Model of the Week Six: Rare, unusual, desirable - the 4002

[cjj]

Yeah, whatever happened to the one at Olivia's?

Do I remember it selling to a Forum member?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure someone here got it, I seem to remember it was part of a trade for a 75th anniversary bass. Can't remember who it was, off hand. Anyway, that was one sweet 4002, even at Olivia's price...

Edit:
OK, I found it: Olivia's 4002 - The new owner

[rickaddict]

After Scratch-X, Zymol, a (Paul W.) pick guard buffing, RIC replacement screws, mute pad, tail piece, a working NOS 70's bridge, chrome polishing, fret dressing, and a whole lot of careful thought and elbow grease...this is how she turned out:

[rickaddict]

Here are some more after shots:

[rickaddict]

It's funny how these MG 4002's are all basically clones of each other. It's hard to tell mine from Steve Wood's or David McDonald's, or any other MG 4002.

I like the Walnut ones, too. Walnut is a cool color and IMHO it looks really great with the 4002's black plastic and binding.

[86kubicki]

Here are a few shots of the 4002 I recently acquired. After playing David McDonald's a few years ago, and then Jeff Thomas' at RIO, I knew the 4002 was a "must have". For me the greatest attribute of the 4002 is the pickup placement - you can get a great aggressive midrange tone from the bridge pickup. Also the fact that I don't have to deal with the bridge pickup surround (as on a 4003) is a bonus (for me at least). This one is fast becoming my favourite Rickenbacker!

[deaconblues]

Makes me want to take up bass! Beautiful pictures, guys!

[johnallg]

Very beautiful 4002s guys! Jeff, I saw yours at RIO, picked it up, played it a tad, but never looked at the back. Very nice flaming on that one. Steve, does yours look like that on the back?

[jps]

Very nice flaming on that one. Steve, does yours look like that on the back?

Mine does.

The one in my dreams, anyway.

Sorry for the tiny fonts, Jdog.

[rickaddict]

Very beautiful 4002s guys! Jeff, I saw yours at RIO, picked it up, played it a tad, but never looked at the back. Very nice flaming on that one.

Thanks, John. Actually, you kinda have to catch it at the right angle to see it. It can look pretty plain if you're not in just the right light or the right angle.

[rickaddict]

Nice snag, BTW Steve. Glad mine helped to persuade you!

Hey...I have a question: I probably just need to adjust my neck pickup a bit, but have any of you 4002 owners noticed a volume difference across the strings? When I finished the bass off and set it up, I just left the pickups level. But my E string is WAY louder than the others through the neck pickup. Has anyone else noticed a string volume difference?

[rickaddict]

Makes me want to take up bass! Beautiful pictures, guys!

Thanks, Dan!

[doctorwho]

My Walnut 4002:

May 1982 4002 WAL

[1965]

I'm sure that the 4002s sound great, but to my eye they've always been u g l y. Oddly shaped guard, weird naked space at the base of the neck, everything is different yet they still have the 4001 bridge? They look like someone ripped the guts out of a 4001 and threw new parts onto it from across the room.

Reminds me of the Les Paul Recording model: they took a beautiful design and ripped it up, all only to make it hideously ugly (yet somehow Les himself prefers this one). May sound great, but looking at it makes me want to puke.

[rickenbrother]

Wes, I think you are the first person I've ever know that doesn't like the look of the 4002.
However I do agree that the Les Paul recording model guitar you have pictured is not pretty. Neither was the bass version of that model.

[ginger_lee]

well heres my darlin..i ordered her on my 21st birthday in 1981..shes been my faithful companion ever since..i used and still use this bass as my main instrument..i played music with her fulltime as my living from the day i got here in april 82 til the 2004..im not gigging just now but once i get some gigs ill be using her .
the stretch marks and age spots on her are from so much playing..as you can see ive worn the finish off in front of the fretboard by my slap upright double slap technique..finish on the back has worn from wear on clothing....also my hand has removed finish from the neck as well