NBD: My first ever Rickenbacker

[Pow_22]

So I've been pretty much a full time P bass/flats player since i started in bands.  Ive had a few flirts with Jazzes and once upon a time a burns bison bass but always come back to the P.  Over the years I've had a few basses I've always loved the look of a few others (i still think a Spector Euro in Gloss Black and gold hardware is one of the best looking basses) and had mixed reactions when finally getting hold of them.  Now, my main 'always wanted' bass is an original Ric 4005 but finances just cant justify even the reissues but i developed a ric itch.  Fast forward to last week and my daily trawl of the usual sites took me to Bass Bros where the had a few ricks in.  I love fireglo but to me the newer ones have a sort of 'washed out' or 'bleached' look.  Then i saw it - a 1998 Ric 4003 with just the right mojo and for what i thought was a reasonable price - i had to have it!  Today, after being ordered late Friday evening she showed up in her rickenbacker hard case and she looks absolutely glorious.  After years of P's ill need time to adjust and ill need to get her off to the fixers for a set up with my usual strings when they are in stock but here's a few teaser pics in the meantime.

Edited 22 hours ago by Pow_22

[police squad]

nice score

they sound great with flats

[LeftyJ]

Awesome! I love the yellowing on the bindings and fingerboard inlays. The toaster in the neck position is a great addition too (I think the high gain pickups were stock?). 

[Alba]

Very nice, looks great and bet it sounds better. Toaster must be a later addition.

[Pow_22]

Not sure if the toaster is original or not?  Serial dates from 1998?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Nice! I got a 4003, my first ric several months ago. EB Cobalt flats sound absolutely massive it.

[itu]

Does this have that cap bypass switch in some pot? 

[Pow_22]

4 minutes ago, itu said:

Does this have that cap bypass switch in some pot? 

No, no push pull pot on this one

[itu]

If there's that cap, I stronly suggest you to replace one with a bypass switch pot. Bridge pu is unnecessary thin if the cap is there as always ON. 

[BlueMoon]

2 hours ago, Pow_22 said:

my daily trawl of the usual sites

 

2 hours ago, Pow_22 said:

i had to have it!

Love it…….a true series of Basschat traits going on here!

 

I love a nice Ricky! Well done.

 

[prowla]

Rics are the best basses money can buy.

[prowla]

1 hour ago, itu said:

If there's that cap, I stronly suggest you to replace one with a bypass switch pot. Bridge pu is unnecessary thin if the cap is there as always ON. 

Well, yes and no...

If you run Rick-O-Sound then you can control each pickup separately.

If you want to play anything Chris Squire, pull the Treble pickup tone and then go "Oh!".

 

The bypass pot is an easy fit which does unlock some variations.

[Pow_22]

Thanks all.  Still tinkering until i get get it to my tech.  Currently im easily getting the nasally snarl but struggling to get much low end.  Ill need to have a play with pup heights etc but feels lovely to play.  Maybe the lack of lows is coming from being a habitual P bass/flats player

[Skybone]

It's usually advisable to roll off some of the volume on the neck pickup to about 3/4, with the bridge on full volume.

 

Yes, the 1998 is pre-standard fitment of the "Vintage Circuit" push/pull, though a few people did modify their basses with the circuit. Your new toy should sound full bodied and lovely.

 

Enjoy, it's a lovely looking machine.

[AlexDelores]

Very pretty that! Congrats 🙌 

[kwmlondon]

I have such a love for these basses. So many of my heroes have rocked (ricked?) one. I worry that one day I’ll see one of those mad 5 strings they did recently and I tell you I WILL buy it…

[Jonesy]

Really cool bass, enjoy it! I love the clank with rounds, but I've recently (4 years ago, so recently in terms of the life span of flats!) put TI Jazz Flats on my Ric and love them.