Thanks for sharing I am having a struggle with my new MID 4003. Dull E string. Have swapped out the rick strings for tapered E Fender super Bass PLUS bought and fitted H*pSh*T brass bridege to try and save the original strings ... it's getting expensive

If your bass is a new one, it should have the new adjustible pole pieces. You will know if the button tops of the pole pieces have a hex pattern to accept the supplied hex key. if they are solid and domed, then you don't.

First, make sure the strings go directly over the center of the polepieces. If they don't then you might need to get a new set of bridge saddles and have them recut so the strings go directly over the polepieces. But, RIC QC (that's quality control, not "Queen's Counsel") is the standard by which all other guitar manufacturers aspire to, so I'm sure that is just fine.

First, raise the entire pickup on the bass side just slightly, like a half turn counter-clockwise, aka anti-clockwise (same direction, I just typed both words for both the British-English speaking audience and the American-English speaking audience).

If that doesn't work, assuming you have the adjustible polepieces, take the supplied hex key and turn it a half turn the same way.

If you go too far and get string clank, not to worry. Just back everything off a tad.

I have to admit as much as I have read about this problem I am absolutely useless for describing how to treat it because I have never, ever played a Ric that I perceived as having a weak E string. And I've probably played around twenty examples of all different Ric basses by now, mostly recent models but a chunk of vintage models too. I think the only thing I haven't played at least once is the 4005.

I'm not sure why this is such a pervasive complaint. Then again another thing I've never, ever run into is a Stingray with a weak G string. You hear that complaint a lot too.

It could be the way I hear a bass. I was watching a YouTube video of a guy showing off his prized basses... some Fenders and a Ric... and he mentioned being unhappy with the E string on the Ric. I listened over and over and could not figure out what he meant by that, it sounded nearly identical to his Precision.

I wonder if it's the amp? Maybe it isn't strong enough for the slower vibrations of the E string. I've never had that problem with any of the 3 different Rick basses I've owned over the years (two 4001's and a 4003). The band I'm in has had two different bassists, both played Rick basses, and neither of those exhibited this phenomenon, nor does the other guitarist's 4005. My guess is that it's the amp, the amp settings, or a combination of the two.

BTW, a Rick doesn't sound exactly like a Jazz or Precision, and vice versa. So maybe these players aren't quite used to the difference in sound. Mr. Hall hinted at this on his post above.

I would also recommend using a compressor for the signal.

Maybe it's more to do with the strings rather than the guitar. I had a problem with a weak E string using TI flats, a problem that has been well documented on this forum. The recommended solution was to change the strings, which is what I did, using TI flats again, and the problem disappeared.