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Stephen
03-21-2011, 11:34 AM
If anyone out there owns a Rickenbacker Model 4003 or has played it before a substantial amount of time please tell me your pros and cons. I am seriously considering purchasing one towards the end of this year and just want to get peoples opinions before I spend that kind of money. :cool:

Ditto
03-21-2011, 11:37 AM
I have a buddy that had one and it has a very low output volume. They are also heavy. The new ones may have improved. But I did not like the off the rack one he had.

I know.... no help!

Bassix
03-21-2011, 12:02 PM
Stephen,

Lots of 4003 reviews here for what it's worth:

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rickenbacker-4003-Bass?sku=513600

Bassix
03-21-2011, 12:12 PM
When you read the reviews on it, people either love it or hate it - very few folks in between. Definitely a situation where it boils down to personal preference.

Stephen
03-21-2011, 12:16 PM
I know.... no help!

No it is "help".
Really any information is good information when it comes down to dropping $2K on a guitar. Just the fact it may be heavy is good info because I have multiple herniated disks in my back and weight matters. I haven't been able to try one of these because for some reason, in the major metropolitan area I live, none of the music stores carry them on the floor. It's always special order which never gives anyone the chance to try it out.

Stephen
03-21-2011, 12:32 PM
I also looked at a Fender Jazz which came in several models. Unfortunately when you ask for help or information in some stores, usually the ones with the bigger selections, the sales people seem disinterested in anything that relates to the Bass. I can never seem to get info on what makes guitar A better or different then guitar B. So without knowledgeable help I'm left to make my own determination about different models and hardware which is not the way to go so I end up leaving these stores disappointed. I have 2 nice basses now, a Schecter Stiletto Custom-4 and a Fender Kingman Acoustic.

Elmeaux
04-29-2011, 02:53 PM
I think we have another Kingman in our ranks somewhere. Niiiceee... :cool:

Stephen
04-29-2011, 02:56 PM
Well folks, I picked up a Fender Jazz. Absolutely beautiful. I choose the Geddy Lee model. Not because of Geddy but because my hands and fingers are small so with the slim neck the model has it fits perfect in my hands. I can finally get my pinky and ring finger to play without straining and also eliminating fret buzz. The maple finger board is eye candy, the weight is perfect, and the sound just comes alive compared to my Schecter bass. It's like you can feel each notes resonance throughout to whole instrument as you play. I'm really happy with this bass.

Stephen
04-29-2011, 03:04 PM
I think we have another Kingman in our ranks somewhere. Niiiceee... :cool:

The Kingman is OK. It kind of cuts into my arm after a while. The sound is kind of spongy, like a real wet one. I may change the strings to nickle/steel to maybe perk it up a little. I haven't been using it like I thought I would and has just been sitting around.

Bruce Alan
05-29-2011, 07:14 PM
Probably a bit late to the party since you got the Jazz Bass, but I've owned numerous 4003 basses over the years and loved them all. One thing you will find (should you decide one day to get one) is the necks vary from era to era when they were built. Thickness (not width, but front to back thickness) can be noticeably different between build years. I've had some that felt like baseball bats and others that felt near flat by comparison. My last one was a 2008 build and they had gone back to a very thin neck that felt great.

They're often accused of being a one-trick-pony in sound, but I've never had that be the case. I find that to often be from people who've only seen them used in certain settings and really have no idea that so much of your sound comes from your hands and everything else in the signal chain. One can very easily get away from the traditional Rick sound with ease. I've used them in many a country band.

KGT
08-25-2011, 01:33 PM
Nothing else out there growls like a Ric. It has that wonderful, distinctive sound that cuts through the mix like no other bass I've ever heard.

Having said that, the Fender Jazz Geddy Lee edition is also a beautiful instrument, and I agree - significantly lighter. That might not have made a big difference when I was 17, but it does now at 48.