Rick neck profile and toaster vs 4003 pups

[copacetic]

I've never had any inklings towards Rickenbacker basses except that I thought they looked cool and liked Chris Squier's tone. The other day while 'browsing' I tried out a new 4003 Jetglo. Actually it was not as heavy as I thought and well balanced. The neck profile at the nut area was a little wider or heftier than I like, but not unplayable. Soo are there any Rickes with a thinner profile similiar to the Jazz vs Precision? Also what is the difference between the toaster pups and the Pups on the 4003? Incan add here that if I was to seriously consider this bass, I might file/ sand down the neck up top.

[ilan]

The only Ric I know with a Jazz bass nut width is the 1986 4003 Shadow. 40mm at the nut and very slim neck profile. There were only 50 or so made... but fellow forumite Paul Boyer is selling one (the one in his book) AFAIK.

Toasters are the same unit as the guitar pickups. 6 polepieces under the cover, which means less volume drops when bending strings (button-tops do that). I love them. A slightly more "hollow" tone, kind of like Glover's tone on Pictures Of Home.

[Dave W]

Also, toasters have alnico polepieces (like Fender pickups) while the 4003's hi-gain pickups have steel screw poles with a ceramic magnet beneath. The current hi-gains are wound a good bit hotter than the reissue toasters.

[copacetic]

Thanks guys. I might just go with the stock 4003 to start with. From what I gather one can attain the toasters from Rickenbacker and if they just fit in without any extra routing it might be something to try down the road, once I get there if I feel the need. I've worked hard to slim down my collection to basses under 8-81/2 lbs pretty successfully (Hofners, some Fenders at 71/2 and Gibson EB-0 and Supreme). However the Rick's body is quite slim and well balanced and might be just at around 9 lbs so it might not be problematic. If attained I was thinking about posting some pics, but the last thing you guys want to see is another Jetglo 4003

[ilan]

Jetglo rules