I calmly asked him to fix it under warranty, but alas, he was not an authorized repair shop. He shrugged and said “yeah, they do that”. TWISTED! This bass was only 6 weeks old so i took it back to the guitar shop and showed the owner. This feeling got progressively worse over about a month when i realized the neck was twisted. Anyway, i did get it pretty close and had fun with it for a few weeks when the neck slowly started to feel “funny”. I should have known there was more of this crap to come. When i got it home, i started to do a setup on it and the bridge literally fell apart in my hands. I found one i liked in the only guitar store in town and plunked down the almost $700 for it. Let me explain In 1977 i was heavy into prog rock like yes and Rush so i just HAD to buy a Rick 4001.

Rickenbacker ripped me off way back in 1977, so i say more power to any company that threatens their bottom line. That said, I like the idea of the zero-mod thumbrest for my 2000 model 4003 JetGlo. I am not from USA, but that would seem to be the right or patriotic thing to do. Support the legitimate product with the final notes. I’d like to have seen the fake smashed to 4003 pieces at the end of the video, and you should have played the real thing at the end. Maybe I am showing my colours here, I don’t think enough was said about how unethical the production of this instrument is. I heard a “Rebelrocker” bass idential to yours in a local shop.

Your comparison was reasonable, but modding the fake is not a fair representation. Potentially the 4004 could be a cheaper model but then it wouldn’t be a 4004. The only “budget” model I think should exist is a 2000/2020/3000 style. A lower quality/cheaper Rickenbacker 4003 is not needed in the market and I venture to say few would buy one. Rickenbacker runs their particular type of race for a reason. Maybe they could license a company that never makes them… if only for legal recourse. Rickenbacker licensing these is in my opinion not a good idea.

Chinese copy rickenbacker 325