4004L5 Conversion

[aceonbass]

So, having some time off and wanting to catch up on my backlog of projects, I decided the conversion of a 4004L to a 5-string was next. I'd purchased a bridge on Ebay earlier this year that looked "right" for the project along with an extra Schaller/RIC vintage tuner. My luthier made a couple cross cut maple plugs to fill the E and A tuner holes along with a new nut. The nut's specs are 36mm center to center on the B and G strings with 9mm from center to center on each string. New hole were drilled for the B, E and A tuners at 42 mm spacing. The bridge had cast saddles with string detents already in them for a spacing wider wider than would work. I filed the tops of the saddles flat and re-slotted them for a B to G center to center spacing of 62mm with my nut files. I pegged the four original bridge mounting screw holes and drilled the five screw holes for the new bridge on the same line as the original mounting screws. Due to the wider B string (.130") I offset the bridge 1mm so that the strings would be evenly aligned with the sides of the neck and pass over the pickups evenly from side to side. as it turns out, this was the limit for bridge spacing for this bass and for response on the bridge pickup(the neck pickup wasn't a problem). Keep in mind that I moved the bridge pickup location forward to where I think they are on current 4004's. Anyway, spacing at the nut and bridge are good and string response on both pickups is even. I touched up the maple pegs with some touchup paint so I could set up the bass and use it now, but I will have the headstock refinished later. The strings used were D'Addario EXL170-5's.

[bassduke49]

30 years from now, some Rick archeologist is going to be scratching his follicly challenged dome and say: "It must have been some sort of factory prototype; wonder how it got here?"

Looks nice, but why did you go with the 4003S look? I like the teardrop pickguard on the Laredo like the one you are holding in your avatar.

[tmossman]

Looks nice, but why did you go with the 4003S look? I like the teardrop pickguard on the Laredo like the one you are holding in your avatar.

I really like the 4004s look. I love the idea of the rear pickup surround with the cover "removed". Something about it looks so right. (Even though I am a cover on guy).

Excellent work Dane.

[woodyng]

hmmmm-really like that look---basically a 4001/3 look w/o the big ol' bridge associated with those models--very nice,dane!

[cassius987]

Sound clips?

[jps]

Nice work, Dane! Once you refinish it in JG it will be perfect.

[cjj]

Those 3 tuners on the top are sure squeezed in there, but it looks like there's enough room to work just fine. I never really cared for the mods I've seen with a small tuner on the other side of the head, though that one only requires drilling one hole. Looks good! How does it sound?

[rikk]

Dane,
Your bass just proved to me I like the 4001/3 style with the pickguard better than the 4004 design. The pickguard just adds nice visual contrast. Great looking bass.

[incubus2432]

When I got my cii/8 project bass it was set up as a 5-er and while it played better than the 4003s5 I once had I still found the string spacing too tight for my liking and a tad close to the fretboard edge for enthusiatic playing. My ham hands are jealous of those that can play these conversions.

It does looks good Dane.....but IMO it is now basically an s5 with a maple board and different bridge. The clean 4004 identity is lost. Nice job on the headstock modification.....just curious as to why you didn't go with the slightly smaller Schallers.

[rickenbrother]

Nice work, Dane. The headstock has a nice look to it and all the tuner keys are not crowded on one side. Although I'd prefer you didn't make the body look like a 4003, I'll take it!!

I was also wondering why you used those tuners instead of the M4's. What make of bridge is that?

[gearhed289]

Interesting creature you've made there! Very cool and nicely done. Definitely one of a kind!

[86kubicki]

I like it Dane! I've always thought that solid finish 4004L/Cii's looked a little sparse, but the 4003 appointments dress it up nicely!

[aceonbass]

Thanks much for all of the positive feedback guys. While this bass did look okay with the teardrop guard, I just had to come back to the 4001S look. It's how I think of a Ricky bass. I had done the cosmetic 4001S conversion some time ago, but was waiting for the time and inclination to go all the way with the 5-string conversion. I found the bridge on Ebay new for $25.00 shipped! I think it's some off brand import. I've never seen another and I think it looks better than the ABM and without the somewhat annoying roller saddles. I went with Schaller vintage tuners because I wanted the vintage look and they have a better tuner ratio. The spacing is just fine on them with no interference issues and with 1mm between each tuner body I was able to slightly tip the tuners with the headstock curvature the way the factory does. Actual center to center tuner spacing was 43mm with center to center string spacing at the bridge at 15.5mm. The sound definitely seems to change on these conversions and got a little "meaner" sounding, as Jeff Rath has previously pointed out.

[rickenbrother]

Tear drop shaped pickguard...hmm...

[ben_brown]

Tear drop shaped pickguard...hmm...

nooooOOOOOO!!!!!!!