Rickenbacker Review: 4003 Fireglow

History:

Purchase: Bought at a Sam Ash store in White Plains, New York in 1998 for $1,050, new. Includes hardshell case.

What I Like About This Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglow: I fell in love with the Ric bass as a teenager in the late 70's. My favorite bass players were Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee and Rick James, and they all played Rickenbackers! Not only the best looking bass on the planet, but that distinctive sound. every note is crystal clear, (never muddy) and it holds the volume all the way up the neck. the high notes are just as loud as the low notes. Tons of punch.

What I Do NOT Like About The Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglow: There isn't anything I don't like about this bass. I have heard it is not good for slapping-high treble punch makes it too noisy and clunky-but I don't slap, so not an issue for me.

Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglow Quality Rating: The construction, fit and finish is remarkable. You could not find a flaw with a magnifying glass. The finish is so deep it looks like you could reach in to it. The action is great. The neck runs all the way through the body, and has two truss rods. It also has a stereo output called "Ric-o-sound", which allows you to split each pickup signal to two different amps. I have used this a few times and it works quite well.

Review Summary: I own two other basses, a Yamaha and a Fender Precision, which basically have been collecting dust since I got the Ric. Some people think the look of the Ric is a little dated, but I think it is classic. I get more compliments at gigs than you can imagine. I would love to find an older model in either maple or black, but they tend to be a bit expensive. Rickenbacker guitars and basses really hold their value. I doubt I would ever play anything else! Oh, and last but not least, it is %100 made in the USA!!!

Rating of this Rickenbacker product: 5

This Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglow Bass Guitars Review Submitted By: Bruce of "Third Stone"

Review Date: 2002-01-18