Rickenbacker 4003S/5 - Fireglo Review

Unique Tone and Killer Looks!

Let me say first of all that I started on a Ricky when I was a teenager as I wanted to be like Geddy Lee. So, I have a love for the instrument. The 1981 4001 I played then was a great bass and I wish I had never sold it. Fast forward some 40 years and I landed this beautiful beast. I have been playing it for over a year in my band now and the bottom-line is it is a great instrument.… read more It has a distinct sound you can ONLY get from a Rickenbacker and that tone is in spades here. That growly mid rangy punch is to die for, especially in rock music. It's a distinct tone you are not going to hear on most basses. Having said that, if you are looking for a bass with a lot of versatility, this may not be for you. It is not as versatile as my Ultra Jazz V, but I still prefer it for most of the alt rock and blues rock tones. The neck is very chunky and a bit heavy, but you will get used to it. My band mates love the tones and I always get compliments on the looks. She is a beautiful beast. I like that I have to man-handle it and dig in to get THAT sound - it's fun to play that way. Not for everyone, but the quality is top notched and if you're like me you will be glad to have it your arsenal.

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A legendary design made better

A. Beautiful, B. Pizza pickups put more magnet mass under bass strings, C. Hot action stable neck, D. Rounded edges easier on the forearm, E. That prized extra string, F. The legendary sound.

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It's definitely in its own league.

The Rickenbacker 4003s is in a weird place. Rickenbacker fans are super conservative, so a modern retooling of the classic they all know and love is considered by them to be an abomination. On the other hand, bassists who prefer a more modern instrument would overlook this one because it has the Rickenbacker name. As for me, this instrument is a God-send. I've always loved the one-of-a-kind… read more growl of a Rickenbacker bass, but I never got one myself because they are notoriously high-maintenance. This bass feels like a modern bass, with many little quality of life improvements, but its sound is 100% Rickenbacker. The pickups have a more rounded out sound compared to the classic 4003, but if you want that classic tone, there is a push-pull knob that thins out the sound and reproduces that classic sound pretty dang well. If all you want to do is slap, I think you're better off with something else. Rickenbacker basses have never been the best when it comes to slap, and this modern take doesn't change that. All in all, I love this bass. It feels great, sounds great, and walks the line between classic and modern tone, giving it great versatility with that Rickenbacker sound that no other bass has been able to replicate.

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