4004 Larado...? A couple of quick questions

[Spanky(Andy)]

Hi folks,

I currently own a mojo'ed 1991 Rickenbacker 4003S and love it so much I have been contemplating buying a "Deluxe appointed" 4003 with binding and inlays. While researching possibilities, prices and availabilty I started developing an unexpected curiosity in the 4004 Larado.

I've never seen, played or heard (to my knowledge) a 4004 Larado, but a quick search on this forum and others leads me to believe the 4004 Larado has a darker, more modern voice than a 4003. Is that correct? I primarily play finger style, and was wondering if the 4004 Larado might have a useful funk voice/tone? I don't have the funds to duplicate instruments just for the sake of colour or appointments, but could justify the purchase if there was a marked and useful tonal difference.

I'd also like to ask what the neck is like to play on? My 4003s has quite a chunky neck, which is almost identical in profile to the neck on my Warwick - I found both necks quite challenging at first, but have adapted to the shape and size over time.

Your input and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Andy

[cheyenne]

The 4004 is a Rickenbacker of a different color. The sound is indeed "darker" but very punchy and sits well in the band mix. You can get a close interpretation of a 4003, but its not quit the same. If you do the V / V / T modification, you can roll a little of the neck pickup off and come even closer. But I guess thats kind of defeating the purpose of owning a 4004, because when it comes down to it, its a 4004 after all, not a 4001 / 4003, and has its own voice. If you can come to grips with that, you'll be happy with the 4004.

The weight is very nice, a little lighter than a 4003, and the neck is wider, but very thin between the thumb and fingers. The wider neck makes the whole bass feel "bigger" to me, but thats just my opinion. Their great bassses and have a growing following of support here on the forum. Im sure others will chime in with their opinions.

Mine with the Hipshot stye "A" bridge, Hipshot knobs, and wired V / V / T.

[fretless]

I have a 4004cii and that bass will cover anything , it's powerful and ballsy with a deep dark tone . Funk sure , IMO it's more up to the player to bring the funk , Alembic, Fender , Moon , Warwick , Bootsy Star , Play funk on whatever you want A 4004 will do it . I play mostly rock so to me it's the rock bass . My cii has the wide neck but it's a fatty , I had a corvette and it's wider than that and thick the 'vette had a "D" shape while this is maybe slightly flatter but still thick and wider . I prefer it over that and as mostly a P bass player I like it more over those wide necks as well . it may not be for everyone , even the guys here are shocked by the necks when they first get'em I wouldn't change a thing though not even the original wiring configuration . Good luck with your Ric quest , that reminds me Rick James played a Ric

[spongebob]

Hi Andy

I am a fellow 4003 nut, having two of the things!

I was never that sold on the 4004 - only seen the pictures, compared it to the 01/03 look.....

However, I started to read more on the Ric forum(s), and took more of an interest. Only once I started to research did I become a little more hooked. Suddenly, I could see the lineage through the 4000's. Only upon absorbing the info on here did I decide to go for it.....the massive job in the UK is finding one, but I was super lucky to have a tip on here to a 4004L in natural for sale, a fresh import from Texas.

Upon getting it (in the last 4/5 weeks), I must say I love it. It has 'that' sound, but to my ears, it has a more modern kick, and a more gutsy Ric sound. The headstocks look fab, and after playing one, I really reccomed the 4004 in any colour! I went straight into rehearsing and gigging mine within the first week of having it, couldn't wait.

I think part of the issue (as I have read on here) is the lack of exposure of the '04. I can only think of one 'known' player, Lemmy with his signature bass. His was actually a bit on influence on me getting mine, as it's thanks to Mr. Kilmister that I play a Ric in the first place. Maybe things are a little different elswhere?

I'd advise you to play one (I didn't get the chance), but I'm sure you'll love it. The neck is not much bigger than my 2003 '03.

Apologies for the lengthy post, but I hope this helps!!

[dcr]

You sound just like me, Spanky! In 2007 I decided I wanted another Rickenbacker, something very different from my 4003 but of the same level of quality. So I went with the 4004L Laredo. It's supposed to be a little brighter than the 4004cii Cheyenne, and with less "bling" (both good things for me). Projections at that time were that they'd come out in late '07; in fact they came out in late '08.

I would strongly recommend that you play one before committing (especially given that finding one, after you've decided, may well take years--no telling how long, really). In the last 6 months or so I've owned three 4004L Laredo basses, and in the end it just was not the right bass for me. The tone was decent enough, but (a) I didn't really like the tone well enough to leave the money tied up in the Laredo, and (b) the E string sounded wrong to me--harsh & choked, as if the string were twisted--in each case (and I tried everything to sort it out). Plus, two of these basses had to be returned for irremediable defects anyway. The finish was absolutely stunning in each case, but I was more interested in sound.

You might also check out these threads:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=386837
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=384428

Keep in mind that many people own & love these basses, as is evident already from the responses here. I had hoped to be one of them.

[libratune]

Plus, two of these basses had to be returned for irremediable defects anyway.

Sounds pretty serious. Could you provide a bit more insight into the "irremediable defects" of your two Laredos? Were these factory defects? I haven't heard a description of RICs of any sort having such serious problems.

[rickfan60]

The 4004 is a Rickenbacker of a different color. The sound is indeed "darker" but very punchy and sits well in the band mix. You can get a close interpretation of a 4003, but its not quit the same. If you do the V / V / T modification, you can roll a little of the neck pickup off and come even closer. But I guess thats kind of defeating the purpose of owning a 4004, because when it comes down to it, its a 4004 after all, not a 4001 / 4003, and has its own voice. If you can come to grips with that, you'll be happy with the 4004.

The weight is very nice, a little lighter than a 4003, and the neck is wider, but very thin between the thumb and fingers. The wider neck makes the whole bass feel "bigger" to me, but thats just my opinion. Their great bassses and have a growing following of support here on the forum. Im sure others will chime in with their opinions.

+1

[dcr]

Plus, two of these basses had to be returned for irremediable defects anyway.

Sounds pretty serious. Could you provide a bit more insight into the "irremediable defects" of your two Laredos? Were these factory defects? I haven't heard a description of RICs of any sort having such serious problems.

Sure. One had maxed out truss rods that couldn't be fixed. The factory addressed that by replacing it--and very generously, I might add. The other had pickup cavities cut so that the bridge pickup could not be screwed below the face of the bass; the G string would hit the pickup unless the action was pretty high. The factory did not address that; fortunately, the dealer did.

You can see pictures of the high pickup here (in the pictures, the pickup is screwed all the way down):
http://hydqcq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p ... age001.jpg
http://hydqcq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1p ... age001.jpg

Also, you can see more recent 4004L cavities in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=384428&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=384428&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=60

[ram]

The 4004 is the best kept secret in all of Ric-dom! A slightly different sound, but still very much Ric. I have always described it as a Gibson Ripper on Rickenbacker steroids - a huge sound!! The wider finger board lends itself to additional strings (mine is now an 8 string). The lighter weight is nice to my aging back. After my kids are out of college I will look for another just to have a 4 string with the 4004L sound. I really don't think you can go wrong with one.

[rickenbrother]

The 4004 is the best kept secret in all of Ric-dom!

The 4004 is the best kept secret in all of bass-dom!

[rickboy88]

This thread is my modest contribution to the 4004 topic:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=387230

[dcr]

Plus, two of these basses had to be returned for irremediable defects anyway.

Sounds pretty serious. Could you provide a bit more insight into the "irremediable defects" of your two Laredos? Were these factory defects? I haven't heard a description of RICs of any sort having such serious problems.

I should also point out that the third bass also seemed to have maxed truss rods, but on the loose end. I found that even after taking the pressure completely off the truss rod nuts & leaving the bass strung to standard tuning for two days, it still had no relief at all (if anything, just slightly on the convex side). I didn't fuss about this as I prefer a straight neck, but it seems to me that the rods should work both to eliminate relief and to create it.

I have to say I find all this really disappointing & depressing. I had three 4004L Laredo basses from the fall '08 run all with issues, and know of at least one more with issues from that run (it was returned). What gives?

[fretless]

You've has some luck Dan . Did your dealer not do a setup and see these issues ?

[dcr]

You've has some luck Dan . Did your dealer not do a setup and see these issues ?

I have asked myself that many times. Two of them came from dealers and one of them came direct from the factory to me. For instance, the pickup cavity issue was pretty glaring, yet someone at the factory had to cut the cavity, someone at the factory had to put a pickup in it, someone at the factory had to do setup, someone at the factory had to do final inspection, and the dealer did his own final checkup & inspection. And yet the bridge pickup still just didn't fit the hole.

These instruments all had to go through a lot of hands before they ever got to me. I still love my old '84 4003, but I'll never buy a new one again and certainly not a Laredo.

[fretless]

it is a head scratcher and opposite that was my late '08 4004cii BBR , flawless , perfect in every way . I do hope they have solved all those issues for future Ric players .