Model of the week 21: The 4004 Laredo

[cheyenne]

My mapleglo L has really grown on me.

I wasnt happy at first because the neck wouldnt straighten out for me. That has since taken care of itself, I modded it V V T, and replaced the bridge with a Hipshot style "A". Now it rates as one of the best Ricks I've ever owned. I'll toss some pics up when I get home tonight.

If your a diehard 4001 / 4003 player like me, you just have to put them away and give the 4004 some time. They do have the Rick magic.

[tmossman]

Todd, that MG has a HUGE sound - the one Chris played with his band at MARF III. Do you have a full body shot of the YellowGlo? Whole bass too?

Yeah, the bottom end on the Lareado is great. Some of that sound was the EB Combo Chris was using.

Do you have a full body shot of the YellowGlo? Whole bass too?

Never seen a yellow '04 - not a stock colour, I take it??

VERY not stock. It was originally MID that I bought two days after my 4004 conversion experience (Brian's LK) at MARF II. I sent it to Dale too be painted yellow. I wanted a color no one had or better yet wanted. The MID has caused some issues with the yellow. Various sealers have been tried but the blue seaps through leaving a yellow and green blotched finish. I think Dale is on repaint 3 or 4 right now and it seems to be holding.

I have a white TRC, yellow painted trc (chrome letters), and a black trc. I have a full set of black hardware, a full set of chrome hardware, and a bridge that was powder coated yellow to match. Once it returns I will play with all my options and figure out its final look. Yellow with factory chrome and white trc, bumblebee (yellow with black hardware), and an almost Yellowstar (yellow with yellow hardware and trc).

[ilan]

Great looking basses, everyone! I much prefer the look of chrome over gold hardware. But I have never played a 4004L or seen one in person. I don't think there's even one around where I live. I've seen 60's Rics in Israel and there's even a Blueburst FL, but not a single 4004 that I know of.

The neck pickup position has got me thinking. RIC has moved it to facilitate slap/pop. Then they realized you can't replace the truss rods without routing the top, and returned to the first location where you can push the rods into the pickup cavity to remove the acorn nuts. Now, what happened to the "cold notes/hot notes" theory behind the 1975 change of neck pickup location on the 4001? RIC insisted that the notes sound better when the neck pickup is 1" away from the neck. Do the notes sound unbalanced in any way when the neck pickup is solo'ed on a 4004?

I also don't get the VVT mod. I hate it on my Fender Jazz (duh). A pickup selector switch / master vol / master tone seems to me like the best arrangement for a 2 pickup bass. What don't you like about it?

[jps]

I also don't get the VVT mod. I hate it on my Fender Jazz (duh). A pickup selector switch / master vol / master tone seems to me like the best arrangement for a 2 pickup bass. What don't you like about it?

There are some great tones to be had with one of the pickups rolled off just a little bit, something not attainable with the selector switch.

[bongomania]

With a passive VVT setup, different VV settings actually change the resonant peak of the pickups. So you not only get the different blends, you also get more subtle control over the tone of the pickups themselves. Of course VVT has problems too, due to how the pickups load each other down. It's all in the individual's cost/benefit preferences.

[rickenbrother]

that turquoise bass is just awesome.

It is a pretty color and it looks great on that Laredo.

[ilan]

There are some great tones to be had with one of the pickups rolled off just a little bit, something not attainable with the selector switch.

I see. So why not master vol / pickup blend / master tone? This way you will have all the subtleties and a master volume, without drilling more holes.

Edit: Is the control cavity deep enough for a stack pot blend control?

[cheyenne]

If you own a 4004 you should at least try the V V T mod. Like Jeff said, it really opens the bass up for some different tones. I tried to go blend, volume and tone but couldnt get the wiring right.

Yes, there is room for stacked pots, the blend I tried was stacked, and I had concentric VT/VT stacked pots on my old CII.

I'm loving this bass now. Im glad I didnt sell it.

Edit: I'm still on the fence with the knobs........the perfect ones just have'nt found me yet.

[guitfiddle]

Here's my 4004L Blueboy. I got it from the Pick of the Ricks booth at the Philadelphia Guitar Show back in '06. It has a very boomy sound that is perfect for all styles of rootsy music -- i.e. blues, blues/rock, reggae, probably zydeco, etc.

[jps]

There are some great tones to be had with one of the pickups rolled off just a little bit, something not attainable with the selector switch.

I see. So why not master vol / pickup blend / master tone? This way you will have all the subtleties and a master volume, without drilling more holes.

Edit: Is the control cavity deep enough for a stack pot blend control?

Stacked pots will fit, I recently did Brian Crisman's LK with two stacked controls.

I used to have basses with panpots and there really is a difference between them and two volume controls. Part of that difference may be attributed to the fact that each pickup is essentially passing through two volume controls in series with the panpot method vs. only one with individual volume controls.

[woodyng]

glad you decided to keep your laredo,cheyenne! another thing i like about these basses is the finished fretboards,more of a traditional rick thing. i imagine it has a small effect on the sound--i love the sound of my cii,with the unfinished fb,but really like the look of the finished 'boards on the laredos.

[paul_yan]

I totally agree with Jeff's reasoning on using individual volume controls instead of a volume and a blend. The pickups' signals remain truer with 2 volume knobs. Personally, I like the toggle switch+dual concentric layout the best, which providess individual volume and tone controls just like the 4001/4003. There are just so many good tone combinations you can't get with the stock 4004 electronics, IMHO.

[johnallg]

I totally agree with Jeff's reasoning on using individual volume controls instead of a volume and a blend. The pickups' signals remain truer with 2 volume knobs. Personally, I like the toggle switch+dual concentric layout the best, which providess individual volume and tone controls just like the 4001/4003. There are just so many good tone combinations you can't get with the stock 4004 electronics, IMHO.

I agree, Paul. Great last sentence.

[crazypink]

I've been out of the forum for well over a year and noticed this thread. I noticed that Paul said on the first thread that the 4004l was first introduced on the July 1994 price list, but my 4004l dates from June 1993 from the serial number.

It is a truely amazing bass, not only in it's construction but also due to the fact is a very comfortable bass to play. I nearly sold both my 4004's last year which includes my 4004c (March '93), when I had some money problems, but I'm so glad I kept hold of them.