FINALLY!! 4004L BBR - Your thoughts, please

[bassassin]

This looks to me like the pickup's not sitting centrally in the rout - it's very tight to the top edge, causing a pronounced & visible gap on the lower edge. This is also having the effect of making the strings off-centre as they pass over the pup. I'd be inclined to take off the strings, whip out the pup & see if I could re-seat it more centrally.

I can't really tell how uneven the bottom edge of the rout is without seeing it in the flesh, but centering the pickup would make it much less evident.

And that is such a beautiful colour - I want that colour on a 4003 with checker binding & full-width sparklies.

Don't want much, do I?

Jon.

[j_gary]

Beautiful bass.

I would never have noticed the spacing had it not been pointed out. I had to look hard at the photo's to see it. I would be happy to own & play that baby without a second thought.

Ummmmmmmmm..........take a trade?

Anxious to hear your impressions after the gig.

[aceonbass]

Hey, anyone else notice the Schaller bridge where the ABM used to reside?

[jps]

Ay!

[rickenbrother]

I guess the last of the chrome ABM bridges have been installed.

[doctorwho]

Nice bass!

[vito]

Hey everybody, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it very much.

When you wait so long, you just want the bass to be as perfect as it was in your [many] daydreams. And but for the route, it is. It is especially noticeable when the L is side by side with my 2004 Cii. The routes are far more precise on the Cheyenne.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I want to do about it yet. Trading it has crossed my mind. I doubt I will sell it, even though I could make a tidy profit. After waiting this long, I need some kind of instrument to show for it.

Sound-wise, it sounded good at the gig. A bit brighter than the Cii, but with less growly edge likely due to the finished fretboard on the L. The Cii seems to have more tonal range across the board, which is another reason I have pondered trading the L.

On the other hand, I received all kinds of positive feedback on the beauty of the bass. And of course, no one said a thing about the routes.

[rickenbrother]

It's a really nice bass, but if Michael was that disappointed with it, I'm sure he could have returned it.
Issues like this should be discussed with the dealer and with RIC before they are posted here.
I'm also sure that there are several folks who would love to have that bass just the way it is.

I'm sure that most guitar companies that mount a pickup to a guitar body without a pickguard surrounding it, usually have a pickup surround to mount the pickup with and to mask any routing flaws (I've seen several of those routes).

As hinted at in previous posts, let's move away from the topic of the minor flaw please, thanks.

[bassassin]

Hey, anyone else notice the Schaller bridge where the ABM used to reside?

Oh yes - and that's a thumbs-up from me, Schaller 3Ds are an excellent & versatile bit of kit.

[BlueAngel]

It's also disappointing to find outright censorship here when a legitimate issue is being discussed and not simple unjustified bashing. It is understandable on the official RIC forum, but this one is independent is it not?

It really doesn't do anyone any good to pretend that mistakes and problems never occur. Just look at the pics.

I won't be too surprised now if this post disappears as well, but I doubt I'll be here to see.

[rickenbrother]

It's also disappointing to find outright censorship here when a legitimate issue is being discussed and not simple unjustified bashing. It is understandable on the official RIC forum, but this one is independent is it not?

It really doesn't do anyone any good to pretend that mistakes and problems never occur. Just look at the pics.

I won't be too surprised now if this post disappears as well, but I doubt I'll be here to see.

John, issues do arise with any product, from any manufacturer, in any industry.
Again, if Michael is that disappointed, he can take it up with his dealer and with RIC.
It was hinted that we move away from that discussion. Then I asked politely that we move away from that discussion after I saw a particular post.
Please respect my request, thank you.

[blueflamerick]

Has anyone considered that the routes for the pickups are purposely larger to compensate for seasonal contraction/expansion of the wood?

[cheyenne]

Joey's right. John Hall has commented many times that if there is a problem, please contact the factory first.

[kiramdear]

It's not censorship. We've all seen the pics and nothing is getting pulled. It's not censorship to ask us to defer discussion of a customer service issue until it's resolved, it's just the courteous thing to do

[nattiep]

It's not censorship. We've all seen the pics and nothing is getting pulled. It's not censorship to ask us to defer discussion of a customer service issue until it's resolved, it's just the courteous thing to do

It is if smeone asked that and you were answering them because that post is now gone.