My beautiful new Ruby Red Rickenbacker 4003 came with a set of excellent Ric strings with their peculiar gauge. Tonally, I really like them and I like their tension...just tense enough and yet very bendable. However, the D string, especially, is slimmer than I am used to and makes playing feel less natural than it would if it were a 60 instead of a 55. My question is: would I be jeapordising the neck or tempting tail lift if I strung it with 45 60 85 105 Hi Beams or RS 66 instead of the Ric strings and their lighter gauge?

Congrats on the new bass!!
When I got my first one I had the same concerns. You can read about it here:

http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewt ... 2&t=414571


http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewt ... 2&t=414571

Thank you for the congrats and the link but I wish someone could give me a straightforward answer such as “using any roundwound/flatwound of 45 60 85 105 gauge will be perfectly ok on a modern 4003” or, conversely, that it wouldn’t and the Ric strings are that gauge because they are the most compatible ones.
Will the nut take the thicker string without needing filing. Can the neck handle the extra tension and will the bridge stay put?
I think I heard that S.I.T make Rickenbacker strings. So, those in the gauge I like might be ideal.
It strikes me that the new necks are as capable as Fender Jazz basses at handling heavier gauge strings. It’s more whether the bridge can and whether the nut can accommodate it.

You may want to also check out this second Rick site:

http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewf ... 71b366de55

using any roundwound/flatwound of 45 60 85 105 gauge will be perfectly ok on a modern 4003, Period

I prefer an 80 A string, myself. On my 4002 with the old style hairpin truss rods I use 45-60-80-105 GHS Progressives and have for over 25 years.

I've strung my 2018 4003 with D'Addario ETB92 Nylon Tapewounds. (.50, .65, .85, .105) They fit well, and play great.

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4003 Jetglo / USA Geddy Lee Jazz
Bassman 800 & Bassman 115 Neo