4003 wiring change vol vol tone no switch

gemini_iii · Post by **gemini_iii** » Wed Dec 11, 2002 9:02 pm

hi. i have just acquired an incredible 4003, white with black binding in mint condition. now its time to mod it to my taste. has anyone ever rewired a 4001 - 4003 with a 3 pot setup? just a vol vol tone, like a fender jazz bass. what value pots and capacitor would be necessary.. are the 4003 pickups the same front and back. are the outputs the same. also the bridge is, well, what can i say.(awful) has anyone used a wilkinson bass bridge as apposed to the badass II bridge.i have a wilkenson now that i could use and wouldnt have to mess with grinding the saddles but wonder if the badass would be better than the wilk. thanks david

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 4:44 pm

Even though Geddy Lee used a Bad *** bridge on his Ricks, I still think they look cheesy. Don't forget you still have to make a plate to cover up the holes that are left. Elsewhere on this site are detailed instructions for modifying the 4000 series bridge to cure all of it's short comings while still looking stock. I've done this to two of my basses and it works great. As far as the wiring is concerned, I use 500k pots and a .047 cap on the bridge pickup. Try wiring your 4001 with one bass, one treble, one volume and a center detent balance control instead of the pickup selector switch. The basic wiring is the same as for the single pickup 3001 bass and can be found on Rickenbacker's site.

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Sat Dec 14, 2002 9:49 am

Dane,

You meant .0047 cap., right?!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sat Dec 14, 2002 10:53 am

Oops...you're right. I meant .0047. "Dammit Jim, I'm a musician not an electician!".

rick12dr · Post by **rick12dr** » Sat Dec 14, 2002 11:34 am

WAIT A MINUTE; if you want a jazz bass control setup, it's 2 volumes and 1 tone. The main tone cap Is a .047, NOT a .0047.But you Can add the .0047 to the bridge PU if you want the classic 4001 bridge PU "bite".If you Did put the .0047 cap in for the main tone cap, all you'd do would be rolling off a bit of highs and mids, which, when done on a bass is not too noticeable
at all. However, I have substituted the .0047
cap for the .047 on Rick 6 and 12 strings,ON THE BRIDGE PU ONLY.There, I have found it is a useful thing, as you can "dial Out" the edge on the bridge PU.IMO, anyway, on a Rick 12, Why would you ever want to roll off the treble tone to "full mud" setting?With the .047 cap, you do that. With the .0047, it's a cool thing.So, to "recap"[excuse the pun] on a Rrick 6 or 12, take the .047 cap off the bridge PU tone control, and put in the .0047.But you Also still have the Other .0047 cap in there as well.Comprende??Just try it and see if you don't like it.

gemini_iii · Post by **gemini_iii** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 6:07 am

hi. thanks for the input. i have experimented with the tone settings and feel that having 2 tone controls really renders little variation. what i like is the bridge on full with the neck vol backed off a bit or vicevera. plus for me a fender and g&l player the control area is not user friendly. neither is the bridge. ok, so 500k pots. .0047 across the bridge pu and .047 for the main tone. where can i find this bridge mod for the standard bridge.i have talked with hipshot about their brass 4 string bridge and it seems like it might work. i am one of those B-E-A-D players and figure i will be adjusting a nausium until i get the right string setup, thus the desire for a bridge you can adjust without detuning strings or raising the action to have access to the bridge screws. also has anyone used the seymour duncan pickups with any sucess? thanks david

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 8:37 am

I bought a '73 4001 with standard ric pickups wired vol vol tone and a toggle and no capaciter ... It seems like great idea ... the reality is that it was a real tone sucking change ... maybe it wasn't done right ... I'd like to try a vol vol tone an a 4004

I purchased a complete 4003 toggle vol vol tone tone setup from a ric dealer and put it in ... the ric returned to it's great tone ... this setup does not include the capaciter, but I can get more than enough treble from it ...

then I took out the 70's 4001 pickups and put in 4003 high gain ... this made the bass a little fuller and louder ...

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 8:37 am

To find the info on the bridge mods, first go to the registration page. Click on "Database" on the column to the left. Now click on "Articles"..next on "Tech Data"...now on "4000 series bridge". If you absolutely don't want to perform the mods, Rickenbacker makes a bridge similar to the "Bad *** II" that is used on the 4004 models. As for pickups, Rickenbacker makes plenty of great pickups that will preserve the character and sound of your insrument. Using anything else would be like putting a big block Chevy engine in a Pontiac GTO. Why play a Ricky if ya don't like the way it sounds?

gemini_iii · Post by **gemini_iii** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 2:58 pm

hi all thanks for all the great input. thanks dane, i will research the ric 4004 bridge. i read the mod for the 4001-4003 bridge and even though i am very skilled at tinkering i feel its a lot of work to try and make a lousy item better. imho ric is a fine bass but it took them a lot of years to even address the neck issue. theres a lot of other areas that could also use improvement such as the bridge in making it user friendly, fully adjustable etc. my comment about the duncan pickups was that i have never had an instrument that a duncan pickup did not make a major improvement in. i was curious as to whether anyone had tried them. since my ric is ~1996 or so the general consensus is that a toaster in the front and the horseshoe in the bridge would render the vintage sound i assume most of us are after. my stock 4003 bass aint got it yet, but i play through a marshall bass amp so that might be my problem. one other question. if, when i redo the wiring to vol vol tone, do i use the .0047 cap in line with the bridge pickup and the .047 cap for the master tone.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 3:58 pm

Ric doesn't use any caps in the tone circuit other than what's on the bridge pickup. They may have on guitars though. My 3001 does use a resister on the trebel control though. I set the bass tone all the way up then use the treble control to roll off the highs a little bit since the bass has round wounds on it and can get a little too crispy. I've found it to be a bit more precise than just one tone control. As far as the bridge control goes...I was surprised at what I was able to accomplish with a Dremel and a little time. I even went beyond the mods on this site to make the bridge as tuneable as my old Alembic. It took me years to find out that it wasn't so much 4001 necks and bridges that were the problem as the guitar techs I was using not knowing how to deal with them. After all..Chris Squire's been using the same 4001 since '65!

gemini_iii · Post by **gemini_iii** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 5:37 pm

hey dane..i guess im a retro high tech guy. i love the look the TONE ect. but want make sense, functional, ergonomics. dont like the bridge nor the crowded control area.. the 4004 bridge looks great by the way. gonna call rick and get specs to see if it will cover the "hole". fender dumped the ole black rubber mute thing years ago. my concern is the total 4004 bridge height compared to the original bridge. i hope i can get the strings low enough. thanks again for suggesting the 4004. i hope it works out. if not theres a bridge by HIPSHOT that looks real promising. by the way is squire's bass totally stock?

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 8:29 pm

As far as I know, Squire's bass is totally stock although I think He had the mono output converted to stereo. The 4003 is definitely a hold back to the old days with the rubber mute, pickguard and non functional plastic cover over the bridge pickup to simulate the horseshoe....but that's part of it's retro-vintage charm! Call Jay and ask for part #00861 and see if he can pull the part and physically measure it. The width is gonna be the crucial dimension. He's been real helpful to me.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 8:41 am

Dane, the vintage charm of the 4001/4003 bridge is powerful to me. It's one of the most aesthetically appealing bass bridges, IMHO.
My only complaint is that the saddle/intonation screws get fried easily. Are there Allen Hex screws that can replace the stock ones? I believe this would make intonation adjustment a much easier task since you can use an appropriate L shaped hex driver---as easy as adjusting the bridge height.
Has anybody done this? What are the specs of these hex screws?

David, you mentioned you play thru a Marshall bass amp. What's the model? I recently acquired a 1983 Marshall JCM 800 Super Bass 100w MK2(no tubes when I got it, will restore soon) and 1982 Lead 4x12 cab (also made in 1983). Since I haven't heard my 4003 thru it yet, I'm really curious about the outcome of the combination.
Care to share your impression?

Peace,
Paul

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 4:25 pm

Paul, I haven't found any hex screws to replace the intonation screws but I do tap the saddles for the next size up screw, and use longer ones that stick out the other side long enough to put jam nuts on. Then I flip the whole assembly around so I can adjust them from the other side. The bigger countersunk screw wont strip as easily and the jam nuts keep the screw and saddle from moving. To get to the screws from the front I grind down the area below the string openings. Part of what I do to these bridges is detailed else where on this site. Directions to it found in a previous post. I also tap the heigth adjusment screws for the next size up and use cap screws that go thorough the tailpice plate into the heads of bigger capscrews in the body. All of this does wonders for intonation and adjustability. I'll send you pics of one of my bridges along with the pics of my retro thumbrest when I get my digital camera back.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 12:51 am

Dane,
Yes please.
Thank you and Merry 'Xmas.