If I didn't have my Hamer Thunderbird 8 string.....

[Bionic-Joe]

...I'd go for this!!! I was fortunate to borrow Tom Heslin's for a week....It sounds Just like you think it would...Kick ass!!! Only flaw...the strings need to be switched so the octave is what you hit first and it needs a bridge with individual saddles... Otherwise...this is a VERY killer sounding 8 string bass...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1991-RICKENBACKER-RICK-RIC-4003S-8-4003-4003S-8-STRING-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR-/360431707382?pt=Guitar&hash=item53eb6764f6#ht_16230wt_1167

[ilan]

Very nice and I haven't seen many in Mapleglo, but $4,250 is a bit steep IMHO. A clean 2002 Fireglo S/8 just sold for $1,625. The FG also has a 7-bolt tailpiece.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rickenbacker-4003s-8-FireGlo-2002-8-String-Bass-Guitar-/330677739876?pt=Guitar&hash=item4cfdede164#ht_500wt_922

[Daniel_J]

That's a really cool fireglo! At least in the pictures it looks almost like a cherry burst. I didn't know the S8 was produced as lately as 2002.

But on that mapleglo I'm pretty sure the bridge plate is a AllParts replacement. I know because I've used that bridge on a lot of my Ric projects before, so I'm very familiar with it's looks and differences to the real Ric bridge plate. The bridge itself and mute foam and thumbscrews looks original.

Probably the original one got the infamous "tail-lift" issue and had to be replaced.

[ilan]

And the pickup surround was notched with a Dremel tool.

[Pekka]

Only flaw...the strings need to be switched so the octave is what you hit first and it needs a bridge with individual saddles...

Agreed. My friend has a beautiful 1988 4003/8 S Fireglo (just like in that picture) and it isn't very comfortable to play due to that string arrangement. The intonation is a pain too. So...

Is there a 8-saddle bridge for a Rick 8-string? Just in case if I manage to talk him over about selling the bass to me.

[ilan]

Last year Kevin Teed from the RRF made a batch of 8 string bridges with 8 individual saddles. He may have one left.

[gearHed289]

I have a Fireglo '93 and it's an incredible instrument, as Baz said.  Whoever owned it before me had already swapped the strings around, and it now has one of Teeder's 8 saddle bridges. The combination of that, and a heavier low E make for infinitely better intonation. It's getting a re-issue horseshoe very soon...

A clean 2002 Fireglo S/8 just sold for $1,625.

It didn't actually sell for that price. The auction was "ended by the seller because the item was sold".

[ilan]

Yep, missed that. So what's the going rate for an S/8 these days?

[leftybass]

If one played with a pick it would be fine, I wouldn't consider the string arrangement a "flaw".

"Probably the original one got the infamous "tail-lift" issue and had to be replaced."

The 8s have 2 extra screws at the rear of the tailpice to prevent that, just as the early 4003s did.

[uwe]

The bridge holds up fine on those. It's only the neck that doesn't.