New Standard Feature! - 1/10/2006

ajish4 · Post by **ajish4** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:18 am

http://www.rickenbacker.com/news_item.asp?news_id=25&news=recent

HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!!

"Rickenbacker Int'l Corp. is pleased to introduce the Vintage Tone Selector for 4003 Series basses. This additional control is included standard at no additional cost on all 4003 basses beginning in the 2006 model year.

Prior to 1984, Rickenbacker basses utilized a capacitor in the treble pickup circuit to emphasize treble tones coming from that pickup. However, changes in tone preference and a call for higher output led RIC to discontinue the use of this capacitor in favor of a more balanced sound. Nevertheless many users added this capacitor back into the circuit, experimenting with and sometimes preferring the sound of the older configuration, despite the resulting drop in volume.

We have now decided to give our players a choice, allowing the best of both worlds. With a simple pull of the treble tone control, the Vintage Tone Selector will allow a player to move between both sounds at the drop of a hat. Pressed in, you'll hear the familiar balanced tone of the 4003, while pulled out to engage the circuit, you'll appreciate the bite and crispness popularized by such artists as Chris Squire."

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:22 am

Best of both worlds!

ajish4 · Post by **ajish4** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:24 am

Very Cool indeed!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:28 am

I was hoping for a 5 string bass … but instead I got another anarchism …

ajish4 · Post by **ajish4** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:32 am

Do you think THIS is IT, or are they feeding it to us BIT by BIT?

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:35 am

So....if I am waiting on a Color of the Year from 2005, and it hasn't been built yet, (AFAIK), will it have this on it? AND the walnut wings?

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:35 am

Ummm ... Jeff, did you mean "anachronism"?

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:36 am

JH stated here that there would be one color (per se) and one hardware improvement. That's all I expect.

bassduke49 · Post by **bassduke49** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:41 am

Having briefly met Jeff, he just may mean anarchism!

;^)

Not a bad idea, but I was pulling for checker binding. Wrong again.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:46 am

A cool feature...not my cup of tea but cool!

ajish4 · Post by **ajish4** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:46 am

"Damit, I want more"!

Well, we have the AFG, the walnut wings, and now the ''Vintage Tone Selector''. Sorry, I'm just getting greedy in my old age....

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:53 am

I'm not sure if I'd label this as a hardware improvement.....I'd expect that to be the bridge that has been mentioned in the past.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:01 pm

Its cool, I like it. Even more versatility.

I appreciate it.

Hell yes!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:02 pm

however you spell it I meant obsolete feature ... (never trust spell check!!!)

I love the 4003 bass but not the mute, or the ROS, or the pickup cover, or the bass cut capacitor ... I used to play a 60s bass ... I got REALLY tired of the 1950s anachronisms on my 4001 bass ...

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:14 pm

Damn, someone beat me to it!
I just spotted this news item over on the RIC forum also.
Cool idea to have the switch from one tone to another without having to modify the wiring or add a switch!
Granted, not for everyone, but it's a neat feature.