My 4001C64 report

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 4:36 pm

My question is, has Gene ever held one in his hands? I have. The feel of the bass is so antique, so vintage, the neck so sleek and supple that, in my brief experience anyway, you don't notice the headstock shape while you're playing it. I maintain it's not that big a deal.

Garry

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 1:50 am

Thanks for this perspective Garry. Surely there is no substitution for the moment of truth when we meet the Rickenbacker we seek up close and personal.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 4:28 pm

The announcement of the series, as well as the full specs and photos went up on our website simultaneous to the moment that we accepted the first orders for these. Therefore, I really don't see how anyone can say they didn't have the full specs for these before ordering.

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 9:37 am

Garry, I have played one. You were there at the Pick of the Ricks booth, at the Dallas Guitar Show, same time I was. I loved the bass! It was fireglo with very nice wood...

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 2:39 pm

So how did we miss each other, I wonder?

Garry

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 6:09 pm

I might have said hello to you, but you and the guy from Pick of the Ricks were talking about the c64. I think I played it right before you did -- beautiful bass!
My buddy that I went to show with is famous for getting lost at big public to-dos like that, and he had wandered down about ten booths so I couldn't stick around...

headbanger · Post by **headbanger** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 3:38 am

Respectfully, I'd like to respond to John Hall's last post in this thread.
The only mention of pickups for the C basses on the website says "type of pickups - vintage". Same as the specs for the v63. Deliberately vague? If there is a change to the specs I find it hard to believe you wouldn't tell us all about them. This is what makes me(& others) believe there is no change. Reading Ed Dupont's original post I think there might be a cap added. Thats all. It's easy to get this type of info for a c58 but very hard to pin anyone down about a c64. Sorry to be so impertinent.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 5:40 am

Hmmm. Off the top of my head I know that the coil is different, the magnets are made of different alloy, and the horseshoe angle slightly wider. The surround is also different.

The C58 pickup is shown on the website only as a "Vintage Single Coil". Does the skeptic in you wish to ascribe some ulterior motive to that as well?

bottom4 · Post by **bottom4** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 6:21 am

Hey come on JH... I'm a long time player of your product - nearly 30 years now and I actually have a new Rick bass on order. I asked a similar question earlier in this string regarding the difference between the P-up's in the V63 and the C64. My V is an early model (3/85) and I'm wondering if there is enough difference between the two to make the investment. Simple question no harm meant!

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 7:01 am

Thanks Mr. Hall. You answered my question about the differences between the C64 and the V63. I think the bass would be well worth the purchase, I hope I'll be able to get one soon!

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Thu May 08, 2003 5:37 pm

A second opinion will be coming soon- my MG 4001C64 arrives Tuesday!

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Tue May 13, 2003 5:16 pm

And it's Tueday, and it's on the bed.

And it is gorgeous. This, once again, is a MAPLEGLO 4001C64. The neck fades from bright Maple at the head end to a shade darker than the body wings opposite them. True to from, the edges are notably more square than recent production RICs, however, my 4003S seems a good pound heavier, why I couldn't say.The Horseshoe Pickup surround is narrower than Reissue pockups, but also has the "Orthodontist-Treated" look of modern Horseshoes. Seems to me the 60s HS's looked "Buck-Toothed" by comparison.It has the old two-screw bridge / tailpiece and a slightly smaller pickguard. Nice thin early profile neck, with those roundwound RIC strings this is a dream to play.

Later this week: The sounds of the two RICs. I'm waiting on two ECC83's for my Selmer; I blew them playing my former Warwick thru the amp. The Warwick has been sold on eBay, you'll be happy to know. Peter, please feel free to post those if you wish.

Later,
Garry

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed May 14, 2003 4:16 am

Garry: A beautiful instrument. A selection of your photos can be found here.

gpatt5762 · Post by **gpatt5762** » Thu May 15, 2003 12:45 pm

I was so humled seeing my pics in what I consider a big display, I was left speechless / post-less! Doesn't Peter do fabulous work, guys?

Now About The Sound: Played at the exact same amp levels as my 4003S, going first with the C, I find a sharper contrast in sound from picup to pickup on the C compared to the S. The C's neck pickup I find Bassier, and causes the signal to actually break up at lower volumes; I guess I could say the C Toaster sounds darker when pushed than RIC's "scatterwound" 7.4K reissue Toaster. The C's Horseshoe has a notably "thicker accent" than the V63 (I guess) HS, even though I wired mine using the cap as the wire!.

It seems the C64 delivers a wider spectrum of bass guitar sounds, not that I had ought to complain about with the 4003S. Now I'm sure I'm using a different amp than Eddied is with his C so I should get different results actually. (Ed, are you running a Selmer, by chance?)

In closing, Gene, what did you say the big deal with the "Scooper" headstock was?

YRMV,
Garry

eddied · Post by **eddied** » Sat May 17, 2003 3:56 am

I have posted two additional messages concerning my 4001C, and both never appeared. One was on the sonic differences of the horseshoe and another on just the sound of the bass. Not sure why they didn't post? Anyway, the amp really doesn't make a big difference on pure sound of the Rick, (IMO). I could tell right away the differences comparing my other 4001's and my V63 through both my home set up and gig set up. I use a SVT III rack head and two 15" theil cabs with PV Black widows and yes there is a difference, a big one between my C64 and all my other Ricks (8). The C64 and V63 (IMO) are not very close. The pickups are different, sound different, the output is different, the blending of the two pickups is different, but I STILL LOVE THEM BOTH....... I would be happy to answer any question on the C64 that readers may have. I can compare the C64 to almost any other model for you. I will try to include a picture showing my 82 4003SB, 84 V63, and 03 4001C64. Each one represents an attempt at what Mcca's bass means to me. They are truly amazing basses.