 1998, USA. JetGlo color.

Normal Ric 4003 features:
20 fret
2 pickups, 1 neck, 1 bridge
2 tone, 2 volume knobs
3 way pup selector
etc..

Came with original Rickenbacker hard case, and polishing cloth.

The only thing I am not pleased with is the 20 fret. I would rather 22, or even 24 frets, but I don't conisder this a problem.

Everything a bassist could ask for. Great for the Metal that I play (old MetallicA style).

Very punchy treble, but also great lows at the same time. The classic Ric sound.
I find it has a variety of sounds. Mess around with the tone knobs to get the right sound for you.

Look no further, if you are looking for that punchy, yet low sound, this is the bass for you.

The person that owned this before me had it professionally set up. The way it was set up when I got it was perfect.

The finishis beautiful, but very fragile. The slightest bump will scratch this. Also, around where the neck connects to the body, the paint work is a bit sloppy, and around the binding seems a bit sloppy.

All in all it is a very beautifully set up and looking bass.

I would be willing to have this as my ONLY bass. I seems built like a tank, except for the finish. I would gig with this, and have no backup. The hardware also seems very solid, and trustworthy.

Never dealt with them.

I have only been playing bass for about a year. I started out with a CHEAP Typhoon Pbass model. I figured it was about time to upgrade to a better bass. I made a HUGE jump there. From one of the worst basses, to, IMO, the BEST. I haven't played many basses, and I highly doubt any will feel as natural to me or as comfortable as the Ric.

As I said, the only thing that seems a bit iffy is the finish. I LOVE the sound.

I only wish it had 24 frets. Oh well, for the sound, and just the Rickenbacker name itself, who cares about 20 frets?

Rickenbacker 4003 (born on date May 2006 delivered via Fedex on Sept 12, 2006) Fireglo, standard features set neck, toggle switch, 2 pups and the new classic sound push/pull button on one of your 4 control knobs. Everything needed to make good music.

Whatever YOU want but with the infamous RIC tone as you've envisioned and know that was probably played (and sounds best to me) thru an Ampeg. To best describe it: warm, woofy, buttery, rubberband-ish bouncy tone especially with the nickel strings. The way a bass should sound to move asses at the low end. At first I didn't quite appreciate the new classic Ric sound set to your treble as a push/pull pot, until I turned it on by accident before playing, WOW, what a difference, NICE touch. It is how, I now came to believe I have always heard the bass in my head.....Give it a name.

Bass came from factory the were hundreds were setup previously, but I could swear it was setup just for me--Perfect. At first it seemed a little high but once I started playing, I realized it was set to dig into the bass, just the way I like too.

I am going gigging this weekend and I will take my 50's P-Bass as back up. Not because I fear the Ric will not perform, example--buddy of mine out gigging with his Rocabilly band at some corporae gig in the City, and man was he wailing on that double-bubble, spinning it, dancing on it and next thing you heard was Twang---Thud! Popped a G-string. needless to say he had no back up and the whole performance lost momentum. If you are a Pro, bring a back up time is money.

Nothing yet,

Bottom Line---I've been playing many years looking for that mythical tone of my forming years that resonates thru my brain whenever I hear a bass, like an upfront filter it converts it proper local internal tone. I am mainly a Fender player (that anything Leo worked on) Stingray, G & L and a lone Spector Rebop DLX bitching bass, discontinued now, but it has Ric type sustain and tone with nickel strings. And, I AM CHEAP, mostly to myself because I've craving a Ric for years but kept going cheap and trying to get the tone on the back-end. Or, maybe I didn't feel an accomplish-enough player to be worth owning.... So, I remind myself that James Jamerson played a stock Fender, nothing fancy---I am the bass, but a well made properly voiced instrument couldn't hurt. Regardless of its looks, this is the real thing and all around bass---FOR A BASS PLAYER

Made in Feb. of 2006 i bought it new from a local sam ash, 20 frets, 2 volume, 2 tone with the vintage tone pull knob.All maple body and neck with a BEAUTIFUL rosewood fretboard i mean it has dark and light reds all over it looks like marble! passive electronics and four strings.

I play hardcore metal music but even though that is such a distorted style i like clean bass sounds better even with hardcore and the 4003 has beautiful highs and clean sounds...although sometimes the low end lacks a little bit but the sound is unbeatable

Action is perfect for me. The pickups are adjusted fine, alot of people complain about the bridge pickup cover but i play with fingers on the neck pickup anyways so it suits me fine, and even when im trying to get another tone by playing on the bridge pickup i find the cover to be anchoring. Finish is beautiful mainly because i clean it all the time and treat it as if it were fragile as glass, but looks pretty and sounds pretty

Durability seems great although i worry about denting or scratching the back finish off because i see so many that have buckle rash on the back.

dunno never dealt with them

This bass is my dream instrument. Its beautiful, unique, bursting with tone, and seems able to stand up to anything. If only Americans built cars as well

Through-neck construction, all maple, 2 pick-ups with tone and volume for each. Everything you need on a passive bass, nothing you dont. Made in the USA. The most beautiful bass in the world.

Incredible sound. Typical ric growl and clank when played with a pick, fat and warm when played fingerstyle. Far more tonal variety than many give rickenbacker basses credit for. Can be smooth and warm at the neck, to slightly hollow and funky with both pick-ups on, to nasal and cutting at the bridge. Despite its reputation for being a bright instrument, it is capable of churning out some thudding bass if necessary.

Well set up from the factory. Perhaps the fastest playing bass out there. Low action and slightly shorter than standard scale give the bass a fast and loose feel. Great for melodic bass playing. The neck is, despite what many say, a nice palm filling handful. I removed the bridge cover, as it got in the way of my right hand. Also, despite what some say, the finish is very fragile. Beautifully applied no doubt, but needs to be looked after.

Has been a constant gigging companion for some time. Always works, always sounds beautiful. Very solid tuning too. Just watch the finish; after eight months gigging mine is already showing some, admittedly superficial, battle scars.

No idea. Heard good and bad things.

My all time dream bass. I expected great things when I bought this, and after eight months of gigging with the old girl I've only been more and more impressed. Capable of a wide range of sounds, whilst remaining distinctive at all times. A truly expressive instrument, this bass precisely tracks every nuance of your playing and adds its own voice to yours. Considering that this bass (or its earlier 4001 incarnation) has been used by bands as diverse as The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Clash, Metallica, Kyuss and Tool, it really is an incredibly flexible instrument, despite its reputation as something of a one trick pony. Strongly recommended to anyone who wants a quality, characterful bass.

As I would have expected, the features are for the norm, nothing special here. Active pickups would be nice - even humbuckers maybe! Mine is a brand new Jetglo

The bass certainly does have a splendid sound, it is rich, there is a depth that my Yam 774 just doesn't have. i play through an Ashdown rig, plents of grunt. The Ric strings are a bit iffy though, the E is quieter than the others so I am hoping a change to Rotosounds (I like 'em) will cure this. With care you can get some useful variations but you'll have to experiment. Pickups buzz of course!

Action is Ok, but it is nowhere as fast as the Yam. Setup is OK notwithstanding the string balance issue. General finish is just superb. Neck straight and true.

Well built, no problems, had a few gigs with it already, stays in tune, solid as they come.

Well, I posted a query on their forum regarding the string balance thing, I repeat, Rics forum where you can ask for others advice, and they took the query off within 1 hour. There was a sarcastic general comment from the Management (I kid you not)regarding some queries being best directed to the tech department. What a bunch of t*ss*rs. Gawd knows what they would be like to deal with if you had a problem.

I've been playing on and off for 30 years. My recent bass, a Yam RBX 774 plays like a dream, has bags of output, sounds good and is very light. The Ric looks a million dollars, has a rich, sonorous quality and is a piece of Rock and Roll history. But time after time, when I'm at home practising, what bass do i pick up? The Ric will soon be on eBay, sorry.