That darn cap

bassman_bob · Post by **bassman_bob** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:02 am

Having a senior moment; I should remember this. When did Rick start issuing the 4003's w/o the .0047 cap ?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:16 am

I would say 1980

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:19 am

No, no, much later than that; certainly after 1986 but before 1990.

ben_brown · Post by **ben_brown** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:26 am

How do you like that 4003S Bob?

badeggs · Post by **badeggs** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:00 am

Love the cap. KEEP THE CAP!!!

bassman_bob · Post by **bassman_bob** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:07 am

Hey there Ben !! Its nicer than I expected. Worked with her last nite. Has the clank I like; I just had trouble getting enough thump though, so I thought perhaps the cap WAS in there.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:18 am

You can retro-fit the tone switch mod and have it both ways. Gives you another take on tone.

A quick non-invasive way to tell if the cap is on a bass, is to use a regular cable plugged into the Ric-O-Sound jack, switch to bridge or in the middle (either way), and with an ohmmeter try and read tip to sleeve on the other cable end. If you get around 10k or so (depends on the year) you do not have the cap. If it reads open, you have the cap in circuit.

ben_brown · Post by **ben_brown** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:25 am

I'm glad you like it but there's definitely no cap in that bass.
Try lowering the bridge pup a bit. I raised it a tad at one point.
Different strings should help also.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:31 am

86 ... hmmm I played an 84 that had no cap ... maybe it was modified ...

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:29 pm

JH ought to know but I had always assumed it was somewhere late in 84. I remember my first Ric without the cap, was a late 84, I had a hard time getting used to it.
I think it would read around 8K-8.5K John without the cap at least mid 80's and earlier, that is a good way though, never thought of it.

Lost Coyotes · Post by **Lost Coyotes** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:52 pm

My Sept.'86 has no cap....never had it, never will?
hahahahaha.

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:07 am

September '86, no cap.

Hate the cap!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:17 am

I'm not a big fan either although one of my Rics has one of the tone pots wired as a cap control and there are occasions when I will put it partly in the circuit.