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Help Ricky gas!


Highfox
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Please help me with my Rickenbacker 4003 gas, tell me how ugly they are and how crap they sound, the bad QC and tail-lift what horrible management they have and anything else that might put me off :yarr:
Getting close to Christmas and I'm due some tax refund, trying to shake the need for one of these in a midnight blue :gas:

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[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1352029678' post='1857886']
Nooooooo! that's lovely, is it yours? tell me more :)
[/quote]
Its my 2002 model, one owner ( me )
I bought it new and it sat in its case for 8 yrs only being played for about 4 hours in total.
Late last year I spent a while setting it up, replaced the Truss Rods, Impregnated the neck laminates with glue and set the neck straight and it plays so so easily !
I wasn't happy with round wounds so put the TI's on and it came to life. ( sounds magical through my Walkabout ) and the Guitarist in my band constantly comments on how good it sounds.

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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1352030819' post='1857905']
Just looking at your avatar, maybe this will help..
[url="http://parliamentfunkadelic.tumblr.com/post/28242196306/cordell-boogie-mosson-bassist-p-funk"]http://parliamentfun...-bassist-p-funk[/url]
[/quote]
Nice !!!

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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1352030819' post='1857905']
Just looking at your avatar, maybe this will help..
[url="http://parliamentfunkadelic.tumblr.com/post/28242196306/cordell-boogie-mosson-bassist-p-funk"]http://parliamentfun...-bassist-p-funk[/url]
[/quote]

Lol, I kind of guessed where this thread might be going.
Thanks Roland.

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[quote name='funky8884' timestamp='1352030754' post='1857902']
Its my 2002 model, one owner ( me )
I bought it new and it sat in its case for 8 yrs only being played for about 4 hours in total.
Late last year I spent a while setting it up, replaced the Truss Rods, Impregnated the neck laminates with glue and set the neck straight and it plays so so easily !
I wasn't happy with round wounds so put the TI's on and it came to life. ( sounds magical through my Walkabout ) and the Guitarist in my band constantly comments on how good it sounds.
[/quote]

Thanks.
That was going to be another question, are they really that bad to start out? I have the dilemma of whether to buy a new 2012 model or get something second-hand with the vintage switch say something from 2006 or so onwards, any-tips on years etc?.. nowhere round here to try one, so I'd have to be buying blind :( Mind you I have picked up 3 basses from Basschat and all have been good.

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[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1352031501' post='1857917']
Thanks.
That was going to be another question, are they really that bad to start out? I have the dilemma of whether to buy a new 2012 model or get something second-hand with the vintage switch say something from 2006 or so onwards, any-tips on years etc?.. nowhere round here to try one, so I'd have to be buying blind :( Mind you I have picked up 3 basses from Basschat and all have been good.
[/quote]
I would get one with the adjustable pole pieces , but other wise I have not heard of many horror stories.
I had a stubborn neck that needed help and other than that its all cool.
Check the RIC forum and happy hunting !!!!

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[quote name='funky8884' timestamp='1352030754' post='1857902']
Its my 2002 model, one owner ( me )
I bought it new and it sat in its case for 8 yrs only being played for about 4 hours in total.
Late last year I spent a while setting it up, replaced the Truss Rods, Impregnated the neck laminates with glue and set the neck straight and it plays so so easily ![/quote]

That's horrific! Do you put it down to the storage conditions - or another duff Rick?
From what I was told by a couple of lutheirs it does have at least a hint of being stored flat & with the strings under tension - or maybe the complete opposite depending on your POV & how accurate those luthiers were.

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Be selective about which one you buy (there are some terrible examples out there), but you could find a stunning bass, I did...

Here's my 1978 BG 4001. The thinnest neck and 8.1 pounds with perfect balance. Astonishing Rickenbacker but took me 20 years of playing quite a few heavy, lifeless duds with thick necks to find it ;)

[attachment=122744:myric.jpg]

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[quote name='Cairobill' timestamp='1352033536' post='1857943']
Be selective about which one you buy (there are some terrible examples out there), but you could find a stunning bass, I did...

Here's my 1978 BG 4001. The thinnest neck and 8.1 pounds with perfect balance. Astonishing Rickenbacker but took me 20 years of playing quite a few heavy, lifeless duds with thick necks to find it ;)

[attachment=122744:myric.jpg]
[/quote]


Thanks for posting that......I now know what my Arbiter,purchased new in 1975 and sold in 1977) was a copy of :ph34r:

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[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1352033120' post='1857936']
That's horrific! Do you put it down to the storage conditions - or another duff Rick?
From what I was told by a couple of lutheirs it does have at least a hint of being stored flat & with the strings under tension - or maybe the complete opposite depending on your POV & how accurate those luthiers were.
[/quote]
It was stored flat with tension on as the manual states to do.
Maybe years of loneliness in the Case caused these issues, but I am happy now as I know its set up properly and it plays like a dream.

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If you can buy a ric on here for around £1250 give a take a bit depending on condition then you should get almost all of your money back if you can't get on with it

I effectively rented a ric that way for a year , I love em , but somehow I always reach for the p , might get another one day, especially if those blue boys keep cropping up!

Obviously the costing is just my view, others my disagree

Edited by lojo
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[quote name='funky8884' timestamp='1352040706' post='1858026']
It was stored flat with tension on as the manual states to do.
Maybe years of loneliness in the Case caused these issues, but I am happy now as I know its set up properly and it plays like a dream.
[/quote]

Now that fascinates me! I was told by John Birch that if I was going to store a guitar for a long time to do the exact opposite, slacken off the strings (he was picky - he said 4 turns IIRC) and have the case vertical.
Though I can't say your manual is therefore wrong, but something caused your bass' issues - I was watching the doc on JAE last week & he had 200 guitars in cases all laid flat in his store room.

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[quote name='Raymondo' timestamp='1352034972' post='1857959']
Thanks for posting that......I now know what my Arbiter,purchased new in 1975 and sold in 1977) was a copy of :ph34r:
[/quote]

There was an extremely near relative of this bass in the classifieds a short while ago selling for around 1250. If it was in the same league as this one, it was a hell of a good bass for the money.

With Rickenbackers you have to get your hands on one to see if it that particular one works for you. Which also goes for the Ricken-doppelgangers ;)

Edited by Cairobill
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[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1352043173' post='1858064']
Now that fascinates me! I was told by John Birch that if I was going to store a guitar for a long time to do the exact opposite, slacken off the strings (he was picky - he said 4 turns IIRC) and have the case vertical.
Though I can't say your manual is therefore wrong, but something caused your bass' issues - I was watching the doc on JAE last week & he had 200 guitars in cases all laid flat in his store room.
[/quote]
The best way I have found to store them is in my hands !!!! :P

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