New Rickenbacker short scale, the 4030S

[Clarky]

Apparently there have been limited production runs of these in the past but this seems like a full roll out. Would like to see what these look like when played before judging as some shortie derivatives work better than others visually IMO. I had a Willcock Mullarkey which looked great whereas I thought a short scale Stingray looked a bit like a toy on me when I played it (TBF, the Dadbod fat stomach didn't help)

[prowla]

They don't work for me; ugly & stupid IMHO.

I don't see the point of having a short scale full-sized instrument with the bridge half-way up the body.

[Woodinblack]

The pickups look too close together, presumably because the bridge is so high.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

For me it's the bass equivalent of uncanny valley.

[Maude]

A standard Ric is shortscale isn't it? 😁

 

Seriously though, are the necks on these a standard neck but with the bridge moved up a few inches? 

To me, the whole point of of a short scale is to move the fretting hand towards the plucking hand, not the other way round. 

[BlueMoon]

13 hours ago, Maude said:

Seriously though, are the necks on these a standard neck but with the bridge moved up a few inches?

Certainly looks like it from the picture above.

[prowla]

3 hours ago, BlueMoon said:

Certainly looks like it from the picture above.

Probably, and a different fretboard.

[Woodinblack]

But one where they couldn't be bothered to put a 24th fret marker on it

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

But one where they couldn't be bothered to put a 24th fret marker on it

Well spotted...

 

...or not!

[Maude]

I know Ric bashing is a sport but I love a good Ricky.

But if, and it is only if, the body size and neck length are the same as a normal 4003, then I can't see the point in this short scale. Yes it'll sound slightly different but with a full size body and neck then you've lost a lot of the appeal of a short scale. 

Just move that bridge back, put a horseshoe in the space created and make it sound like a real Ricky should.

Unless the body and neck are shorter, then ignore me, I'm talking shite. 😁

[Woodinblack]

Ok, read the story of the origin of the 4030 and it is just a 4003 with the bridge moved up 2.5" and hotter pickups in different place. I guess there is a market for everything

[ajkula66]

On 24/09/2025 at 16:03, Maude said:

A standard Ric is shortscale isn't it? 😁

 

 

 

Not really. It's 33.25" (standard 4*** series models) as opposed to 34" on most Fender basses.

 

So it's longer than what most would consider medium scale (32") but slightly shorter than the standard long scale.

 

Short scale is usually 30"-31"...Fender, Gibson, Guild, Hagstrom and most of the usual SS offerings fit within this bracket.

[Maude]

6 hours ago, ajkula66 said:

 

Not really. It's 33.25" (standard 4*** series models) as opposed to 34" on most Fender basses.

 

So it's longer than what most would consider medium scale (32") but slightly shorter than the standard long scale.

 

Short scale is usually 30"-31"...Fender, Gibson, Guild, Hagstrom and most of the usual SS offerings fit within this bracket.

I know. It was a joke about their slightly odd scale length, not being a 'standard' 34". Hence the laughing emoji after. 

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Maude said:

I know. It was a joke about their slightly odd scale length, not being a 'standard' 34". Hence the laughing emoji after. 

The "standard" wasn't a standard when Rickenbacker made the 4001 series in the 1950's and they've had no reason to change.

I think the 1960's long-scale Gibson EB0 was 34.5" (as was the Ampeg bass).

The answer to people complaining that Rics aren't Fenders is to just say stop moaning and go and buy a Fender or one of the multifarious Fender-a-likes on the market.

Next people are going to complain that Rics have a 2+2 tuner layout instead of the "standard" 4 in a line.

[prowla]

10 hours ago, Maude said:

I know Ric bashing is a sport but I love a good Ricky.

But if, and it is only if, the body size and neck length are the same as a normal 4003, then I can't see the point in this short scale. Yes it'll sound slightly different but with a full size body and neck then you've lost a lot of the appeal of a short scale. 

Just move that bridge back, put a horseshoe in the space created and make it sound like a real Ricky should.

Unless the body and neck are shorter, then ignore me, I'm talking shite. 😁

I think the 4001/4003 are the best basses ever made; best looking, best playing, best sound.

But this short scale is an eyesore.

I prefer my Kay (still needs a pickguard) short scale!

 

[Beedster]

I’m reserving judgement until someone’s actually played one 👍

[Woodinblack]

19 minutes ago, Beedster said:

I’m reserving judgement until someone’s actually played one 👍

 

it won't embed for whatever reason

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEGn-48kbmo

 

[Woodinblack]

22 minutes ago, prowla said:

But this short scale is an eyesore.

I prefer my Kay (still needs a pickguard) short scale!

 

I would say that second line invalidates the opinion on the first line

 

[Beedster]

Just now, Woodinblack said:

 

it won't embed for whatever reason

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEGn-48kbmo

 

Oddly won’t let me watch it either? 

[ezbass]

16 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Oddly won’t let me watch it either? 

I got a warning that it might include offensive content and did I want to continue - I did and I’ve no idea what was offensive about it. Not the best demo (what little demo there was) as there was too much distortion and the rest was just stills to music. I skipped a fair bit, so I might have missed something, but this bass is not for me. It is, from what I could tell and as we had already worked out, a short scale bass on a full sized body and neck. Shame, it could’ve so much more (or do I mean less? ).

[Woodinblack]

6 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I got a warning that it might include offensive content and did I want to continue - I did and I’ve no idea what was offensive about it. 

 

I think it was the playing!

I skipped a lot as well, but he is the guy they made the 4030 for in the first place, according to this: https://rickenbacker101.substack.com/p/overview-the-4030

which is also quite clear they just moved the bridge (although that original was a 4002 body)

[Happy Jack]

I'm struggling here. I imagine I've read something wrong, but is the idea that you can convert a longscale into a shortscale just by moving the bridge?

[Bass Direct]

We have these coming in next week

 

[Woodinblack]

2 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

I'm struggling here. I imagine I've read something wrong, but is the idea that you can convert a longscale into a shortscale just by moving the bridge?

 

No, you have to move the bridge AND redo the fret positions, which is why it has 24 frets instead of 20 (or whatever is on the 4003, I just have a 4004 here, it has 20)

[fretmeister]

3 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

I'm struggling here. I imagine I've read something wrong, but is the idea that you can convert a longscale into a shortscale just by moving the bridge?

 

No because the distance between frets will be wrong.

 

But if you get a bolt on and put a properly build shortscale neck on it and keep the neck pocket in the same place then you have to move the bridge to make it work.

 

For Fender guitars Warmoth do conversion necks that do not need the bridge or the pocket moved - the neck is built in a way that makes it all work just by screwing it on. I am not aware of anyone doing bass conversion necks.