Over the last couple of years it's been getting increasingly more difficult to locate either a 4003 or 4003s right-handed bass in the UK. Many dealers say they have them in stock but when you go to order it will reveal that they don't and they are on order from Rickenbacker. My old 4003MG (1990) needs to be retired from gigging as it's had 25 years of abuse and trying to get a new one is proving difficult. Why have Ric banned US dealers selling to us in the UK? Seems daft to me as there seems to be a plethora of left-handed basses in the UK but no right-handed ones. The few 4003s that got here sold overnight (with the exception of the Walnut finish which I must admit to not liking) and there seems to have been a long wait for any 4003 models in decent numbers to come here. I waited nearly two years for my 4003 in 1990 (unlike my 1986 Jetglo that basically turned up the next day!) and I'm frustrated about the wait again now.

Thanks in advance for your response.

The UK dealers receive them pretty much just as frequently as US dealers do. It's simply a matter of demand.

US dealers are not able to provide after-sales service outside the US, nor are they able to properly deal with the myriad trade regulations that the UK and EU have in place for consumer protection.

I do appreciate your dilemma as I now reside half the time in the UK myself and have similar problems to buy American-made goods there. But I understand that for the most part it is for my own good to have a locally valid warranty and a system that insures strong local support.

Hi John,

Many thanks for your reply - when I search on US dealers there seems to be many 4003 and 4003s available (you guys in the States are very lucky!) - I think the after-sales service in the US is different in the UK as I must admit I've never used it. Trade regulations seem so much stricter now compared to the 80s and 90s.

Hoping that some UK dealers have some soon!

Thanks again. Jaz

There are 3 Midnight Blue 4003s models on the GuitarGuitar website available right now in the UK at the Epson, Glasgow and Newcastle stores

Nearly two years? What a lucky guy!
If you live in Sweden, you got to be prepared to wait maybe five years.
Availability in Sweden: Nada de nada
But we do have a lot of Epiphones, Squires and the likes. Budget sells, not quality and great sound!

Almost a year since this post and the situation is no better here in the UK for Ric basses, 4003 or 4003s. Yes there a few around but mostly mapleglo, midnight blue or ruby. Have found it nearly impossible to find a 4003s fireglo and a 4003 jetglo. One dealer did have a 4003JG towards the end of last year but it had a couple of chips and I didn't really want that on a new bass. Perhaps with Brexit, US dealers will be able to sell to us in the UK?

Brexit will make no difference. The one and only problem is demand; there's simply more people that want a 4003 Jetglo bass than we have the ability to produce them. It's the same the world over. The difference you note between the US and the UK is that there's several thousand good sized music stores in the US versus not even a hundred in the UK.

Funny! last year there were quiet a few Ricks available in England. Maybe not your favorite color but anyway...
Maybe one should look more to the whole picture then just the finish. But yeah, I understand. You want what you want. But sometimes anyway...Man...the sound is still the same. And it´s for the sound you buy a Rick....isn´t it?

How about France? A weekend train trip to Paris (or some other city you may discover having what you want) may be worth it.... Take your wife/girlfriend and make it a nice little getaway, or a little adventure, at least.