Any update on Cii/5 string pickup issue?

pma · Post by **pma** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:16 pm

A few months ago, Rickenbacker took the Cii 4004/5 out of production to make improvements. The known issue with this bass is the pickup coverage not being correct for all 5 stings. Is there any update on this? There was a rumor that a new pickup was being designed that could be retrofitted into the already shipped basses.

Paul

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:33 pm

Good question. I am eager to order a 4004Cii/5.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:36 pm

Paul, as far as I know from speaking with John Hall at the SoCal Confluence, he has working on the the redesign of the Cii5 pickup and that the prototype is on his desk. He told me than when the pickups are ready, I will be able to order them. Anything else he told me about the pickups might have changed since he was still working on them and I don't want to make any statements that might be wrong.
I think with the 75th anniversary coming up, he has been extremely busy with what ever cool things he has planned for 2006...so it's been delayed a bit more than originally expected.
I'd like a third Cii5 in Jetglo...or the "per se" COY for 2006 if they were to become available.

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:03 pm

I'll order a Cii 5 when they become available again. Not sure just what color it will be though - maybe Trans Green! Had a trans red on order prior to RIC takong them off the market maybe this will work out better for me being I have a TR 4 already!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:53 pm

John Hall wasn't too happy about the way we complained about the pickups being too narrow so now the whole project has less priority ... bummer heh? for me being a 5 string only players I don't understand why they aren't currently making a 5 string bass ...

gshadoan · Post by **gshadoan** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:46 pm

Funny too. That bass (IMO) has more potenial than any bass they have ever made. I think what he said was something to the effect "since some unfortunite comments were made on another board, and to a lessor extent this one (RIC Forum), I have moved this project back in favor of something that has more appreciation. Well, Im not sure how he is calculating that, but the fact that not 1 has come up on the used market, and all new units are essentionally sold out and went full bore on price, not sure how much more appreciated they could be. A truly perfect peice of wood. I think at this point rarer than the CS bass. Although FOR ME, the electronics (pickups) were unuseable, it is still the nicest bass I have ever owned from RIC, from a players point of view. I guess I might have ****** him off, for that, to you all, I am sorry. Not to him. I brought up valid issues, and instead of offering a real fix, he denied the problem. Beleive me, it IS a problem. I have owned well over 40 basses in my 35 year playing life, and I think at this point I have some degree of knowledge about them. It was the bass in my dreams. Fell drop dead in love with it at the NAMM that year. Just wish I could have gotten it in my preferred TB rather than the TG I ended up with. A small price to pay. The reality that RIC is back ordered about a year, doesn't make addressing new markets very attractive I presume. which this bass certainly does. I see good amount of 400X out there in the pro music world, but yet to see one of these. Not enough market saturation. Too bad you all probably wont get these till some time in 2007/8 if then. Really too bad. Any serious 5 string bassist would love these. who knows, RIC might surprise us.
Greg

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 4:53 pm

RIC can probably sell more 4 bangers...

Go figure

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 5:17 pm

Joey - did JH say whether then new pickups would fit into the existing body routes, or would you need to expand the routes to accomodate a slightly larger pickup?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:10 am

I have 5 basses that have the hb1/hb2 pickups ... I have confirmed that they have steel rails of 2 1/4" which means the largest string spacing they can cover is 2 3/8" ... and that is pushing it ... for somebody with small to medium hands the 4003s5 or my 4-2-5 basses will work fine ... but for someone with large hands who wants the Ric look and sound the CII5 is the only way to go ...

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:45 am

Steve, when i spoke to JH, he said that the pickup cavities would have to be routed a bit to fit the new design...but that was back in August. He's still working on it, specs about it could change, so I don't want to give details that might wind up to be wrong.

As far as the complaints about the 4004Cii5 and lack of RIC 5 string production go, a few people on this forum and the other forum just don't lay off it. I think we might sooner see the re-launching of the 4004Cii5 if people stopped breaking JH's shoes about it.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 8:30 am

I agree Joey - John Hall has committed to improving the design of the 4004cii/5, and I for one am willing to wait. With all the projects that RIC is already working on, the last thing JH needs are the kids in the back seat saying "are we there yet? .... are we there yet?...." Would I like to be able to order a 4004cii/5 right now? Sure! But I also want JH and RIC to to take the time to improve the design so that we the players are satisfied with the bass'
performance. If that takes a little time, I'm cool with that.

pma · Post by **pma** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 9:36 am

Interesting feedback so far. I didn't realize that John Hall had been upset by the criticism of the pickup performance. Too bad that this offended him but I am still curious as to when he will approve any new pickup design and whether it would drop right in.

I know most of you think it is heresy to mod a factory bass but what would others recommend for a full pickup replacement, even if the space has to be modified for this?

Paul

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:31 pm

Traditionally, RIC has has responded positively to issues raises by players. I can't believe that JH would respond to complaints with consternation. There must be some misunderstanding here.

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 7:36 pm

I think if you went to JH and said something was unplayable he would get ****** off I don't blame him,nothing they have ever made has been unplayable,the fat neck on one of those things is more of an issue to me than the pickups anyway.

Use a compressor!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 8:05 pm

the hb1 and hb2 pickups are really good pickups ... I can't wait to see some that sound the same but are wider ...

I have a 2020 4-2-5 bass with the hb2 pickups and I really wanted to go with a 2 5/8" bridge spacing but both my B and G strings had a dropoff problem so I had to get a narrower bridge on the bass ...