Pricing and availability
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Price
Average Price: $2,179
High-end/Boutique
$400
$1001+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 3 merchants for "Rickenbacker 4003S". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Embark on a sonic journey with the Rickenbacker 4003S, a bass guitar that melds classic design with modern craftsmanship. This iconic instrument is renowned for its neck-thru construction, providing unparalleled sustain and stability, making it a favorite among legendary bassists like Geddy Lee and Chris Squire. The 4003S retains the soul of its predecessor, the 4001, but adopts a sleeker look by omitting binding and triangle inlays for a more understated aesthetic.
The “Cresting Wave” solidbody design, coupled with a maple body and neck, ensures both durability and a distinct tonal character. A rosewood fingerboard adds warmth to your sound, while the simplified electronics offer easy control over your tone. The 4003S is a versatile powerhouse, perfectly suited for the stage or studio, delivering that unmistakable Rickenbacker growl that cuts through any mix.
Whether you’re laying down the groove in a rock ensemble or exploring melodic lines in a jazz trio, the Rickenbacker 4003S offers the precision and playability you need to express yourself fully. Embrace a piece of music history and let your creativity soar with the Rickenbacker 4003S.
Key Features:
- Neck-thru construction for enhanced sustain and stability
- Maple body and neck with rosewood fingerboard
- “Cresting Wave” solidbody design
- Sleek, no-binding construction for a classic look
- Simplified electronics for intuitive tone control
- Renowned Rickenbacker sound quality and versatility
Product specs
| Available since | November 2016 |
| Colour | Sunburst |
| Soundboard | Maple |
| Neck | Maple |
| Fretboard | Caribbean Rosewood |
| Frets | 20 |
| Scale | Long Scale |
| Pickups | JJ |
| Elektronic | Passive |
| Incl. Case | Yes |
| Incl. Bag | No |
FAQs
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What is the neck profile of the Rickenbacker 4003S?
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The Rickenbacker 4003S features a C-shaped neck profile, providing a comfortable grip for most players, suitable for both fingerstyle and pick playing.
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How does the Rickenbacker 4003S differ from the 4003 model?
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The main difference is that the 4003S lacks the body binding found on the 4003, giving it a simpler, more classic look while retaining the same iconic Rickenbacker sound.
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Are the pickups on the Rickenbacker 4003S active or passive?
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The Rickenbacker 4003S is equipped with passive single-coil pickups, delivering its signature punchy and clear tone.
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What kind of music is the Rickenbacker 4003S best suited for?
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The Rickenbacker 4003S is versatile, making it ideal for rock, punk, and progressive genres, thanks to its powerful, distinct tone and sustain.
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Does the Rickenbacker 4003S come with a case?
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Yes, the Rickenbacker 4003S includes a hardshell case, providing excellent protection for transport and storage.
Videos
Scott's Bass Lessons
The Most Annoying Bass Ever Made?! The Rickenbacker
The Most Annoying Bass Ever Made?! The Rickenbacker
Scott's Bass Lessons
Rickenbacker 4003S Jetglo | CME Gear Demo | Marc Najjar
Chicago Music Exchange
Rickenbacker 4003S Demo
South Shore Music
Rickenbacker 4003S Bass Guitar, Mapleglo | Gear4music demo
Gear4music Guitars
2021 Rickenbacker 4003S Bass demo
gringopig
Rickenbacker 4003s Bass Guitar Review
Andy Arnette
Rickenbacker 4003S Bass Guitar, Jetglo | Gear4music demo
Gear4music Guitars
Rickenbacker Ltd Edition 4003S Pillarbox Red Electric Bass Demo - Special Delivery!
PMTVUK
Rickenbacker 4003 Midnight Blue
South Shore Music
Rickenbacker 4003S: A Review/Buyers Guide - FlooftheFriendlyGhost
Floof - The Bassist
'03 Rickenbacker 4003 Midnight Blue | Review & Demo!
Guitar Chimp
Rickenbacker 4003s Jet Glo - New Bass Day
DAN FELIX MUSIC
Rickenbacker 4003S (2021) - Prog rock in the morning sunshine
Brendan Perkins
Rickenbacker Germany | 4003 Rickenbacker Matte Black
PIXELEYE INDUSTRIES
Reviews
PROS
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Exceptional craftsmanship with flawless finish and stunning wood selection
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Comfortable, non-bound body with radiused edges for better playability
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Unique Rickenbacker tone, unmatched in the bass world, akin to a "piano-like" sound
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Versatile tone controls with push-pull tone cap for modern and vintage sounds
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Improved bridge design with easily adjustable saddles and built-in foam mute
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High-quality build with a long-lasting, value-retaining design
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Classic, iconic design cherished by renowned musicians
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Smooth playability with a thinner, flatter neck profile than traditional models
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Powerful, bright sound with impressive sustain
CONS
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Bridge pickup cover can obstruct playing, often removed by users
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Stock strings have an unusual gauge, may need nut adjustment
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Lack of classic features like stereo output and triangle fret markers
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Some units may have minor finish flaws or fret buzz issues
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Single jack output limits "Ric-O-Sound" capability without rewiring
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Rickenbacker 4003S.
Features and functionality
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The 4003S lacks the iconic Ric-o-Sound feature, requiring external solutions for stereo output.
Source
Setup and maintenance
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Recent models have improved bridge design (v2) but still present challenges compared to standard bass bridges.
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Factory setups can be poor; it’s recommended to purchase from a shop with a skilled luthier for initial adjustments.
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The neck's clearcoat can feel sticky, but a smoother feel can be achieved with finishing paper or steel wool.
Source
User experience
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The neck is notably thick, appealing to some but potentially uncomfortable for others, impacting playability.
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Owners report the neck of the 4003S feels less chunky compared to the 4003, contributing to personal preference in comfort and playability.
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The clearcoat finish over the frets can crack, affecting aesthetics and potentially playability.
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Owners note the difficulty in achieving satisfactory tension on the B string, with some using a .135 gauge for better performance.
Source
Use cases and applications
Build quality
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Recent models may exhibit quality control issues, such as improperly installed bridges affecting intonation, requiring luthier intervention.
Source
Comparisons
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The 4003S is noted to be more comfortable than the 4003 due to a lack of body binding, which some find uncomfortable.
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The 4003S/5 neck is described as comfortable, sitting between a Precision and Jazz bass in terms of thickness.
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Although some prefer the feel of a Squier P5, the distinct Rickenbacker tone of the 4003S/5 is highly praised.
Source
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 6 Reviews and 19 Ratings
205
Simply amazing
Countless bass players from the 70s/80s played 4001/4003 basses. Cliff Burton is one of the bassists that made me want to play one. I use this bass for various rock genres.
I love this bass. I have been playing Fender and Squire basses for years. I have a Fender Jazz bass which I regularly play; however, there are some things i like a lot more with this 4003S.
For one thing the neck; the neck is thinner than Fender style necks, its also a lot flatter instead of "C" shaped. This makes it a lot more comfortable to grip and play, its much easier to get my fretting fingers across the fret board. The cut out also lets you get very close to the pocket. You can get right up to the end of the fretboard easily. Not always required in bass but if you are shredding some metal riffs you might find yourself up there from time to time.
I am a big fan of the volume/tone controls on this bass. The bridge pickups tone knob is also push/pull where push is a "modern" beefier tone, pull is a "vintage" rick sound which has more of nasal sound. I read some complaints about the 4003 bridge and how its saddles adjust but looks like this was improved on the 4003S. Intonation can be adjusted easily with an alan key. The bridge also has a built in foam mute which can be raised and lowered easily. It works better on the G string than it does on E. Its a cool feature but i dont know if i'll use it much.
I took the bridge pickup cover off, for one thing its plastic (youd think its metal). Ive never been a fan of pickup covers and like to play right over the pickups.
The basses body has softer rounded edges compared to a 4003. I can live without the binding, but they should have kept the triangular fret inlays that the traditional 4001/4003 models had.
145
Amazing bass
I’ve owned one of these for quite a few months now and it plays so well and sounds amazing, you can get so many great sounds with this bass especially when making use of the vintage switch and using the treble and bass knobs, would definitely recommend Rickenbacker to every bass guitarist!
5339
NO DONT spreading the disease of these shitty basses, whenever someone wants me to set one of these up my heart sinks.
145
Rickenbackers aren’t ‘shitty basses’ my one sounds great and plays so well, it’s got a unique sound to it, some people may dislike it but i definitely don’t
5339
they are definately shitty, theres no 2 ways about it, its a crappy design they arent roadworthy at all, and they do 1 sounds very well but just 1 sounds. an expensive pile of wank
5339
but thats my opinion you dont have to share it
145
If they were shitty mate I doubt the likes of John Entwistle, Paul McCartney, Chris squire, geddy lee and so many other legendary bass guitarists would have used it, it’s a great and iconic bass, I’ve travelled with mine and it’s absolutely fine, yes they’re expensive but I think it’s worth it, also there’s no need to swear🙄
22
Hammer of the gods
The ric will forever be my go-to. Nothing else sounds as good to my ear. I love the punchiness of it, the rich sustain, and the beautiful, almost piano like tones that can ring out of this thing. Does being in love with an inanimate object qualify as a fetish?
Love jamming on this
This Bass is so cool!! I love the movie Scott Pilgrim vs the world and this bass is the exact same as the one in the movie. It sounds so good and amazing in general!!
1312
Traditional Rickenbacker bass style with dot inlays and no binding
This design was once exclusive to the British distributor Rose Morris in the sixties. Prized by Mike Rutherford, Paul McCartney and Chris Squire when they got their first 4001S models in 1964. Chris' "yellow" bass was originally in Fireglo. Feels fantastic and hits that "Rick" bass tone without compromise.
Artist usage
Add artist
John lennon played bass on a couple of few Beatles recordings. he favored the Fender VI but did the 2nd bass track (yes, theres 2) of hey bulldog over Paul's original line with Paul's rickenbacker bass.
In the compilation of pictures posted by the official Rickenbacker Instagram page, you can see the famous DJ attempt to perform with a Rickenbacker 4003s in a Mapleglo finish (Dot inlays, and no binding).
In a photo on Tune Your Sound, Jack Bruce is seen playing a Rickenbacker 4003S bass with a mapleglo finish and black trim during a gig. Although Jack was not typically associated with Rickenbacker basses, this particular instrument belonged to Harry Spooner. There was a misidentification of the bass as a 4003/5, but it is indeed a standard four-string 4003S.
He uses this fireglo rickenbacker 4003 s during this session
Because of the dot inlays, it looks like Scott is playing a 4003S in the video for All My Favorite Songs.
In a TikTok video featuring humorous poses by Metallica members, Ron McGovney is shown with a Rickenbacker 4003S bass.
In this video of the presentation of the band "Los Bunkers" at the "Festival de Viña del Mar" in 2012 you can see from minute 3:22 to 3:28 how he is using a Rickenbacker 4003S Fireglo
Michael Cera uses this bass throughout the entirety of the Scott Pilgrim movie. This bass is not just a prop, it is actually an instrument that he plays during the movie. In the clip, it shows the members of the band Sex Bob-Omb practicing with of course, Michael Cera playing the Rickenbacker 4003S Fireglo.
Matt Berry uses this Rickenbacker 4003S Fireglo Bass on his album Kill the Wolf and most likely his other albums to. He can be seen playing it here at 2:26
Lediglich der neue Basser Simon „Dragon” Bouteloup hatte zuletzt mal einen Friseur für seine Leistungen bezahlt, die von Spliss befreiten Haare und der gestutzte Bart zeugten davon, während er seinen Rickenbacker-Bass bearbeitete.
In this video, Paul can be seen using a Rickenbacker 4003S in Jetglo finish, you can see it by the dot inlays
"During the time in which Ultravox was led by John Foxx, he used a Guild B-301, a white Gibson EB-3 and fretless Fender Precision basses, and an EMS Synthi AKS and later Mini Moog synthesisers with an Ampeg amplifier with 8×10" speaker cabinets.
While the recording of Vienna album, he used a Yamaha bass, a Fender Precision bass, a Mini Moog synthesiser and Yamaha synthesiser
Later he also used Status and Steinberger basses.
Cross's distinctive grey bass is an Ibanez RoadStar from the early 1980s; this bass has been used on many of Ultravox's albums and was Cross' primary instrument during the first stage of the 'Return to Eden' Tour in 2009.
On the 'Return to Eden' tour in 2010 and the 'Brilliant' tour in 2012, he also used a Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo finish bass and a standby black Fender Telecaster Bass."
Album Usage
The Rickenbacker 4003S has been featured on the following albums:
![Rickenbacker 4003S as heard on Vienna [Deluxe Edition]: 40th Anniversary by Ultravox & Tigerlily (2020)](https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/album/image/57275/vienna-deluxe-edition-40th-anniversary.jpg)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Rickenbacker 4003S, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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