I forgot that you can custom order Chinese basses to your specifications like nut width, scale, color and that is fantastic. CNC machines are so exact that even an inexpensive Chinese made instrument will be better quality than some known brands that were made 20 years ago. As long as you use name brand electronics, and hardware, you should have an excellent bass for well under 1000 Euros. I can't believe how FAST they made that for you. Even 3 months is incredibly fast for a custom build.
I love how everyone says you're hurting an American brand by buying a Chinese copy but obviously the original company is doing fine if they are consistently selling out. It's simple, if the company doesn't have stock, the customer will take their money elsewhere. Customers are impatient, either you can get mad at the customer or realize that companies need to adapt.
@@tiltil9442 its called conversion varnish and can expose you to Ethylene oxide, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects.
It looks and sounds pretty close to the real thing. I imagine if you installed actual Rickenbacker pickups and circuitry, you could really get that sound. Especially with the push pull vintage capacitor.
@Yodelinthegully.- not really. A real Ricky 4003 is about $2400 usd easily. A vintage 4003 in good shape is at least that much. A "chinabacker" as these knockoffs are referred to, are less than 400 bucks. Buy a knockoff for 400, put in good pickups and you're still under 800 bucks as opposed to over 2400 for the real thing.
Exactly not even close. Sounds cheap and tinny. Real rick have that beautiful sweet spot and creamy midrange grove. Buy a real one. Disgusting they destroy other countries work forces and trademark laws they break. @HANNIBALBARCA247
Greetings from 'across the pond.' Impressive Rickenbacker copy. Looks great in the matt finish. Assume electronics are good. Glad you are pleased. Play On !
Dude that's awesome congrats! Some of the best instruments (and musicians for that matter) have gotten replicas of famous USA guitars. That thing looks phenomenal!
@@johnnyfigueroa2195Slash used to use a replica back in the 80s until he got his real 59 model during a tour in Japan, I don't remember where I read it but kirk Hammett once used a Chinese copy to record something in a early 80s metallica album, those are the ones i remember.
Ahhh ok so now i know where the b roll bases come from on ebay - they are bases like the first one that you rejected. Your bass is awesome by the way! I watched a presentation where they said the best advertising for the real thing are knock offs! Having a copy of the real thing motivates consumers to pursue the real thing when they can afford it!
Man I'm impressed.I've thought of trying to do the special order thing but for a 12 string bass.I have my reservations however due to the special problems with neck tension.
I have the Harley Benton rick style, looks great sounds great , play's great. Im a beginner so what do i know. As soon as i got it it was sent off for a professional set and replaced the strings , the luitheir said it was a fantastic guitar and didn't need much work Maybe one day ill get the real deal, but so far im happy with what i have
Say what you want about Chinese manufacturing. I picked up a new Chinese laminate double bass about three years ago; $750 including bow, bag, and a rosin cake. Although the strings it came with were fine, I replaced them with a set of Spirocore Weichs, and added a Fishman pick-up. This thing sounds like a carved old world masters instrument! I've gigged all over town with it. I get as many compliments on the sound, as I do with my high end boutique Ken Smith six string electric. Man, is it ever a keeper!
Looking at the configuration of the hardware, yours appears to be a match of my Harley Benton rick bass. Sadly, you have the same bridge which has those loose “barrel” saddles” underneath the strings. If the string is broken or when you change strings you’ve gotta account for those steel barrel shaped saddles. I looked into finding a Rick bass Bridge, it does not appear to be able to match. Would like to hear from someone who tried that. You have a single coil with massive pole magnets. The bridge is a hum bucker. The single coil is pretty hot and has a lot to do with their version of a Ric-o-sound. I like it! I removed The cover over it. I removed that from my true Ric as well. I found the bezel attached to the pick up to be too thin and annoying to the rest of the man. I found a nice solution by using black elastic hair bands (for pony tails). Putting enough on and around the pick up makes for a nice soft landing for the phone. Just thought I’d put that out there for somebody broke their bezel. Whereas mine is the traditional cherry burst was plastic white Pickguard and dots on the fretboard. It was less money than what you spent and I have my original Rickenbacker safe at home while I use this one. Mine plays great and love the sound. The big negative with me is the bridge. And I’ll cross that bridge when I find a solution. Probably some kind of adhesive. Spotwelding is out because of the Chrome.
I bought one of the RB-414 Harley Benton "Ric inspired" basses. It was NOTHING like a real Ric. 34" scale, weird balance, meh tone. It was well made, but did not feel or sound that great. It was, however, a fast sale on eBay....
I'd love a chickenbacker in candy apple red, upgraded with a Gibson Mudbucker in the neck, a J bass bridge pickup and a Leo Quan Badass bridge. Not traditional, but it's the look I like with Ricks, nothing else. Might Custom order one, as well
I bought a CS 4001 in China. It needs a setup but don't play bad. I'm gonna havta rip out the guts and put new electronics in it but I knew that going in. The headstocks reversed but Im just glad it got here, and in 1 piece.
Just ordered one, same as yours. $388, ebony neck, 60 day build time. I paid with PayPal so no risk. When it arrives, I will rewire it and change the pickups to real Ric ones. Then my luthier is going to change the bridge and make it the Ric 33.25" scale length, SIT RB strings. If the frets are awful, I may defret it. We'll see. I also specified walnut headstock. They still have the first one they made for you with the mismatched headstock. They tried to sell me that one, but I prefer to wait for the matching headstock and ebony neck. I don't pretend I will end up with a Ric clone, but it should be a really good tribute. Something to keep me going until the real Ric 4003s/5 I have on order arrives, hopefully before the end of the year.
Hello, thank you for your info about your planned upgrades.! As they tried to sell you the one with mismatched headstock, you are sure this is the same company ;). I will start modding mine as well, i think. Compared to my other basses, the output is not super high, so I might switch to real pickups as well.
A while back I had to sell my Rick to help the mum pay the house taxes.But I was able to make do with a Ibanez Korean knock off for a while.I eventually got a Rick but trading my MTG card collection.So it all worked out.Like your bass
@@newfarmerfilmsmost of these have 22-fret necks, so basically full scale instead of an actual ric's 32' scale. Works fine if you have long arms I guess.
In a perfect World....Your "Walnut Ricky" would be in Geddy Lee's "Big Beautiful Book of Bass"!!! 😄 Cheers From Ohio p.s.....LOVE the Metal Pickup Cover rather than the "plastic" version!
Dude, I live in the USA and even here it can take forever to get a real Ric unless you are fortunate enough to find a retailer that has some in stock. That thing looks great, a Chinese “custom shop.” Sounds like a Ric too, great value!!!
I traded for a Chinese made Rickenbacker counterfeit bass thinking I could use it as a project bass. This one looks better than the one I have, but there are some similarities such as the metal pickup cover. I replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan Ric humbuckers, a new nut (the one that came with it was very high), a new Allparts bridge, and new pots and switch. The biggest and most costly mod other than the pickups was placement of the bridge closer to the bridge pickup as mine was a 22 fret and it would never intonate correctly from the original placement. The bass is playable and might be gig-worthy, but it pales in comparison to a real Ric. I got an actual Ric last year and it is quite a difference in quality and playability. The neck is thick like a P bass at the neck and becomes flatter toward the body. It is true about the wait times. I ordered mine in March of 2021 and it arrived right before Christmas. That's in the US, so I can understand the frustration with waiting forever in Europe.
Thank you for your input! I just took mine to a professional for setup. Nut will be lowered (it too is way to high), frets fixed, neck straightend, pickup cover removed and pickup height fixed (neck pickup is super low in output, altough I read it is also the case with real ricks) For now, I think I will keep the pickups as I really like the sound of mine ❤. Maybe, if the neck pickup is still low in output, I will buy the Nordenbocker. Happy to hear your waiting was rewarded with 'the real deal' Enjoy!
So the good, bad, and ugly of these Chicenbackers is well documented all over CZcams. I personally have bought two. One thing I want to bring to everyones attention is the lack of individual saddle height adjustment, and there's zero radius on the bridge. So you cannot get the strings to match the fretboard radius unless you shim under the saddles. However, on the second one I ordered, they did have a bridge with this important feature. They actually were willing to sell me a second bridge fo $20USD for my other 4003.
Bought a Chinese LP copy a number of years ago. The tuners it came with were literally not fit for the purpose. They could not be called actual tuners. The frets needed serious work as well. The rest was passable but below average. Over the years I have swapped out the pickups, the bridge and the nut as well. Now it is as good as many USA Les Pauls. I think that for around 450 Canadian, plus another 800 for new parts and for pro labour, you can basically get the equivalent of a 4k Gibson LP. The guitar that actually comes from China, however, will probably be pretty poor and require immediate work.
I have a "Magical Mystery Tour" Chinese Rick #4001. I love it. It looks great. It needed about $75 worth of set-up and a set of Rotosound Swingbass 66 strings really transformed this instrument into a nice, cool-looking and good playing bass; at an extremely affordable price.
The one I ordered from China was great but it sucked with flats. Weak neck. My bud who got it from me loves it. He loves very light strings that start at .040 to .095 or .100.
I’m Always tempted by these chickenbackers, but I hear so many disaster stories that I hesitate. If I ever hear of a specific place that does decent work though, like you, I’d see it as a stop gap til I can get the real deal from Rick.
Yo igual tengo uno de esos pero aparte de los ajustes en el puente y el mástil le cambié las pastillas por unas Seymour Duncan y el sonido q genera es increíble obviamente no es un sonido Rick pero aún así es mejor para mí gusto
Thats the way to buy a Guitar or Bass from China. You must contact a bunch of sellers with an unadvertised request. Never just hit buy now. Ask for something they don't have like Ebony fret board custom logo or different finish. Any that don't reply within a day are out, any that say the equivalent of "hey just what you see buddy" , are also out as they are only resellers. You have to make certain that you are dealing with the factory who is making the Guitars in the photos. It is essential if you are to stand any chance of getting a guitar that has any chance of ever being any good. You then want progress photos so you can do your own QA as they will send you whatever they think they can get away with. You will have to be prepared to do some work on whatever you buy. If you're lucky a bit of fretwork will be all thats needed. But usually you'll be finishing fret ends then level and crowning them assuming the trussrod works and you can get the neck flat. You'll end up buying a new nut because the one fitted either be installed scewed or filed to death And the electrics will either be wired back to front out of phase or totally wrong with the added bonus of crappy soldering so that even if it works it won't for long. Usually its then a case of changing out Hardware as its practically a given that the tuners will be rubbish along with the pot metal bridge and the unpotted pickups. .
Thank you for your comment! Still interested in the real deal, Not via mail order, but if I ever see one in a store, I will defenitely check it out and take it if it feels right.
Just saw your vid... As an owner of an original Ric 4003 I have to admit, that your Chickenbacker sounds pretty close to the real thing. Congrats! Plus: Yours will obviously not have some of the well known flaws of the original, especially the bridge construction and the insane pickup hum. It's a shame, that you have to spend lots of time and money to mod a 2k+ instrument for actually being usable. But I still love mine, although it's far from perfect.
Thank you for your comment! I have ordered the real deal in October. I hope to create a comparison video when it arrives. Hopefully.... One day .... Rumors have it that people need to wait for years for their order to come in. I have ordered from a Dutch webshop and prepaid it, and am person 9 in their cue to receive one.
Hello, thank you for your comment. I took mine to a professional luthier, who leveled the frets and also filed the nut so the string action is lower. He also removed the pickup cover, so now I can play with my fingers much easier. Love this bass!
Finally I gave up the idea of getting a replica Rick and took the plunge by ordering a brand new authentic Rick in Walnut at my local music shop today and my waiting period starts. I will get the Special mono version without the binding and with body contour however as I wanted more comfort. Funnily cheaper brand new than any used one I see around. I guess time is money so waiting a year for one has its price...
@@ThomasDeWeerdt yes 4003SW indeed, good thing is the more recent 4003 have the new upgraded adjustable bridge, the middle walnut stripe on the neck and apparently a nicer neck profile as opposed to the more traditional baseball bat. Will see when I get it next year...
@@ThomasDeWeerdt well my waiting time went from a year to a week, unbelievable. Turns out some 4003SW popped in stock in the warehouse of our local music shop yesterday and I just came back to pick it up. It is a beauty, has the walnut skunk stripe and the expected thinner neck profile; not a baseball bat. Happy to not have gone the knock off way !
@@jerasowilo8817 Wow, that is good news for you. I contacted my shop yesterday, and I went from position 9 to 7 in the cue. Not there yet, but surely moving. Good luck with yours
Which builder made this one?? I like it a lot! I've been looking at neck thru versions specifically and only found 1 currently making them. Was the neck thru something you specifically requested for this custom build??
Hello, the neck trough construction was standard, but before my request, they only made a glossy version. Now they offer the matte finish, which is off course super nice. Seller is HY Guitar store on Ali Express
@@ThomasDeWeerdt appreciate it! Well quick update I couldn't find their store but I found Guitar Town and ordered a fancy burled maple version, wish me luck! Next up, if this comes through ok, is this Walnut!
So, is this a 30" scale or 34" scale instrument? I too have been eyeing the [so-called] "Chickenbackers" for some time now as a viable way to "get the Ric sound" without paying unjustifiable sums for a real one. See, I like the Ric sound and vibe enough that I would like to have it in my arsenal, but not enough that I'd be willing to shell out Ric prices to have it. The signature "clung" is a ton of fun, but not anything I could see ever becoming "my main thing". I know the pickups and wiring aren't really accurate with the "Chics", but apparently actual Ric pups and looms are available at not-incredibly high prices. So, if the neck/body construction (neck-thru like yours rather than set neck like most I find) and scale length (30" instead of 34" like most I find) are both accurate, then a relatively faithful clone can be had for cheap with those mods. And even without the mods, as your video demonstrates, even with the stock electronics, the sound is still not a million miles off. It sounds really nice, and I definitely pick up on the Ric vibe here! So I wouldn't even have to wait til I could have the mods done in order to have that pleasingly loose approximation of the Ric sound. I could have a Ric-ish experience right out of the box - and hell, who knows whether or not I might just decide "you know what, this is close enough for me" and not even bother with the mods. I can definitely see that scenario playing out! But I do think I'd at least want the "structure" of the instrument to be authentic, or at least insofar as it'd at least be neck-thru and 30" scale. So, please lemme know the scale length of your bass here, and if it's 30, then I may well just see how quickly I can get myself in on the action! And regardless, I'm very happy you're so happy with your bass! Isn't it great when you find one that's "just you"? I'm happy you found that bass! Bravo! Also, kudos to the factory that made it for you to have taken your order so seriously! 🙂
Hello! This bass is nowhere near the build quality and sound of my Mexican made Fender Precision Bass. The P sits much better in the mix, and feels much more like a 'real' instrument. I have ordered a real Rick 4003W in november, and am curious to compare the replica and the real deal. I bought this via Ali Express, seller GY Guitar Store.
@@ThomasDeWeerdtCould you tell me by email how you communicated with these folks because so far, through AliExpress, they seem to be idiots… I sent them a request for a custom bass, 360 shape with maple fretboard and short scale, maple glow, and they are replying with pictures of guitars.
I tried the original Rickenbacker 4003AC in a store in Norway. For 4000 € I can easily say that this is the worst value of a bass ever. Good for you finding an alternative! With a plek and highend tuners, bridge and pickups it can be really great.
It is indeed super controversial. Some people believe it's worth the money and the wait, others hate it. There seems no consensus about Ricks, which makes it an interesting discussion to say the least.
@@andrewgocken517 A vintage one is definetly worth it (because you are sure that the bass will holds its value), basses doesnt get any cooler than that! :)
@Thomas De Weerdt if someone wanted one in blue would you recommend having them send a picture before painting it to make sure they're using the right wood?
@@ThomasDeWeerdt That's where I am getting mine. Same walnut matte body and headstock, but with ebony fingerboard. 40-60 day wait. I didn't think that was too bad. In comparison, my new 5 string Ric is taking about 8 months to show up.
Difficult to say. You can be lucky with a well made one, or in bad luck with a bad one. I feel this is the case with all budget guitars... There are great Squires and bad ones, there are even great Fenders and bad ones, I have heard. This Chinese replica is ok, but no where near a real instrument like my Mexican Fender.
I always feel really sad seeing these & knowing I could never play one properly. Its purely down to aesthetics versus practicality. I always rest my thumb above the strings on a pickup top, but the Rickenbackers dont have somewhere to put my thumb while i play using fingers. Yes, i could fit a thumbrest in the opposite place to where Fenders have their's, but a thumbrest above the strings would seriously spoil the looks. Be like sticking a huge Fast&Furious type modified wing on the back of a Rolls Royce Corniche-it would look ugly and just ridiculous. They sound great but I'll have to stick with my 60s Jazz, Epiphone Thunderbird & my Warwick Corvette....
Hi can you please tell me what the sellers name was? I’m trying to order one for myself but am a bit nervous about getting scammed so I figured I could use the same one you bought yours from, thank you!
I forgot that you can custom order Chinese basses to your specifications like nut width, scale, color and that is fantastic. CNC machines are so exact that even an inexpensive Chinese made instrument will be better quality than some known brands that were made 20 years ago. As long as you use name brand electronics, and hardware, you should have an excellent bass for well under 1000 Euros. I can't believe how FAST they made that for you. Even 3 months is incredibly fast for a custom build.
I just wish they would also make their body thinner and their neck slimmer, maybe some shops can provide this but its a long shot I guess
I love how everyone says you're hurting an American brand by buying a Chinese copy but obviously the original company is doing fine if they are consistently selling out. It's simple, if the company doesn't have stock, the customer will take their money elsewhere. Customers are impatient, either you can get mad at the customer or realize that companies need to adapt.
the lacquer they use is considered a controlled substance in California, which limits how many can be made per year
@@cormac I would really like an assortment of such excuses just for the reading pleasure...
@@tiltil9442 its called conversion varnish and can expose you to Ethylene oxide, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects.
@@cormac Leave it to California to paint a bass with drugs. LOL.
Everything is a controlled substance in Cali, including intelligence.
That looks and sounds great. I’m glad it worked out for you!
Great success story!! Congratulations on your new bass. It looks great!
Good looking Bass . Very impressed with the manufacturer. Hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of it .
It looks and sounds pretty close to the real thing. I imagine if you installed actual Rickenbacker pickups and circuitry, you could really get that sound. Especially with the push pull vintage capacitor.
That negates the whole purpose of a less expensive copy.
@Yodelinthegully.- not really. A real Ricky 4003 is about $2400 usd easily. A vintage 4003 in good shape is at least that much. A "chinabacker" as these knockoffs are referred to, are less than 400 bucks. Buy a knockoff for 400, put in good pickups and you're still under 800 bucks as opposed to over 2400 for the real thing.
I own two Rics. No it doesn’t at all sound like the real thing.😊
Exactly not even close. Sounds cheap and tinny. Real rick have that beautiful sweet spot and creamy midrange grove. Buy a real one. Disgusting they destroy other countries work forces and trademark laws they break. @HANNIBALBARCA247
You can't judge tone on the internet.
Great video, fantastic bass, really enjoyed watching that.
Greetings from 'across the pond.' Impressive Rickenbacker copy. Looks great in the matt finish. Assume electronics are good. Glad you are pleased. Play On !
Beautiful bass and you saved so much money, great to see man
Nice looking bass. I love the walnut color.
Thanks! It is actual walnut wood, so I am impressed too.
Dude that's awesome congrats! Some of the best instruments (and musicians for that matter) have gotten replicas of famous USA guitars. That thing looks phenomenal!
Like who?
@@johnnyfigueroa2195Slash’s famous Les Paul from Appetite for Destruction is actually a copy.
@@johnnyfigueroa2195Slash used to use a replica back in the 80s until he got his real 59 model during a tour in Japan, I don't remember where I read it but kirk Hammett once used a Chinese copy to record something in a early 80s metallica album, those are the ones i remember.
@@johnnyfigueroa2195 Peter hooke of joy division used a cheap (ibanez?) Copy of a ric
Ahhh ok so now i know where the b roll bases come from on ebay - they are bases like the first one that you rejected. Your bass is awesome by the way! I watched a presentation where they said the best advertising for the real thing are knock offs! Having a copy of the real thing motivates consumers to pursue the real thing when they can afford it!
Looks so cool!
That is a handsome instrument. Congrats!
I’m glad that you had good luck with your builder. Looks great. Chinese copies are a real gamble.
Man I'm impressed.I've thought of trying to do the special order thing but for a 12 string bass.I have my reservations however due to the special problems with neck tension.
What neck tension problems?? Shallow neck pocket? Neck thru on this one
I have the Harley Benton rick style, looks great sounds great , play's great.
Im a beginner so what do i know.
As soon as i got it it was sent off for a professional set and replaced the strings , the luitheir said it was a fantastic guitar and didn't need much work
Maybe one day ill get the real deal, but so far im happy with what i have
That sounds incredible!
That's pretty cool! I like it.
Nice. Sounds great 🏁⭐🏁
Pretty sweet for a "Chickenbacker"
Say what you want about Chinese manufacturing. I picked up a new Chinese laminate double bass about three years ago; $750 including bow, bag, and a rosin cake. Although the strings it came with were fine, I replaced them with a set of Spirocore Weichs, and added a Fishman pick-up.
This thing sounds like a carved old world masters instrument! I've gigged all over town with it. I get as many compliments on the sound, as I do with my high end boutique Ken Smith six string electric. Man, is it ever a keeper!
For the life of me, I cannot find a double bass or upright bass on Ali. Would you tell me the name of the shop you bought through? Thanks in advance!
Looking at the configuration of the hardware, yours appears to be a match of my Harley Benton rick bass. Sadly, you have the same bridge which has those loose “barrel” saddles” underneath the strings. If the string is broken or when you change strings you’ve gotta account for those steel barrel shaped saddles. I looked into finding a Rick bass Bridge, it does not appear to be able to match. Would like to hear from someone who tried that.
You have a single coil with massive pole magnets. The bridge is a hum bucker. The single coil is pretty hot and has a lot to do with their version of a Ric-o-sound. I like it! I removed The cover over it. I removed that from my true Ric as well. I found the bezel attached to the pick up to be too thin and annoying to the rest of the man. I found a nice solution by using black elastic hair bands (for pony tails). Putting enough on and around the pick up makes for a nice soft landing for the phone. Just thought I’d put that out there for somebody broke their bezel.
Whereas mine is the traditional cherry burst was plastic white Pickguard and dots on the fretboard. It was less money than what you spent and I have my original Rickenbacker safe at home while I use this one. Mine plays great and love the sound. The big negative with me is the bridge. And I’ll cross that bridge when I find a solution. Probably some kind of adhesive. Spotwelding is out because of the Chrome.
I bought one of the RB-414 Harley Benton "Ric inspired" basses. It was NOTHING like a real Ric. 34" scale, weird balance, meh tone. It was well made, but did not feel or sound that great. It was, however, a fast sale on eBay....
really nice & good sound too
congrats
Awesome, I've been planning one with iyv
I'd love a chickenbacker in candy apple red, upgraded with a Gibson Mudbucker in the neck, a J bass bridge pickup and a Leo Quan Badass bridge. Not traditional, but it's the look I like with Ricks, nothing else. Might Custom order one, as well
I as well ordered a Custom Chinabacker, mine will be with Fender PJ pickups on it , I can't wait to get it lol
Hey man, coincidentally earlier today I was wondering what a Ric with a PJ pickup configuration would look like. Have you gotten yours, yet?
Chickenbacker. 😂
Where did you order it from?
Looks beautiful, one day ill get one
Sounds amazing,
Thanks! I thought so too. Some say it sounds bad, so opinions seem to differ 😄
I bought a CS 4001 in China. It needs a setup but don't play bad. I'm gonna havta rip out the guts and put new electronics in it but I knew that going in. The headstocks reversed but Im just glad it got here, and in 1 piece.
Just ordered one, same as yours. $388, ebony neck, 60 day build time. I paid with PayPal so no risk. When it arrives, I will rewire it and change the pickups to real Ric ones. Then my luthier is going to change the bridge and make it the Ric 33.25" scale length, SIT RB strings. If the frets are awful, I may defret it. We'll see. I also specified walnut headstock. They still have the first one they made for you with the mismatched headstock. They tried to sell me that one, but I prefer to wait for the matching headstock and ebony neck. I don't pretend I will end up with a Ric clone, but it should be a really good tribute. Something to keep me going until the real Ric 4003s/5 I have on order arrives, hopefully before the end of the year.
Hello, thank you for your info about your planned upgrades.! As they tried to sell you the one with mismatched headstock, you are sure this is the same company ;).
I will start modding mine as well, i think. Compared to my other basses, the output is not super high, so I might switch to real pickups as well.
Some things are worth the wait.
A while back I had to sell my Rick to help the mum pay the house taxes.But I was able to make do with a Ibanez Korean knock off for a while.I eventually got a Rick but trading my MTG card collection.So it all worked out.Like your bass
Ibanez Ric Copy? Hmmm... ever heard of Bruce Foxton? 🙂
Super looking bass. I wish it came in a short scale, though.
What scale is it, I wonder?
@@newfarmerfilmsmost of these have 22-fret necks, so basically full scale instead of an actual ric's 32' scale. Works fine if you have long arms I guess.
In a perfect World....Your "Walnut Ricky" would be in Geddy Lee's "Big Beautiful Book of Bass"!!! 😄 Cheers From Ohio p.s.....LOVE the Metal Pickup Cover rather than the "plastic" version!
I love it ❤️
Dude, I live in the USA and even here it can take forever to get a real Ric unless you are fortunate enough to find a retailer that has some in stock. That thing looks great, a Chinese “custom shop.” Sounds like a Ric too, great value!!!
I wonder if it'd be possible to find one of these factories that does a short scale Stingray copy
I traded for a Chinese made Rickenbacker counterfeit bass thinking I could use it as a project bass. This one looks better than the one I have, but there are some similarities such as the metal pickup cover. I replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan Ric humbuckers, a new nut (the one that came with it was very high), a new Allparts bridge, and new pots and switch. The biggest and most costly mod other than the pickups was placement of the bridge closer to the bridge pickup as mine was a 22 fret and it would never intonate correctly from the original placement. The bass is playable and might be gig-worthy, but it pales in comparison to a real Ric. I got an actual Ric last year and it is quite a difference in quality and playability. The neck is thick like a P bass at the neck and becomes flatter toward the body. It is true about the wait times. I ordered mine in March of 2021 and it arrived right before Christmas. That's in the US, so I can understand the frustration with waiting forever in Europe.
Thank you for your input!
I just took mine to a professional for setup. Nut will be lowered (it too is way to high), frets fixed, neck straightend, pickup cover removed and pickup height fixed (neck pickup is super low in output, altough I read it is also the case with real ricks)
For now, I think I will keep the pickups as I really like the sound of mine ❤. Maybe, if the neck pickup is still low in output, I will buy the Nordenbocker.
Happy to hear your waiting was rewarded with 'the real deal' Enjoy!
@@ThomasDeWeerdtI put a nordy in my Fakenbacker and it sounds fine. It's the bridge pup that's low volume.I'm not sure if it's the wiring though.
Save yourself the hassle and buy a new ric.
What's with the massive square chunk of neck next to the body?
Would love to hear how it sounds with flatwound strings
So the good, bad, and ugly of these Chicenbackers is well documented all over CZcams. I personally have bought two. One thing I want to bring to everyones attention is the lack of individual saddle height adjustment, and there's zero radius on the bridge. So you cannot get the strings to match the fretboard radius unless you shim under the saddles. However, on the second one I ordered, they did have a bridge with this important feature. They actually were willing to sell me a second bridge fo $20USD for my other 4003.
Bought a Chinese LP copy a number of years ago. The tuners it came with were literally not fit for the purpose. They could not be called actual tuners. The frets needed serious work as well. The rest was passable but below average. Over the years I have swapped out the pickups, the bridge and the nut as well. Now it is as good as many USA Les Pauls. I think that for around 450 Canadian, plus another 800 for new parts and for pro labour, you can basically get the equivalent of a 4k Gibson LP. The guitar that actually comes from China, however, will probably be pretty poor and require immediate work.
I have a "Magical Mystery Tour" Chinese Rick #4001. I love it. It looks great. It needed about $75 worth of set-up and a set of Rotosound Swingbass 66 strings really transformed this instrument into a nice, cool-looking and good playing bass; at an extremely affordable price.
Hi Mate, happy for You, but could You send the link from which shop You bought it? There so many Chinese scammers for Guitars
I second that,.where'd you get it?
Same as the other who asked you dont think you can send the link for the bass, would love to get my hands on one that looks like the one paul used.
It even sound better than the real rickens, that’s great cool videos, please share the seller, I want one, cheers
The seller is HY Guitar store on Ali Express
The one I ordered from China was great but it sucked with flats. Weak neck. My bud who got it from me loves it. He loves very light strings that start at .040 to .095 or .100.
I’m Always tempted by these chickenbackers, but I hear so many disaster stories that I hesitate. If I ever hear of a specific place that does decent work though, like you, I’d see it as a stop gap til I can get the real deal from Rick.
If it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, then it's a duck.
Yo igual tengo uno de esos pero aparte de los ajustes en el puente y el mástil le cambié las pastillas por unas Seymour Duncan y el sonido q genera es increíble obviamente no es un sonido Rick pero aún así es mejor para mí gusto
well done sounds really nice, wonder if you could tell me what make of pickups and tuners do they use
Hello, unfortunately I do not have the exact details on this. The strings stay in tune very well, but no idea what brand they are.
My Harley Benton is the identical instrument (but black, not walnut). Best value around. Got mine from Thomann.
Hello, the shape of the HB replica is very different. Also, I believe it is not neck through
nice guitar
Sounds beefy 👌.
Beautiful looking bass man! I was just wondering, did these chinese manufacturers put on the Rick-O-Sound setup, too?
nice
MAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE A REAL ONE...TIGHT, ROOMY, LOUD, PUNCHY AND THICK CHARASTERISTIC RICKY TONES....
I luv it.
Thats the way to buy a Guitar or Bass from China.
You must contact a bunch of sellers with an unadvertised request. Never just hit buy now. Ask for something they don't have like Ebony fret board custom logo or different finish.
Any that don't reply within a day are out, any that say the equivalent of "hey just what you see buddy" , are also out as they are only resellers. You have to make certain that you are dealing with the factory who is making the Guitars in the photos. It is essential if you are to stand any chance of getting a guitar that has any chance of ever being any good.
You then want progress photos so you can do your own QA as they will send you whatever they think they can get away with.
You will have to be prepared to do some work on whatever you buy.
If you're lucky a bit of fretwork will be all thats needed.
But usually you'll be finishing fret ends then level and crowning them assuming the trussrod works and you can get the neck flat. You'll end up buying a new nut because the one fitted either be installed scewed or filed to death And the electrics will either be wired back to front out of phase or totally wrong with the added bonus of crappy soldering so that even if it works it won't for long.
Usually its then a case of changing out Hardware as its practically a given that the tuners will be rubbish along with the pot metal bridge and the unpotted pickups. .
GREAT ADVICE! That's exactly what I did.
So the scale length and neck dimensions are the same as a usa?
It sounds exactly like a Ric! Curious if you’ll be satisfied or if you’ll continue to have an itch for the real thing.
Thank you for your comment!
Still interested in the real deal,
Not via mail order, but if I ever see one in a store, I will defenitely check it out and take it if it feels right.
Who is the factory? Do you have a link? Thanks.
Hello, it is HY_Guitar Store
You should post the manufacturer's info above.
It is GY Guitar Store on Ali Express
Just saw your vid...
As an owner of an original Ric 4003 I have to admit, that your Chickenbacker sounds pretty close to the real thing. Congrats!
Plus: Yours will obviously not have some of the well known flaws of the original, especially the bridge construction and the insane pickup hum.
It's a shame, that you have to spend lots of time and money to mod a 2k+ instrument for actually being usable. But I still love mine, although it's far from perfect.
Thank you for your comment!
I have ordered the real deal in October.
I hope to create a comparison video when it arrives. Hopefully.... One day ....
Rumors have it that people need to wait for years for their order to come in. I have ordered from a Dutch webshop and prepaid it, and am person 9 in their cue to receive one.
Thanks for buying a Chinese-made bass. You know, from the nation who wants to destroy us. Bravo.
great purchase man, looks beautiful. How can you fix the fret buzz problem without compromise the first frets?
Hello, thank you for your comment.
I took mine to a professional luthier, who leveled the frets and also filed the nut so the string action is lower. He also removed the pickup cover, so now I can play with my fingers much easier. Love this bass!
Slight neck relief on the truss rod has always worked for me
How about a link to or name of the company you used?
Nice, you have a neck though, mine wasn’t.
Finally I gave up the idea of getting a replica Rick and took the plunge by ordering a brand new authentic Rick in Walnut at my local music shop today and my waiting period starts. I will get the Special mono version without the binding and with body contour however as I wanted more comfort. Funnily cheaper brand new than any used one I see around. I guess time is money so waiting a year for one has its price...
Yes, I have ordered one too. I ordered the 4003W, I believe yours is the 4003SW, based on your description.
@@ThomasDeWeerdt yes 4003SW indeed, good thing is the more recent 4003 have the new upgraded adjustable bridge, the middle walnut stripe on the neck and apparently a nicer neck profile as opposed to the more traditional baseball bat. Will see when I get it next year...
@@ThomasDeWeerdt well my waiting time went from a year to a week, unbelievable. Turns out some 4003SW popped in stock in the warehouse of our local music shop yesterday and I just came back to pick it up. It is a beauty, has the walnut skunk stripe and the expected thinner neck profile; not a baseball bat.
Happy to not have gone the knock off way !
@@jerasowilo8817 Wow, that is good news for you. I contacted my shop yesterday, and I went from position 9 to 7 in the cue. Not there yet, but surely moving. Good luck with yours
@@ThomasDeWeerdt thank you good luck too
You never said who made the bass, or the website? Please post it?
Which builder made this one?? I like it a lot! I've been looking at neck thru versions specifically and only found 1 currently making them. Was the neck thru something you specifically requested for this custom build??
Hello, the neck trough construction was standard, but before my request, they only made a glossy version.
Now they offer the matte finish, which is off course super nice.
Seller is HY Guitar store on Ali Express
@@ThomasDeWeerdt appreciate it! Well quick update I couldn't find their store but I found Guitar Town and ordered a fancy burled maple version, wish me luck! Next up, if this comes through ok, is this Walnut!
Nice bass but that pickup cover would drive me nuts..
Congratulations - I just got one but the pick ups sound bad - where can I get replacement
@@MrJoeydrms hello, I have bought the Roswell kit, And happy with it. I have a video online about it
So, is this a 30" scale or 34" scale instrument?
I too have been eyeing the [so-called] "Chickenbackers" for some time now as a viable way to "get the Ric sound" without paying unjustifiable sums for a real one. See, I like the Ric sound and vibe enough that I would like to have it in my arsenal, but not enough that I'd be willing to shell out Ric prices to have it. The signature "clung" is a ton of fun, but not anything I could see ever becoming "my main thing".
I know the pickups and wiring aren't really accurate with the "Chics", but apparently actual Ric pups and looms are available at not-incredibly high prices. So, if the neck/body construction (neck-thru like yours rather than set neck like most I find) and scale length (30" instead of 34" like most I find) are both accurate, then a relatively faithful clone can be had for cheap with those mods.
And even without the mods, as your video demonstrates, even with the stock electronics, the sound is still not a million miles off. It sounds really nice, and I definitely pick up on the Ric vibe here! So I wouldn't even have to wait til I could have the mods done in order to have that pleasingly loose approximation of the Ric sound. I could have a Ric-ish experience right out of the box - and hell, who knows whether or not I might just decide "you know what, this is close enough for me" and not even bother with the mods. I can definitely see that scenario playing out!
But I do think I'd at least want the "structure" of the instrument to be authentic, or at least insofar as it'd at least be neck-thru and 30" scale. So, please lemme know the scale length of your bass here, and if it's 30, then I may well just see how quickly I can get myself in on the action!
And regardless, I'm very happy you're so happy with your bass! Isn't it great when you find one that's "just you"? I'm happy you found that bass! Bravo! Also, kudos to the factory that made it for you to have taken your order so seriously! 🙂
A lot of basses are impossible to get. ESP gave me a time of 12 to 16 months before I see an octave 8.
How are you liking the bass after owning/playing it for some time? Do you have a link to where you bought your Chinese replica Rickenbacker copy?
Hello! This bass is nowhere near the build quality and sound of my Mexican made Fender Precision Bass. The P sits much better in the mix, and feels much more like a 'real' instrument. I have ordered a real Rick 4003W in november, and am curious to compare the replica and the real deal.
I bought this via Ali Express, seller GY Guitar Store.
Who did you buy the bass from? I am not really familiar with ali express. You can message different manufacturers?
Can you confirm it was HY guitar store because I would like one too.
I can confirm it is HY Guitar store. At the moment of writing, they even have the first bass they made for me on sale (with mismatched headstock)
@@ThomasDeWeerdtCould you tell me by email how you communicated with these folks because so far, through AliExpress, they seem to be idiots… I sent them a request for a custom bass, 360 shape with maple fretboard and short scale, maple glow, and they are replying with pictures of guitars.
I have sent an email to your address in the about section. CZcamsrs deleting my replies here which contain my email and URL of a photo.
Awesome video cant you please give me a link? Keep up rock on
Thank you!
The seller is HY Guitar store on Ali express
@@ThomasDeWeerdt Thanks cheers rock on
Do you have a link to where you got it? Thanks.
Hello, the seller is HY Guitar Store on Ali Express
I tried the original Rickenbacker 4003AC in a store in Norway. For 4000 € I can easily say that this is the worst value of a bass ever. Good for you finding an alternative! With a plek and highend tuners, bridge and pickups it can be really great.
It is indeed super controversial. Some people believe it's worth the money and the wait, others hate it. There seems no consensus about Ricks, which makes it an interesting discussion to say the least.
The vintage 4001s are incredible. I own one. Newer models seem lacking compared.
Ricks are like DeLoreans...
They look cool, but aren't fit for purpose and are always breaking down.
🙄👎
@@andrewgocken517 A vintage one is definetly worth it (because you are sure that the bass will holds its value), basses doesnt get any cooler than that! :)
@@TenFalconsMusic mine is 49 years old, never broken down, not once, still has original Jack's, pots, wiring, etc.
If I were you, I would've spent the money on lessons
Hi Thomas. I have one coming from a Chinese factory, but with a glossy version. Can you share from what Chinese factory that you had your bass made?
It is HY Guitar store
@Thomas De Weerdt if someone wanted one in blue would you recommend having them send a picture before painting it to make sure they're using the right wood?
@@JosephSmith-lm4ri You could try, no idea if they would do this mid-build. The pictures I received were from finished ones.
@Thomas De Weerdt that's fair. Tried contacting them last night and aliexpress seemed to actively prohibit me from communicating on mobile.
@@JosephSmith-lm4ri you absolutely could. you just have to ask them to send update pictures as they build it. they shouldn’t have any reason not to
Maybe I'll get a chickenbacker so I don't have to worry about my real rickenbacker getting hurt.
OK, so where did you the bass which on the store
GY guitar store on Ali Express
Wow, that looks really nice. Would you mind telling me which seller you contacted...?
HY Guitar store on Ali Express
@@ThomasDeWeerdt That's where I am getting mine. Same walnut matte body and headstock, but with ebony fingerboard. 40-60 day wait. I didn't think that was too bad. In comparison, my new 5 string Ric is taking about 8 months to show up.
Hey, could you link us to that specific store?
same question!…and how thick is the body?
The Shop is HY Guitar store on Ali Express
@@ronroyer1888 Good question. I believe it is much thicker as a real one
@@ThomasDeWeerdt Thanks!
So cool. Did you get it from DHGate?
Ali Express. Seller: HY Guitar Store
If im never gonna have the money for a real one should i just get one of these? Worth it?
Difficult to say. You can be lucky with a well made one, or in bad luck with a bad one. I feel this is the case with all budget guitars... There are great Squires and bad ones, there are even great Fenders and bad ones, I have heard.
This Chinese replica is ok, but no where near a real instrument like my Mexican Fender.
Sounds the same as the real one.....The player makes the bass sound good
Im in the U.S I have a 94 4003 fireglo in mint condition. Looking to sale.
I own a vintage '74 4001. Love it. But if I got a new one, I'd do the same, and customize it.
If it was good enough for Peter Hook...
I always feel really sad seeing these & knowing I could never play one properly. Its purely down to aesthetics versus practicality. I always rest my thumb above the strings on a pickup top, but the Rickenbackers dont have somewhere to put my thumb while i play using fingers.
Yes, i could fit a thumbrest in the opposite place to where Fenders have their's, but a thumbrest above the strings would seriously spoil the looks.
Be like sticking a huge Fast&Furious type modified wing on the back of a Rolls Royce Corniche-it would look ugly and just ridiculous.
They sound great but I'll have to stick with my 60s Jazz, Epiphone Thunderbird & my Warwick Corvette....
how can i obtain one like this? how do I find out from which manufacturer was your bass?
@@MrMItzi-cc3xo The seller is GY guitar store on Ali Express
@@ThomasDeWeerdt thank you very much
Where did you get it?
HY Guitar store on Ali Express
Which one of the ten thousand companies did you get this from?
HY Guitar store on Ali Express
can you send a link?
It is HY Guitar store on Ali Express
Nice one! How can I find the seller you used?
The seller is HY Guitar store on Ali Express
Ric better start making cheapo versions before they lose too much 💰 💰 💰
Hi can you please tell me what the sellers name was? I’m trying to order one for myself but am a bit nervous about getting scammed so I figured I could use the same one you bought yours from, thank you!
The seller is HY Guitar store on Ali Express! They have a lot of Rick style basses in stock as well. Good luck.
@@ThomasDeWeerdt thank you so much 🙏🏼🙏🏼