5 String Conversion

desertgoldenboy · Post by **desertgoldenboy** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:01 am

Good point, Steve. Thanks!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:48 am

Have any of you guys thought about how much less desirable and how much less money your 4003's are going to be after modding them like this especially in a few years when 5 string Rics will be around again? Have you also thought about how you are butchering nice basses? One of things is going to end up in the Hall of shame sooner or later.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:04 am

excuse me ... but a 5 string conversion is not butchering ... plus a 4003 converted to a 5 string is actually a better 5 string bass than the 4003s5 bass in my opinion ... there are some players who just don't want a 5 string bass ... but then again some of us have no use for a 4 string bass ... there are lots of jetglo, mapleglo, and fireglo 4003 basses out there ... turning a few into 5 string basses will still leave enough for you 4 string types ...

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:14 am

Drilling a hole in the headstock of a nice 4003 is butchering in my book. Converting a 4003 into a 5 string is the worst butchering I've ever seen on a Ric bar none. That bass will never be able to be returned to stock with that hole. There are going to be a lot of sorry people in a few years. I have no problems with 5 string basses, I prefer a 4 string but I do have problems with ruining 4 string 4003's because of shortsightedness.

desertgoldenboy · Post by **desertgoldenboy** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:21 am

Bob: Your point is well taken. But I don't consider all modding to be butchering, if it is done correctly and professionally. Sometimes it becomes something unique...something that stands out in a sea of normality.

If Sir Paul hadn't taken a belt sander to his 4001s, we wouldn't have the beautiful 4001C64S with its 'modded' horns.

Jeff: Some of us like to play both 4 and 5 stringers, according to the situation. I have, and enjoy, each. They're both tools of the trade.

desertgoldenboy · Post by **desertgoldenboy** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:34 am

All arguements stated, I've decided to re-think the conversion. Bob makes a good point about keeping a guitar authentic, to which I normally concur. I wouldn't think of adding anything to my '68 Gibson SG Standard or my '66 Fender Mustang, lest they be devalued on the open market.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:37 am

Bob,if you think converting 4003's to five strings is butchering, wait till you see what I did to two 3000 basses! Unlike the 4-2-5 mod, this was not reversable. Pics coming soon.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:45 am

I've said it before and I'll say it again ... several of the most famous Rics were modified ... Chris Squire, Paul McCartney, Lemmy, Geddy, Mike Rutherford, ... when they do it it is cool because they are famous ... but since I am not famous it is butchering ... my basses are not collector's items ... I don't have a Rickenbacker shrine that I worship my basses at ... I don't store them in a dust free humidity controlled room ... I use them to make music ... I play in grungy bars ...

Some mods are bad ... but even worse is the "It must be always kept stock" attitude ... if you want an investment buy real estate if you buy a ric then play it and modify it if you want to ... my ric basses are tools ... I mod them work better in my hands ... and if somebody doesn't like that then too bad ...

Bob ... it would be a total nightmare for me to use your bass through your rig and play your music ... it would be a cruel form of punishment ... but it is what you like so for you it is cool ... I need my 5 string basses and my setup to do my music

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 10:57 am

and what about Pete Townsend ... what about all of those 60's Ric guitars he smashed ... gee if he had left them in their case and put them in a where house for 40 years he could make a lot of money selling them off ...

I started doing the 4-2-5 modification because it is next to impossible to get a 5 string Ric bass ... and the old 4003s5 had a bridge string spacing of 2 1/16" which makes finger playing cumbersome ... and the new 4004CII5 came out with a neck that is too fat for me and pickups that are too narrow to cover the strings ...

In my opinion and for my use Ric has never done a 5 string bass that fits my needs ... my 4004 and 4003 and 2030 and 2020 basses work nicely ... with a 2 1/4" or a 2 3/8" spacing at the bridge they are finger friendly and still have a slimmer neck and the pickups cover all 5 strings and I really like the hb1 pickups on a 5 and the 4003 11k ohm pickups on a 5 stinger as well ... so for me it was either do the mod or buy another brand of basses ...

I even modify my 4003s5 basses to have a 2 1/4" string spacing ... and what if somebody wants an 8 string Ric? they don't make them ... you would have to drill a bunch of holes in your headstock to make your own ...

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 11:57 am

I agree with Jeff here. If you need or want a Rick 5 string rather than some other brand, then by all means convert. Those 4003s5's are pretty scarce, & probably selling for much more money because of that. Personally, I need a 5 string in my band for at least 5 of our songs. And modifying a Rick so that it gets played more is a good thing. Besides looking great, they SOUND great.Unique, even. Looking at them is nice, but playing & hearing them is way better.( After all, it's actually what they were made for)

scottpro1969 · Post by **scottpro1969** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:31 pm

If a 4003/5 or 4003S/5 were still available there would be no need to do a conversion. Rock on Jeff, it's your instrument to do with what you please. I've got a 5 string coming to try out to see if I like it. Jeff, I may take you up on one of your Rick conversions if this one works out.

scottpro1969 · Post by **scottpro1969** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:34 pm

Sorry Jeff, didn't see your comments above about how the string spacing on the stock Rick 5'ers didn't work for you. Just out of curiosity, what would a 4003 4-2-5 conversion cost??

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:34 pm

I found it confusing to go back and forth from four to five but that I adapted fairly quickly. With my 5-string down so long due to the double neck project, I decided to just take the plunge and convert my main bass. The extra range just plain makes more things possible and for me, that's what it's all about.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:39 pm

How is the 4 string to five string mod reversable? Don't forget about that nice Cyclops hole in the headstock. And they are anyone's basses to butcher, knock yourself out if you want but wait until and if you try to resell one of them and I'm talking about anyone who does an irreverable mod to a bass not just you Jeff. And I think 99% of bass players would love to play a straight Ric through a nice old vintage SVT or two, they'd be throwing all the pedals, pods and space ships into the trash along with all the other synthesizors polluting our music nowadays.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:42 pm

Scott, I'm thinking about having another batch of 5-string bridges made up. My luthier/machinist made some for me and other forumites awhile back. They look stock but they are machined out of solid brass and chrome plated. I think he charged me about $100.00 each plus saddles which were just stock saddles narrowed a bit. Then I spend about an hour with a dremmel on the tailpiece and have it re-chromed for appearance. I use a stock nut from RIC, fill in the middle two slots and re-groove it. I use HB1 pickups so string alignment isn't an issue but for the high gains, dotd must be removed,filled and re-drilled which Jeff does pretty effectively.