Unconventional: La Bella Jamerson-gauge flats on a Rickenbacker. The Rickenbacker 4003 is tonally defined by bright stainless roundwounds — Chris Squire's Rickenbacker-through-Marshall grind on 'Roundabout' and 'Heart of the Sunrise' made the Ric-plus-rounds combination genre-defining for prog-rock bass. Every 4003 owner guide and r/bass thread treats roundwounds as mandatory. But Squire himself in later Yes-era recordings (post-1980s 'Big Generator', 'Talk'), and studio bassists Jeff Berlin and Leland Sklar during specific sessions, experimented with extremely heavy flatwounds on Rickenbackers — specifically La Bella's 52-110 Jamerson-spec set.

The rationale: the Ric 4003's maple-body tonal brightness is actually so aggressive that heavy flats don't mute it, they refine it into something uniquely between Motown James Jamerson warmth and prog-rock Rickenbacker growl. What you get: a bass tone no other combination produces — Motown warmth with Rickenbacker harmonic complexity, sustain that rivals Ken Smith boutique basses, and fret-noise-free recording for delicate passages. What you sacrifice: the entire reason most people buy a Rickenbacker (bright cutting presence), fast right-hand technique (52-110 is gym-workout stiff), and the ability to play classic Squire tone.

Best for session bassists experimenting at the intersection of Motown and prog, and Ric owners wanting tonal distinction from Squire clones; skip it for actual prog-rock work or slap technique.

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