4xxx mod

[rickenbrother]

If you want a Rick with a pickguard, just buy a 4003.

[coolhandjjl]

It's getting to look more like a Stu Hamm Urge II.

You mean like this:

[aceonbass]

Hmmm...See if ya can whip up something 4002-esque.

[coolhandjjl]

If you want a Rick with a pickguard, just buy a 4003.

This all started when I saw a pic of Mario with his Vigier, red with a black pg.

Hmmm...See if ya can whip up something 4002-esque.

Can't. I need to cover the existing pup route by the neck.

[aceonbass]

Hmmm...See if ya can whip up something 4002-esque.

Can't. I need to cover the existing pup route by the neck.[/quote]

Obviously. Something 4002-esque that extends all the way to the fretboard. You can always just route the bass for another pickup and just have three. You don't need a guard, but any guard made would need to have the right look, or it would seriously devalue the bass.

[jps]

If you want a Rick with a pickguard, just buy a 4003.

This all started when I saw a pic of Mario with his Vigier, red with a black pg.

Oh, so now it's Mario's fault?

[iiipopes]

You know, the original 4002 pickguard isn't all that different from the Vigier. If you're going to turn a 4004 into a quasi-4002, I can see the need for such a pickguard to cover the unused pickup rout. Also, consider this: if you're into pop & slap, that kind of a pickguard comes in mighty handy to fend off wear to the body. Guys, give it a second look.

Also, if you're going to go quasi-4002, the stock 4004 bridge has to go and revert back to a 4001/2/3 bridge, if for no other reason than to assure proper placement of the bridge position pickup. And while we're at it, placement of the neck pickup is similar to a P-bass, 1/6 of the scale length in.

Lastly, (and I do hate to say this), and I believe Cassius can give some input here, the closest currently available pickup to the 4002 neck pickup is the Bart neck pickup, as it is also an end-to-end or "split coil" pickup with moderate impedance, unlike the current 15kohm higher impedance RIC HB-1's that are actually dual rail conventional humbucking pickups and have a really juicy mid peak somewhere in the 1kHz to 1.5kHz range.

[aceonbass]

I've routed several 4004's for the old style 4000 series tailpiece and I can tell you that the front edge of both stock 4004 bridges is further back by about 5/8", so putting a pickup in the 4002 location on a 4004 with a stock bridge will cause no interference issues. In fact, keeping the stock bridge would allow the rear most pickup to be even further back than on a 4002. I see no reason to change to Barts since Luke has seems to have no problem with the stock HB1's.

[MiroN]

If you want a Rick with a pickguard, just buy a 4003.

This all started when I saw a pic of Mario with his Vigier, red with a black pg.

Oh, so now it's Mario's fault?

I feel observed

[superdick2112]

Yeah, I haven't completely ruled that out either, but with 3, I know exactly how I'd wire it. With 4, well, I start getting a bit confused...

Come on CJ, if you butt 'em up edge to edge, you could cram 5 pickups in there!

[cjj]

Wow! Great idea! FIVE pickups...

[coolhandjjl]

I took a look at the pup tables that CJ put together based on forum members measurements.

In my proposed drawing, the new neck pup position is based on the 4002 neck position pup.

My 4004's existing bridge pup position is unique to certain 4004's with what I've seen referred to as 'interim' positioning until Ric finally settled on the current 4004 pup positions. (I'm not sure if current 4004 bridge pups are in same place as mine or not.)

Moving the bridge pup closer to the bridge, ala 4002 or further yet ala 4005 seems to generate some discussion on these forums. I believe it was Joshua who mentioned he thought the 4002 position too 'nasal' sounding based on some old posts I read.

Also, I don't have to stick with these Ric HB-1's. I'm open to discussions from Joshua about the Bartolinis, or any othe pup discussions. However, I don't want to get too hung up on the brand of pups, as I'll never see this come to fruition. Also, it seems the bigger influences on tone is pup placement, and actual body/neck construction and woods.

[cassius987]

Lastly, (and I do hate to say this), and I believe Cassius can give some input here, the closest currently available pickup to the 4002 neck pickup is the Bart neck pickup, as it is also an end-to-end or "split coil" pickup with moderate impedance, unlike the current 15kohm higher impedance RIC HB-1's that are actually dual rail conventional humbucking pickups and have a really juicy mid peak somewhere in the 1kHz to 1.5kHz range.

Yes, Scott is dead on with this comment. I tried those pickups out ("6RT" is the model name, I think) and the low-ohmage split coil sounds fairly similar to the 4002 bridge pickup. Actually, they are a tad brighter, as they are wound another 1,000 ohms less. (6k) My only gripe with them is that they are very tall, so as to generate very high output by being close to the strings, but this can be pain if you are playing hard and have very low action like I do. If your action is normal it shouldn't be an issue.

[coolhandjjl]

Also, if you're going to go quasi-4002, the stock 4004 bridge has to go and revert back to a 4001/2/3 bridge, if for no other reason than to assure proper placement of the bridge position pickup. And while we're at it, placement of the neck pickup is similar to a P-bass, 1/6 of the scale length in.

I've routed several 4004's for the old style 4000 series tailpiece and I can tell you that the front edge of both stock 4004 bridges is further back by about 5/8"

The way I am looking at them, isn't it merely the 4000/2/3 tailpiece mute that makes it look closer to the bridge position pup? The bridge itself, or the average position of the saddles is the same on all 4xxx models, 33.25".

Regarding the Barts, their Ric size 6R fits the Ric pup cutout in the pickguard, but if the entire route is exposed, then either their BB or M3 looks closer.

[iiipopes]

Also, if you're going to go quasi-4002, the stock 4004 bridge has to go and revert back to a 4001/2/3 bridge, if for no other reason than to assure proper placement of the bridge position pickup. And while we're at it, placement of the neck pickup is similar to a P-bass, 1/6 of the scale length in.

I've routed several 4004's for the old style 4000 series tailpiece and I can tell you that the front edge of both stock 4004 bridges is further back by about 5/8"

The way I am looking at them, isn't it merely the 4000/2/3 tailpiece mute that makes it look closer to the bridge position pup? The bridge itself, or the average position of the saddles is the same on all 4xxx models, 33.25".

Regarding the Barts, their Ric size 6R fits the Ric pup cutout in the pickguard, but if the entire route is exposed, then either their BB or M3 looks closer.

Yes, scale length is the same. I was talking about ease of figuring out pickup placement, along with cosmetics. And yes, the new HB-1s work just fine, if you don't mind the extra midrange and the tad bit of comb filtering that rolls off the top end. I was merely commenting on those who want as close to a 4002 as possible in both cosmetics as well as the actual tone, instead of a simply modified 4004. And I'm sure if you called Bill, he's wind a pickup with 7 to 8 kohms' worth of wire to even more closely approximate a 4002 pickup. It just depends on how far you want to go. Of course, the final detail to get the sound of a 4002 would be to replace the bubinga fingerboard with an ebony fingerboard, and cut the neck in two lengthwise, install a shedua stripe, and glue it all back together. And by the time you did all that, you'd have as much or more invested in time and effort as the current secondary market for used 4002's in good condition.