HW Rickenbacker Tributes

[Woodinblack]

So I am thinking that as I enjoy my 4004/5 so much it would be nice to have a 5 string 4003. Obviously they don't make one of those, but there are people who do.

So I have contacted the most prominant one and asked him about it. He can do it, they aren't particulary cheap, so they would be about the price of a cheap used real one. Has anyone had one built and what were they like? I thought I could just get a used one (and originally after brexit, thomman were selling the actual 5 string 4003s/5s for that price, but not for long) but the 4003s/5s weren't that cheap, and there arent any 4003 non Ss in 5.

 

Anyone gone this route?

 

Yes, I know that 'tributes' is doing a bit of heavy lifting there!

 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I had one built for me last year. It looked and sounded spot on but there were a few issues which meant I didn't keep it for long. 

Maybe I was unlucky, they certainly have a loyal following, but despite being clearly skilled at what they do I can't help feeling they rush the builds to keep up with demand.

Happy to discuss more by PM.

[Skybone]

I had a 4 string built a few years ago, before I managed to track down an affordable 4003. Still have it.

 

The woodwork was spot on, the electrics were a bit meh. I keep meaning to upgrade them, but just never get around to it. Maybe one day.

[police squad]

I have a 4003 by HW in black. It is awesome. I'm going to get another one this time in White wth checkered binding.

It sounds exactly like it should

Edited Thursday at 06:03 by police squad

[Skybone]

Now there's a thought, a custom 8 string...

[prowla]

20 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

So I am thinking that as I enjoy my 4004/5 so much it would be nice to have a 5 string 4003. Obviously they don't make one of those, but there are people who do.

So I have contacted the most prominant one and asked him about it. He can do it, they aren't particulary cheap, so they would be about the price of a cheap used real one. Has anyone had one built and what were they like? I thought I could just get a used one (and originally after brexit, thomman were selling the actual 5 string 4003S/5s for that price, but not for long) but the 4003s/5s weren't that cheap, and there arent any 4003 non Ss in 5.

 

Anyone gone this route?

 

Yes, I know that 'tributes' is doing a bit of heavy lifting there!

 

33 minutes ago, Skybone said:

Now there's a thought, a custom 8 string...

 

I had a 4003s/5 for a while; the styling amused me, but it didn't feel like a Ric to me and I never quite gelled with it; I sold it back to the person I bought it from after a year(@6feet7).

I played @Happy Jack's and his was the same.

As for HW, he has a good reputation for producing replicas to order, including some of those instruments RIC never made.

I have a faker from another UK-based maker (DC) who has stepped back a bit; it was originally made as an 8-string, but the neck couldn't cope and it was re-purposed as a 4.

That sort of hints at one of the pitfalls: a Ric neck can be lovely and slim, but can't handle high-tension/heavy gauge strings and adding an extra one adds 25% more tension which can have structural implications.

I'd expect HW to be well across those implications.

Also, for info, Retrovibe do 5-string faker pickups.

Also (#2), some real RIcs (4004 Laredo/Cheyenne and the 4003S/5) had Schaller 3D bridges, so there'd be no harm in using one of those.

Pics of my 4-nee-8 string faker.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 07:08 by prowla

[ead]

Pardon my ignorance, but who is HW?

[Woodinblack]

Harry White

[Woodinblack]

6 hours ago, prowla said:

I had a 4003s/5 for a while; the styling amused me, but it didn't feel like a Ric to me and I never quite gelled with it; I sold it back to the person I bought it from after a year(@6feet7).

 

Sadly I missed my chance to get one of those just after brexit when thoman had them for €1350 but didn't know how the whole import tax thing worked, by the time they added it they had none left.

 

I am not sure I wanted a 5 like that anyway.

 

6 hours ago, prowla said:

That sort of hints at one of the pitfalls: a Ric neck can be lovely and slim, but can't handle high-tension/heavy gauge strings and adding an extra one adds 25% more tension which can have structural implications.

 

Well, I have a genuine 4004 ric with 5 string and its neck seems fine with the strings on it, I just used lighter than normal ones, 40-125 and it seems happy. It is one of my most played basses, that and the maruschyk but the look of the 4003 was always an appeal. I spoke with HW, he said he put a Shaller 3D bridge on it so I could get the spacing smaller - ironically my 4004 started with one of those but now has a narrower bridge on it otherwise it wouldn't fit on the neck and would go outside the pickups.

 

I keep thinking i could just get a normal ric, but they are such stupid money even tatty these days, and ultimately a 4 string is not really going to be something I end up gigging, and if I don't gig it, what is the point having it?

 

 

[Maude]

I've had a HW 4005 for about 6 years (in my profile picture), bought secondhand but only a year old. 

I don't know how long Harry has been making them, and whether he hadn't mastered finishing then, but the paint finish wasn't great. It's a mapleglo and the clearcoat was very orange peely. It wasn't horrendous and the previous owner was happy with/hadn't noticed it, but it bothered me. I flatted and polished it and it was fine then. 

Everything else is fantastic, the woodwork and attention to detail is exceptional, checker binding, crushed pearl inlays, the fretboard colour, everything, perfect. 

I've seen many other finishes of his which are great so maybe mine was a bad day, who knows. 

It was my main gigging bass in my Mod/Northern Soul/Ska band, which has now folded but I can't see me selling it any time soon. It's a beautiful bass and after a couple of little changes to suit me better it's a one off. 

 

[Woodinblack]

Seems to be generally positive, but the same points seem to come up from everyone, which made me unsure.

Plus, when it comes down to it, its quite a lot for a copy of a thing, when you can get that thing for the same price, so, well, I went and got the same thing for the same price, even if it has a string missing - I will try and see if I can get on with it, and if I can't then I shouldn't have much trouble moving it on

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

Seems to be generally positive, but the same points seem to come up from everyone, which made me unsure.

Plus, when it comes down to it, its quite a lot for a copy of a thing, when you can get that thing for the same price, so, well, I went and got the same thing for the same price, even if it has a string missing - I will try and see if I can get on with it, and if I can't then I shouldn't have much trouble moving it on

Yep - I repeatedly see people trying to sell replicas for "what it owes them", but that doesn't equate to what it's worth.

It doesn't matter if it's subjectively "better than a real one", because it's not actually a real one.

If you buy used, then it's likely to be a zero-cost item if/when you decide to move it on.

[6feet7]

On 02/10/2025 at 14:30, Woodinblack said:

Well, I have a genuine 4004 ric with 5 string and its neck seems fine with the strings on it, I just used lighter than normal ones, 40-125 and it seems happy.

Remember, I'll have that 4004 back if you ever decide to sell. It's one of those big regrets having had to to sell it 

[Woodinblack]

Just now, 6feet7 said:

Remember, I'll have that 4004 back if you ever decide to sell. It's one of those big regrets having had to to sell it 

 

I do remember, and I am thinking of selling some basses, but that one isn't in the list, it is currently close to being my favourite, it has certainly done more gigs than any other single bass.

[kodiakblair]

On 02/10/2025 at 21:13, Maude said:

It's a mapleglo and the clearcoat was very orange peely. It wasn't horrendous and the previous owner was happy with/hadn't noticed it, but it bothered me.

Attention to detail ?

 

Google search "Rickenbacker Bass poor finish issues"  came back with 132,000 hits 🤣

[ezbass]

32 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Attention to detail ?

 

Google search "Rickenbacker Bass poor finish issues"  came back with 132,000 hits 🤣

My 4003s had a wonky bridge pickup (both pickup and surround) and the nut was like it had been finished by a blind man. QC very much not the watchword at Hall Towers.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

1 minute ago, ezbass said:

My 4003s had a wonky bridge pickup (both pickup and surround) and the nut was like it had been finished by a blind man. QC very much not the watchword at Hall Towers.

John Hall once stated that a crooked bridge pickup didn't matter, it was only an aesthetic issue and wasn't seen under the cover. If players chose to remove the cover and exposed the crooked pickup that was their choice.

 

He then went on to rip off Tubeampology's bezel design and release a product designed solely to be used when the pickup cover is removed.

[ezbass]

7 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

John Hall once stated that a crooked bridge pickup didn't matter, it was only an aesthetic issue and wasn't seen under the cover. If players chose to remove the cover and exposed the crooked pickup that was their choice.

Yeah, I read that somewhere too. It wasn’t just the pickup that was on the squint, the entire chrome assembly was pissed. Didn’t notwithstanding immediately, but once I was aware of it, I couldn’t unsee it.

[Maude]

2 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Attention to detail ?

 

Google search "Rickenbacker Bass poor finish issues"  came back with 132,000 hits 🤣

So it's actually a very authentic copy then? 😂

 

To be fair I am a fussy git. Which makes anything I do a nightmare, as unless I can get it absolutely spot I'm never happy. It's a curse I tells ya! 😁

[Skybone]

2 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Attention to detail ?

 

Google search "Rickenbacker Bass poor finish issues"  came back with 132,000 hits 🤣

And all the more reason to buy one second hand... it's already been "relic-ed" by someone else  

[kodiakblair]

1 hour ago, Maude said:

So it's actually a very authentic copy then? 😂

Did it also have microphonic pickups ?  If yes then it was an exact replica.

 

3 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

He then went on to rip off Tubeampology's bezel design and release a product designed solely to be used when the pickup cover is removed.

 Have a hazy memory John Hall was retired by then and his laddie was responsible. Course John's earlier behaviour did him no favours so he'd automatically cop the blame. 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

2 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

 

 Have a hazy memory John Hall was retired by then and his laddie was responsible. Course John's earlier behaviour did him no favours so he'd automatically cop the blame. 

You may well be right.