Rickenbacker 4003 Stereo Review

It's a Ric... I am thoroughly enjoying this bass!

Talked to Loui and placed a preorder. This is the 3rd Ric I have owned. 2 previous were stolen from me. I wanted the classic Rock sound. Was not terribly interested in the push/pull (classic/modern) tone. Been playing it for 3 days and it is Def a Ricko. Thru various amps (SVT and Barks rigs) as well as thru couple preamps and DI into my DAW. Neck is slightly wider/thicker than… read more a 4001 but not an issue for me. The tail is new to me but not uncomfortable just slightly diff from earlier models I owned (4001 and a fretless 4003). I just started experimenting with "modern" circuit. I can hear some situations it could be useful but, I bought it for the classic Ricko sound and it delivers that! I was expecting a Oct date for my bass but Loui called to let me know a FireGlo was available now so, I jumped on it. I am completely satisfied with the new version which offers all the sound and feel of the Ric and adds some features that may come in handy in the future. Either way it's a solid instrument that delivers all the tonality and feel I want. My thanks to Loui as well for being attentive and responsive to my needs!

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Well worth the wait

I received this bass for my 50th birthday as I've been wanting a Ric almost as long as I've been playing bass. Ric's only come around every so often, so I put an order in several months before it would be available. Mark Bruhn was fantastic and helpful through the whole process. Now the bass….gorgeous satin finish with that cool checkerboard binding. Very solidly built and has… read more a wide variety of tone options. These no longer come with the 'Ric-o-Sound' box, but a stereo y cable is pretty easy to find. The neck is kinda chunky in the lower frets, but flattens out higher on the neck. Very easy to play. This is the crown jewel of my collection.

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Just Wow!

Wow. This is the nicest bass in my collection. This was my first major purchase from Sweetwater. I ordered it on a Friday and it was in my hands on Monday morning. It was packed very well in a double box. The fit and finish were superb. It was set up and in tune right out of the case.

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Stunning Instrument

I've wanted one for over forty years but it just never happened. I finally decided to get one and I am not disappointed at all. Bass plays like butter and sounds phenomenal. I play on a working cover band and can get just about any tone you can i.agine out of it. So impressed I just bought the 4003S in mapleglo to go with 4003 jetglo. Live this bass!!!!

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Almost perfect

Love my new Rickenbacker, plays like butter and sounds amazing. Larry Reed and the team have always done a great job working with me to make sure I get exactly what I need. The only negative thing I would say is that the built-in Schaller strap lock system isn't awesome. The strap button on the horn is continually backing out of the hole. I've sent a question to Rickenbacker Service… read more but have not heard of the remedy or really any contact from them.

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Wow, Vintage prog out of the box!

What an amazing Bass Guitar, the playability is off the charts and the tone in phenomenal. I did not even have to set this Bass up except for removing the Pickup cover that is directly in your way especially if you play with your figures. The particular Bass I received had some finish issues but Jake is taking care of me. I can only hope the replacement plays and sounds as well… read more as this one. The factory strings have their own unique tone as the size of the strings differ from any set you can purchase. I currently have light gauge Pro Steels on the Bass and they added some extra "Metal Tone" instead of just pure "vintage prog tone" the Rickenbacker strings produced. I am considering just running the stock strings on the replacement Bass as the tone was fantastic 'just missing a little Edge when running distortion" This is a tough decision and I am still weighing the pro's and con's. This Bass will take you to a new level as it is so easy to play. A must have for your arsenal, this Bass shines for "Lead" Bass, fast playing, hard hitting progressive Rock/Metal.

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My favorite bass

Rickenbacker's have a personality and flavor all their own. This is my favorite bass of all time and I love the sound. When I pull this out on stage, I can see heads turn. It also has one of the coolest headstocks of all time.

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Worth every penny

I've wanted a Ric since I started playing bass. This thing exceeded my expectations. The finish and color are both amazing, and it looks incredible on stage. The tone is great, and surprisingly versatile. The neck is super smooth and the playability is perfect. It's feels like a million bucks. 100% recommended.

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I love it.

I love this bass. There is a string buzz which I found is just the nature of the beast. A bit of different fingering and muting habits to overhaul and the sound and feel is amazing. Sweetwater is the first place to go for anything and everything musical. They were willing to pay for full setup at my local shop even though there was nothing wrong with my bass other than my bad habits.

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Back In Black Awesomeness

As a bassist of 25 years who owns many of the iconic basses to include Music Man Stingrays and American Fender Precision and Jazz basses, I never purchased a Rickenbacker due to cost and what I believed to be a limited bass tone. Boy was I wrong and can honestly say this is the best bass in my arsenal. Everything from the look (black matte), feel, craftsmanship, and most importantly… read more the tone is on point. This is the bass I always wanted and needed. So save your money and get yourself a Rickenbacker! Based on previous reviews one has to talk about the exceptional Sweetwater customer service. This was an actual birthday gift from my Dad and he sent me a beautiful mapleglo version that was beautiful, but after a week I realized that I really wanted the black matte. Within 7-days the mapleglo was sent back and the black matte was in my hands. Job well done Sweetwater!

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4003 MBL

This is an amazing bass guitar with an amazing finish! Nothing beats a Ric bass and the matte finish is one of my favorites now. Came with a high quality Ric bass case too. Very happy with this purchase!

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4003 SGM CB

This Bass is absolutely gorgeous and plays like a dream. Should have bought one YEARS ago. Love the satin finish and checkerboard binding. Just can't say enough. Better grab one before they're gone. Thanks to Brad as usual for your assistance

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Plays like a dream, Kudos to Sweetwater for setting it up to perfection.

It's a rick, it's great. I'll add that I am very impressed with how well it was set up by Sweetwater before sending it out to me.

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That Ric sound, look and feel!

My recently renewed enthusiasm for playing bass moved me to acquire another Rickenbacker. Twenty-five years having elapsed since I bought my last Ric (a 4003S Mapleglo), the world has changed a bit over that span of time. I decided to take my time and do some careful research before making a new acquisition. It paid off. With the help of Sweetwater Sales Engineer Brian Sheehan,… read more I was able to get a great deal on a new 4003 Jetglo. This bass definitely has the Ric sound with both modern sensibility as well as a great vintage vibe. It's both elegant and versatile in functionality with regards to it's visual aesthetic, playability and, rich tonal quality. I'm really pleased that this bass has Rickenbacker's new tailpiece assembly that gives greater adjustability to the individual bridge saddles for easier intonation and action set up while retaining the unique Ric style. This bass is so suave, I think I will keep it stock. I just want to keep playing and playing this bass for hours on end. A big thanks to Brian for his patience and assistance in helping me find this new gem!

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Poor quality control on my particular instrument. No excuse for the hardshell case.

This bass has a great sound and feel. I opted for the matte finish so the neck would feel extra fast. The edge where the forearm rests will probably bother your if you've never tried an instrument with a similar sharp edge, so keep that in mind. Now for the bad QC... -POOR fitting factory hardshell case. There's about 1 1/2 inches of space for the instrument to bounce up and down… read more in and about a fingers thickness of space for it to move side to side. -G string tuning machine is screwed on crooked and the metal sticks out the side of the headstock. -Bubbles/Knicks/Dings in the finish -Glue residue? where the neck meets the pick guard -Poor binding detailing near the bottom strap button -Some weird smudge near the nut -scratched up serial number plate near the screw -One inlay has a dark spot in it I may just be picky, but an American made instrument with this price tag should be nearly flawless. There's absolutely no excuse for this hardshell case though. I took off a full star from the rating due to the terrible case and another half a star for the quality control (on this particular instrument). Sweetwater only allows 6 photos to be uploaded for reviews otherwise I'd post more.

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There's a reason the big names play Rics!!

Quality is the word for this instrument! Beautiful, clean, great sound; makes you get that excited feeling when you hear the notes and tones from some of your favorite songs from your favorite artists coming out of you amp!! This bass has a lot of versatility, in my opinion. I don't claim to be a great player, but there is no comparison in feel, sound, precision to my old Squire.… read more Played a lot of different basses and never gave rickenbacker that much thought, this was the right choice for me and I doubt anyone would regret owning this instrument.

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4003 Mapleglo

Sweetwater has excellent service, prices and products. My first Bass purchase from Sweetwater certainly won't be the last. My 4003 Mapleglo is everything my first Rickenbacker was back in 1987 and more the action seems to be lighter and the playability of this exquisite instrument is limitless . I played my baby for hours and only set it down because it was going on 10:30 PM and… read more didn't want to disturb the neighbors to the point of them calling the po-po.

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Amazing instrument

Everything about this bass is perfect! The tone, the feel, the look! Thick lows, bright punchy highs, that nasty ric rattle! It is magnificent! The chrome bar across the bridge pickup takes getting use to though but that is in no way a problem! So glad I made this purchase!

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Rickenbacker 403W

I have owned Rickenbacker Basses before and through my own foolishness did not keep them. When my new 4003W arrived and I started playing it, All those memories came flooding back!! It was like this bass was made for my hands and my hands only!!!!! There can be no better bass for me. The action, the feel, the SOUND! this bass has immediately moved to #1 in my rotation and will likely… read more remain there! Thank you Rickenbacker for maintaining you highest standards and continuing to produce these ultimate instruments.

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Dream come true!

I ordered my 4003 Stereo Fireglo a few weeks before Xmas as an early gift to myself. :) I"ve been wanting to own one of these since I was a teen. 20 years later, I finally pulled the trigger. I could not be happier with my decision. Great customer service, thanks Roq Martin! Received it in great shape, just amazing opening the case for the first time. The setup is a dream, and… read more it"s more than I expected. Took it to my first gig this last weekend. It"s sound is definitely distinctive, and just perfect. You can get a great range of sounds with the pickup configuration, the custom string gauge Rick uses, and the "Pull for Vintage" knob. Tons of possibilities. Don"t forget about the stereo output that splits the pickups into two different signals. I have not messed with that yet, but I have lots of ideas. I see others say the same, that they wish they can get one. You can and you should. Call Sweetwater.

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Just Perfect Rickenbacker 4003

I can't say enough great things about my new 4003. First off, the service was excellent and I got a great price (like always through Sweetwater). Dan Overstreet was great as always and my bass was shipped and in my hands by the next day. Set up was perfect and the bass was flawless! I popped it out and plugged it into my rig and was immediately in love. I've wanted one of these… read more for years but typically have had more guitars than I can use. However, I decided to give myself an early Xmas present. You can never have enough basses. My only critique is I found it difficult to play with the back pickup cover in place. It took me about 10 minutes to remove it and problem solved. Overall the quality and craftsmanship is perfect. If you have the bucks you will not be disappointed!

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A masterpiece!

I have owned nearly 30 guitars, from pawn shop junkers to uber expensive custom shop relics, etc and i have to say the rick 4003 maybe one of the finest guitar type instruments ever produced. I have p-basses, j-basses, music man and they are fantastic but NOTHING sounds like a 4003 rick. The craftsmanship, the tone, the look and feel of this instrument is on a whole other level.… read more Every time I record a track I try a few basses and always come back to the 4003 for its unmistakable growl and hi fi like tone. They are expensive but sincerely worth every penny and one of those instruments you will never part with. This is not beginners bass and I say that mainly because there are two truss rods and depending on your homes humidity level, they have to be adjusted delicately and with patience. The rick also needs care and maintenance to keep it playing its best but the payoff is extraordinary! One of my favorite features is pulling the treble knob to its out position to get that old school "original" rick tone which is thinner and sharper. I also love using a stereo mrs cable and routing the bass to my ampeg and the treble side to my plexi, micing both amps and mixing the together into a single killer track. All in all this is as good as it gets when it comes to bass guitars in my opinion and a true legend!

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