Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

As boring as they are, my 2004 4003 and my 1991 4003S:

Not boring. You've put plenty of TLC into them from what I can tell, so I bet they're quite wonderful basses to hear and play. Good for you.

john, the '91 is far from boring! LOVE that combination of black/chrome/maple.

Thanks, Woody, me too. It looks even better than in the picture. Both pups are 8k, the neck a '73 higain and the magnet shoe'd coil a Sergio special with 5/16" poles.

John, I'm a woodgrain-a-holic so far from boaring... sweet looking!!

Brian - that is really nice looking - bet it sounds huge!! what year was the initial 4 stringer? Was the alteration done by Bruce? What strings are you running on that beast?

Follow up: Some pictures for the ones interested. Not really Ric related (I play my rick through it!?), but custom definately!

New Badge!


View from the side. New plastic vent pieces!


Tubes, nice and warmed up.


Neat green jewel from the 50's.


6L6 GC U.S.A.


Overview of guts:


There's the bass input where I put the two mix resistors together into a wire....

This is the other side of the wire, it meets the grid load resistor and is soldered right to the tube pin (no radio interference! yay!). Theres shrink wrap tubing over the resistors.


Here's the hotter normal input. No mix resistors since its just one input jack just a wire going to....


The tube pin! Which has the grid load resistor wired right to it(again no radio interference), then soldered to ground.


Pretty neat stuff. It sounds great! I replaced most of the wire with some kind of silver wraped with teflon. It runs super quiet. Other than that the output transformer was replaced with some kind of dixie sound works 100 watter. Seemed to beef it up a bit. Some more headroom too. Its a super great bedroom setup, and for recording especially. Not outrageously loud but thats not really what its about. The tone! yes, the tone is superb through a 15" Weber speaker (and of course my Ric!). The toaster is smooth, round and deep, high gain in the bridge is fat, punchy and growly. Somewhere blended inbetween the two is perfect. Mhmm! Anyway, enjoy!

ajish4 wrote:LOL,
No, Jetglo while a "classic" isn't for me.

I've been known to call it "Fingerprint Glo" or Oil Spill Glo, or Exxon Valdez Oil Spil Glo...etc.

Tony has had a sudden change of heart and CJ agrees....
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Hmmm, obviously...........PURGATORY!

I'll be happy to show pictures of my custom Rickenbacker bass....when Paul finishes it!

But seriously, the project is to make a Rickenbacker Celtic themed bass. For now I can safely say that the
foundation (heart and soul) of the bass is a well worn but excellent playing 4001CS (no case, no certificate and
so a great starting spot). I now refer to the bass as a 4001 Celtic Squire. I've got a good friend who
is a custom jeweler working on the Celtic themed knobs and the tuner heads. And of course the master mind of
Jingle Jangle performing his transformation magic.

ajish4 wrote:

Hmmm, obviously...........PURGATORY!

You look good with the Jetglo hat too!

harrek wrote:But seriously, the project is to make a Rickenbacker Celtic themed bass. For now I can safely say that the
foundation (heart and soul) of the bass is a well worn but excellent playing 4001CS (no case, no certificate and
so a great starting spot). I now refer to the bass as a 4001 Celtic Squire. I've got a good friend who
is a custom jeweler working on the Celtic themed knobs and the tuner heads. And of course the master mind of
Jingle Jangle performing his transformation magic.

I'll be excited to see pics some day. I take a lot of pride in my family's strong background in Welsh identity (even though my first name is Hebrew and my last name is English!), and I'm happy when Celtic people keep their culture alive rather than letting it disappear. Think about some of the mythology specific to your Celtic people, and maybe it will inspire the designs.

cassius987 wrote:
I'll be excited to see pics some day. I take a lot of pride in my family's strong background in Welsh identity (even though my first name is Hebrew and my last name is English!), and I'm happy when Celtic people keep their culture alive rather than letting it disappear. Think about some of the mythology specific to your Celtic people, and maybe it will inspire the designs.

Excellent suggestions. Hopefully Paul is reading this as well. Currently the designs on the tuner heads are celtic crosses with celtic
knot work on them (and a round green gem in the center, much like you see much celtic cross jewelry). The tone/volume knobs have
celtic patterns around them, and a circular one on the top. And then another green gem (bagette shaped) as the line marking where
the knob is set. Then of course a nice emerald sort of green color, perhaps in a flame glo. Celtic inlays in the fretboard. And some
other things Paul has suggested on the body and pick guard. It'll keep the same wood on the frets and head as the 4001CS had originally.
I think that colored wood will look great and rich right next to the emerald green color.

Always happy and willing to listen to anyones thoughts and ideas. I know I can't think of everything! Looking very forward of adding
this bass to my 'Celtic Arsenal'.

And very proud of my Celtic roots as well. Been to Wales a 1/2 dozen or so times, Scotland at least 1 1/2 dozen, and to Ireland twice. Can't
wait till I visit again.

ajish4 wrote:

Hmmm, obviously...........PURGATORY!

And as for my RIC Outlet 4003 being Jetglo... well... I'm quite happy that the pickguard is Jetglo...

cjj wrote:

ajish4 wrote:

Hmmm, obviously...........PURGATORY!

And as for my RIC Outlet 4003 being Jetglo... well... I'm quite happy that the pickguard is Jetglo...

Doesn't Tony look good in the Jetglo hat?!