Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

CJ, if you decide not to keep it, I might trade it for my thinner-necked 2007 AFG 4003. It's stock. But I'm not in a position to buy unless I sold one of mine or traded. Then again you may really like this by now in spite of the thicker neck...?

That is so hot and exactly what I would want in a 4004. I like thick necks too.

Let us know how you like the sound. Sooo hot.

That is just too cool CJ,

Love the fact the bass STILL looks almost stock!

I'm with you, mods that still keep the original stock appearance are my favorite. What a neat sleeper you've got there!

OK, a few more pics. First, the control cavity cover with the switches, not the best lighting, but it's clearer: Here's the switch layout:
[neck single/HB ] [neck 4004/4002 tone ] [mono/Ric-O-Sound]
[bridge single/HB] [bridge 4004/4002 tone]

And then what's inside: And a closer look at the rat's nest:

Nice job CJ!

Hmmmm...my propellerhead is spinning...the gears are grinding...I need to miniturize a GE-90 to fit in mine - that should make it roar!

Brilliant!

Nice job, CJ! Two thumbs up!

Thanks for all the compliments guys!

After messing with it and some more thinking, I really need to swap the function of two of the switches. When I first did it, it made sense to me to have the neck pickup controls on the top row, bridge on the bottom. But, like a lot of things, you find out how well it works after you do the first prototype. So, I'll be changing it so the neck controls are further towards the neck, bridge towards the bridge (well DUH!). Luckily it's an easy change, 10 minutes tops.

I still need to play a bit with the tone caps and pots. I think 330k might have been a better choice, but readily available stacked pots are 500k for both or 500k/250k. Simple fix there too, just tie a 1Meg resistor across the ends of the pot and you get 333k. It won't adjust with quite an audio taper, but it'll be close enough. Also, I'm not sure the 0.1uF cap that was used with the 4002 HB pickup is quite right for the HB-1, so I may do a bit of playing when I get time. Unfortunately, it's mid farming/irrigating season, so time is just about nonexistent til fall.

As for how it sounds, I haven't had a real chance to mess with it due to time issues and an amp problem. I got a couple of new rack cases (thanks to Brian "incubus2432") and after putting everything in the rack, I've got a terrible hum going. Acts like a ground loop, but again, I haven't had time to track it down.

Anyway, the only mod remaining to be done (and it's a biggie) is converting it to a 5-string. That'll only happen when I'm sure I can pull it off and make it look like it came that way from the factory, much more difficult with MapleGlo. That mod won't exactly be reversible...

Fabulous, CJ! Thanks for sharing! I believe your 4004 Cjj is the most versatile 4004 on the planet. To boot, she's got lovely flames!

OK, I rewired the switches this morning. I don't know why I did them the first way, I guess I was thinking in realtion to the cover plate, top row is upper (neck) pickup, bottom is bridge. Of course, when the whole thing is mounted on the bass, it makes more sense to have the left end (the end closest to the neck) control the neck pickup, the right column (closer to bridge) be for the bridge. So, now the switches are like so:

[Neck HB/Single] [Bridge HB/Single] [Mono/RIC-O-Sound]

[Neck 4004/4002] [Bridge 4004/4002]

That's really cool CJ. Great job.

cjj wrote:... Also, I'm not sure the 0.1uF cap that was used with the 4002 HB pickup is quite right for the HB-1, so I may do a bit of playing when I get time...

Any idea what direction/spec you were thinking of trying (for those of us who are half way building our cjj tributes)?

tmossman wrote:

cjj wrote:... Also, I'm not sure the 0.1uF cap that was used with the 4002 HB pickup is quite right for the HB-1, so I may do a bit of playing when I get time...

Any idea what direction/spec you were thinking of trying (for those of us who are half way building our cjj tributes)?

Well, not really. Unfortunately with the move to the new house, I just haven't had time to set anything up and play around with it.

Actually I do have an idea, and that's to ditch the whole in-line cap vintage tone idea all together. My current plan is to add a 3rd HB-1 pickup, replace the selector switch with a 3rd stacked pot and wire it V/T, V/T, V/T. Of course, this moves into the realm of non-reversible mods.

If I do that, I'll only have room for 1 row of switches, so I'll drop back to having coil split switches for each pickup, a switch that will select whether the middle pickup is paired with the neck or bridge, and the mono/stereo switch. I think it'll be easy enough to roll the volume pot for a pickup to off instead of a switch. It's almost as fast and I usually run with volume full up anyway.

I'll probably look something like this:

rickenbrother wrote:Nice job, CJ! Two thumbs up!

=1 cool job CJ!

Thanks CJ. I built a spice model and I think I am going to back off to .068 caps instead of the .1's

Mine is currently VVT and I am debating whether to go stacked and switched or leave it as is. Can't wait to see where yours ends up.

I like that concept, CJ! I'd be just as happy with two pickups in the extreme positions.