Rickenbacker 4003S

Rickenbacker 4003S Made April of 1995 in the USA.
20 dot frets.
Blond(Mapleglo).
Two volume and two tone controls.
I replaced the stock neck pickup with a Rickenbacer vintage "Toatser" neck pickup.
I also replaced the original volume and tone knobs with vintage solid black knobs.
Maple body and neck.(Blond)
Rosewood fretboard.
Tolex Rickenbacker 4000 bass series case black on black.

I play in a band that plays original music and we do all the different styles.
I'm playing this bass through an Ampeg SVT classic head (tubed).
I'm playing the Ampeg SVT classic 2X15 bass cabinet.
Sometimes I get a buzz at high volumes but that is the normal 60 cycle hum with the Rickenbacker bass.
This bass sounds great when you plug it direct into the board for studio recordings. It sounds even better when played through the Ampeg SVT stack live.

The action is good and the pickup selection sounds great. The bass has some damage but this gives it personality. You cannot really notice the flaws on this bass due to it's natural finish.

This bass stands up well whenever I perform with it.
The hardware is solid.
The finish is great(I love blond Rickenbackers).
I can depend on this bass being the one I keep for the rest of my life.
The bass never goes out of tune and never needs to be adjusted.
I don't need a backup bass.

I had to deal directly with Rickenbacker and they helped me with every detail for my custom work.

I've been playing for over 20 years. I traded a Yamaha BB1000MA that I got for $300 along with a Fender Highway 1 Precision bass I got from a friend. This used Rickenbacker bass is worth more than the two new guitars combined.
This Rickenbacker 4003S was a reissue of the classic Rickenbacker 4001S. It does not have the body or neck binding and it has the single mono input. This bass is a dream come true. I LOVE THIS BASS!

I have bought this axe second hand from CORFAC2, switzerland.
It is a classic ringing bright sound rickenbacker.
It was sent with GHS strings, but chenging it with COCCO added to the classic rickenbacker biting sound deep bottom basses!
The pickups are high gain passive, the neck is a little bit big, as in every Ric basses, but very comfortable. It also have the Rick o sound double output for stereo image when used with two amplifiers.The finish is maple glo (natural) and the fretboard is mahogany.
The neck is trough body.

You love it or hate it.
It's Chris Squire like Ric bright and nervouis sound.
I love it so much!

To me Rickenbacker is one of the greatest guyitar maker all over the world!
Even thouigh it is a great company, it still have the handcrafting feel ov every instrument.
TRhe double truss rod allow you to obtain almost every kind of action (I prever very low) you want!
The Only think I hate is the bridge pickup cover, but you may remove it.

I also have a 1963 4001 model and it istill is in as new condition. Holding it in your hands gives you a feel of strong.built intrument.

I never talked to Ricenbacker for this axe, but in other occasions People at Ric answered promptly to my questions with kindness. Unfortunately here in Italy the local distriobutor doesn't care a lot for this brand. They seems more interested in Fender than Rickenbacker.

An icon for any rock musician
A great sounding axe
a very personal sound
great value for your money
I own 6 rickenbacker basses and 2 guitars.
I love them all

Made: December 1996, Santa Ana, Ca., 20 frets; Jetglo finish (Black). Controls: usual Rick Assortment- 2 tone dials, nearest your head, 2 volume dials, away form you, 3-way selector switch. The center position on the switch lets you mix and blend tones to your heart's content. Pickups: 2 Hi-gains, just like 4001's and 4003's have had for over 2 decades. Changed them, along with installing a 4001V63 pickguard, to Vintage configuration. Materials: body wings, headstock wings, and neck are Eastern hard rock Maple, Lacquered Rosewood fretboard, NO binding, DOT inalys, top bass side edge is radiused instead of being a knife edge like a 4003, conventional mono circuits, those accoutrements being reserved for the 4003 model. Not a problem, though.Tuners: Kluson-style Schallers like all other RIC basses of its year group.All the features you'll use- none you'll allow to gather dust, just right, I'd say.

Before conversion great! After conversion: TO DIE FOR!!! With the Horseshoe/Toaster combination, the only things setting thi apart from a vintage 4001S are the lack of a square neck heel, the Scaller tuners (better than the 70's Grovers, says MDA) and the injection molded nameplate. What bass does it soun like? a Rickenbacker of 60's vintage! Want bass without crunch and clank? Just turn it up and pick softly1Even thru our church's multi-million $$ system I hear clearly elements of Squire and Geddy all thru the house. You never get tired of playing a bass like this.

Let's just say that the first owner of this bass really went the extra mile in caring for this bass. His choice of strings was GHS Brite Flats and, quite honestly, gave a great McCartney tone-wait- oh, this is Action, Fit, & Finish? Sorry, I could go on forever about the sound. Actually, after shipment from Mass. to Texas I only had to bring up the A string a touch and it was in tune! Intonation appears to be to factory spec, workmanship and action are just flawless. The first owner did a mod that I actually appreciated when I saw it: the RIC bass bridge typically rests on two set screws on a stamped tailpiece pan, not anchored directly to the body. He drilled holes where the set screws go and installed socket screws ( the kind you use an allen wrench to turn) into the body right beneath each of those holes, placing the bridge screws on metal rests anchored in Maple. I always thought this bass had a lot of sustain! Pickups: N/A, because I installed replacements and set those up myself.

Every other reviewer on these Rick product pages has stated that Ricks are built like a tank. let me quote Chris Squire's words about his Rose Morris 1999:

it has served him well even though "it's been dropped, chipped, thrown down from one side of the stage to other?not recently, but it has been done." According to Chris' guitar tech, Richard Davis, the headstock was once completely broken off and had to be restored for Chris by Rickenbacker.

N/A: never had a customer service issue with this bass. However the fist owner was outstanding about staying in touch and answering ??'s during the purchase process.

It's just what I want a 4001 to be- even if it started life as a 4003S! I'm quite happy with this bass- i just need another one with flats on it - that's all!