Old Horse Murphy Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Well, I decided to scratch the itch again and picked up a lovely 4003S today. I've changed the Truss Rod cover for a black one and a black pickguard is hopefully arriving tomorrow so I can change that too. I love Mapleglo Rics but find the white plastic makes them look a bit anaemic. This one has a lovely chunky neck and I'm loving the new style bridges too. The lack of bevelled edge on the body is really comfortable too. PS: sorry it didn't work out for you @Clarky I've been there many times myself sadly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 (edited) Got the custom built Walnut Faker as well (see avatar) Edited December 6, 2021 by Skybone 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbag Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 Me noodling on my 1984 Azure 4003. I've owned that bass for 23 years now 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 A before and after shot. It's now wearing the treble bezel (a must for me) and the new black pickguard. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 9 minutes ago, Old Horse Murphy said: A before and after shot. It's now wearing the treble bezel (a must for me) and the new black pickguard. Oooffftt! 😍 Quality. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted December 8, 2021 Share Posted December 8, 2021 5 hours ago, Old Horse Murphy said: A before and after shot. It's now wearing the treble bezel (a must for me) and the new black pickguard. Nice work Nick, looks great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 On 06/12/2021 at 14:47, martthebass said: Try FB Market place (the Bass Guitar one...) also, mine sold in 20 minutes on there. They are fetching top dollar at the moment 😉 Update: my 4003 didn't sell on eBay (very few watchers) and has had no interest on FB market place (despite handy discount), so I am going to give it some more time and try to get used to the bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 @Old Horse Murphy, did you get them from RickySounds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 11 minutes ago, Skybone said: @Old Horse Murphy, did you get them from RickySounds? I did 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Considering a black 'plate for the other 4003, but put off because the other one already has one (and matching TRC). Would love to find somewhere that does custom 'plates & TRC's at reasonable prices. Know of a few places, but they're either expensive or not quite what I'm after. RickySounds only do black, white or gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickybob Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 (edited) Just got my nice new 4003CB WG Rick bass., stunning. Nice contrast with my old 4001. It's a new Custom Build 4003 with checker binding, toaster pup & Walnutglo finish. with high gloss fretboard. Great new style bridge & single twin action truss rod. Love em both. Edited December 26, 2021 by Rickybob 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted December 26, 2021 Share Posted December 26, 2021 Loving them both.....especially that checker binding!!! Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 I just replaced my JG 4003 with a JG 4003S and prefer the body shape, neck and weight. Has some beautiful figuring on the fingerboard wood too. Finally happy! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Sam Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 3 hours ago, Clarky said: I just replaced my JG 4003 with a JG 4003S and prefer the body shape, neck and weight. Has some beautiful figuring on the fingerboard wood too. Finally happy! Nice one Clarky mine is prettier though. I hope you got it for a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 2 minutes ago, Bassman Sam said: Nice one Clarky mine is prettier though. I hope you got it for a good price. Well I got it for the lowest price I could find available in the UK. Whether that qualifies as a "good" price is a different matter! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 4 hours ago, Clarky said: I just replaced my JG 4003 with a JG 4003S and prefer the body shape, neck and weight. Has some beautiful figuring on the fingerboard wood too. Finally happy! That upper strap button is at a rather jaunty angle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Jaunty is my middle name (Actually its Dexter, but that's another story) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 My middle name varies, depending upon the topic of conversation! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Also the positioning of the strap button looks the same to me as on @Old Horse Murphy's 2021 mapleglo 4003S, pictured higher up this page. Its obviously the new and bestest design so I think any owners of pre 2021 Ricks should be worried that their top horn is at risk of being sheared off 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 Slightly off topic - anyone here played the 5 string 4003S/5 ? Have decided 5 strings suit me, but do like a Rick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 1 hour ago, Richard R said: Slightly off topic - anyone here played the 5 string 4003S/5 ? Have decided 5 strings suit me, but do like a Rick. I didn't bond with the one I had and I found I was gravitating towards my Warwicks for 5-strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 1 hour ago, Richard R said: Slightly off topic - anyone here played the 5 string 4003S/5 ? Have decided 5 strings suit me, but do like a Rick. Calling @Happy Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 2 hours ago, Richard R said: Slightly off topic - anyone here played the 5 string 4003S/5 ? Have decided 5 strings suit me, but do like a Rick. I play mine at every gig with https://www.lemonrock.com/junkyarddogs. We're not nearly as busy these days as my other band (https://www.lemonrock.com/damoandthedynamites) or as we were pre-Covid, but we still average two gigs a month. I bought the bass for a number of reasons - extensively documented elsewhere on Basschat if you're interested - but always with the intention of using it with this band. We're a 3-piece without a recognised lead guitarist, so I'm alternating between filling out the sound with my bassline and playing 'lead bass' on a number of songs. The Rick does both jobs perfectly, especially when paired with a Sansamp BDDI. Other fuzzy pedals are available. The 4003.s5 is on the heavy side, like all Rics IME, but I play with a twin-shoulder strap which distributes the weight nicely. A younger me probably wouldn't have noticed the weight. Any 4-string Rick would fit the description in the last paragraph. I have the 4003.s5 because in this band I need to play a 5-string bass on perhaps a third of the songs. Switching between 4-string and 5-string basses within a set was leading to too many cockups ("No you fool, you come in on the C, not the G!") so if I wanted a Rick at all then it had to be a 5-string Rick, and there's only one such bass out there. The styling is (IMHO) a very nice update of the classic Rick design, and I've had a couple of those too. Body edges are more comfortable, the pickup arrangement is WAY more user-friendly than the 60s/70s basses, and the stealth black finish looks great just as soon as you ditch the appalling cheapo cheapo white p/g and trc and replace them with after-market parts in black. The neck is classic Rick too, and one I find easy to play. I've had mine for nearly two years now, storing it in a very dry atmosphere, and I'm just starting to get a bit of fret-sprout which I'll be dealing with next week. Like most Ricks it responds very well to being played with a pick (something I do on maybe half a dozen songs at a 3-hour gig), and on a boomy floor or stage it sounds better with the Low rolled off than most of my other high-end basses. I'm known for being an advocate of flats, but it would never occur to me to fit them to my Rick. The original-fitment rounds are just fine. As to the Low B itself, I'm a huge fan of 35" scale 5-string basses and my two favourites are both Mike Lulls, partly for that reason. I've always found 34" scale Low Bs to be frankly rather flobbadob and under-whelming, although I know that plenty of Basschatters believe that neck construction is far more important than scale length in determining this. And of course the 4003.s5 is a mere 33.25" so must be utterly hopeless? Actually no, it compares just fine with various 34" scale 5-strings I've had in the past, as also with the Status Streamline sitting by my right elbow as I type. I still prefer the Lulls for the Low B, but I have no problem with the Rick's Low B at gigs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 Thanks @Happy Jack 👍 I did a search on the forum to see if there was a NBD review or such but couldn't find one, so thanks for a very comprehensive, and favourable, review. Good to hear the low B works on a Rick. I have only owned 35" basses, so 33¼" might actually be easier. I'm not in the immediate market for a new bass - I still have to learn to play the ones I have properly- but there are a couple for retail sale within easy driving distance so I will check them out when I have a bit of spare time. Thanks again 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 I've had a go on @Happy Jack's 5-er and it did one thing the same as the one I had: the normal 4 strings were clang,clang,clang,clang, and the B was "thud". Not sure if it needed a new set of strings. Otherwise, it was like a Ric with an extra string bolted on and a wider neck for it. Who knows - I might pick up another at some point; there was one going on FB for £1200 for a while and I was almost tempted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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