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moosers
Published on 01/24/10 at 13:22
The Rickenbacker 4003 is a fretted electric bass guitar, and in my opinion is one of the coolest of its kind. Rickenbacker has been around a while and has built a great reputation for making extremely solid instruments that not only feel and sound great, but have looks that could kill. The 4003 is one of their best models that I have experience with. The bass has two single coil pick ups, along with a pick up selector switch and volume and tone knobs for each of them.
UTILIZATION
The feel of the neck of the Rickenbacker 4003 is pretty great. It isn't like most other basses out there, but in its own way it is easy to play for sure. The neck is thick and very round, which is what gives it its interesting feel. Playing all around the neck isn't a hard thing to do, as I find it just as easy to play up on the high notes as it is to play down low. The shape is one that has been part of the reason that Rickenbacker is so popular, and the weight is heavier than most bass guitars out there. Getting a great sound from the 4003 is as easy and knowing how to play it!
SOUNDS
If you have ever heard a Rickenbacker before, the 4003 embodies everything great about this type of sound. The sound has a lot of slap and thwack, but also covers the low end brilliantly and cuts through a mix perfectly. Unlike most basses, the 4003 sounds great both when played down low and when played for bass 'lead' type parts. I've only used the 4003 in the recording studio, and I used it through both an amp and a DI box, blending the two sounds later on. Rickenbacker basses have a very distinct tone, and is one that can be spotted from a mile away...
OVERALL OPINION
The Rickenbacker 4003 is one of the better models of bass guitar offered by Rickenbacker, which is saying a lot considering the great line of basses that they have available. The 4003 isn't cheap, as it will run you about two grand in USD, but for those bass players looking for this type of tone and who want to invest in a bass that will last a lifetime, the price isn't outlandish by any stretch. If you're in the market for a top tier bass guitar, Rickenbackers in general should be scoped out for sure, especially the 4003.
UTILIZATION
The feel of the neck of the Rickenbacker 4003 is pretty great. It isn't like most other basses out there, but in its own way it is easy to play for sure. The neck is thick and very round, which is what gives it its interesting feel. Playing all around the neck isn't a hard thing to do, as I find it just as easy to play up on the high notes as it is to play down low. The shape is one that has been part of the reason that Rickenbacker is so popular, and the weight is heavier than most bass guitars out there. Getting a great sound from the 4003 is as easy and knowing how to play it!
SOUNDS
If you have ever heard a Rickenbacker before, the 4003 embodies everything great about this type of sound. The sound has a lot of slap and thwack, but also covers the low end brilliantly and cuts through a mix perfectly. Unlike most basses, the 4003 sounds great both when played down low and when played for bass 'lead' type parts. I've only used the 4003 in the recording studio, and I used it through both an amp and a DI box, blending the two sounds later on. Rickenbacker basses have a very distinct tone, and is one that can be spotted from a mile away...
OVERALL OPINION
The Rickenbacker 4003 is one of the better models of bass guitar offered by Rickenbacker, which is saying a lot considering the great line of basses that they have available. The 4003 isn't cheap, as it will run you about two grand in USD, but for those bass players looking for this type of tone and who want to invest in a bass that will last a lifetime, the price isn't outlandish by any stretch. If you're in the market for a top tier bass guitar, Rickenbackers in general should be scoped out for sure, especially the 4003.