Isaac wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 11:21 pm
GGomez wrote: Sat Jun 11, 2022 8:37 pm
Hi All
Just wanted to thank everyone for there input.
Just an update I managed to find and purchase one.
Thank you to Jdogric12 in particular for guiding me
in the right direction
Congratulations.
If you don't mind my asking, what did you pay for it?
Really? Please don't ask. This isn't a 330 that all go for essentially a dime a dozen on the used market (or a grand or so a dozen, but, well....)
OK. Here is the deal from a guy who has owned a 4002 for over thirty years, and when I got it it was my only bass for many years:
1) A 4002 has the old hairpin truss rods. Be careful and avail yourself of the conventional wisdom, just like a 4001.
2) I have found only two sets of strings that bring out the best this bass has to offer:
a) Custom gauges 45-60-80-105 of GHS Progressives, which I have used since Progressives were the "new" strings from GHS in the early 90's, just after I purchased my 4002, if you can still find any new old stock (unless and until GHS chooses to reissue them?). That is what I have on mine; and
b) The Optima RB flatwound set.
c) If you can't find Progressives, the GHS Pressurewounds are essentially the same thing, just, well, of course, pressure wound. Get the medium light gauge ML7200 44-102. The inherent nature of the Alloy 52 brings out the inherent tone of the end-to-end humbucking pickups on this bass like nothing else; the medium light gauge will cause no issues with the truss rods; and the gauges are similar to OEM gauges to get a similar feel. (Believe me - when GHS discontinued Progressives, I have tried many, many strings and ended up like Sir Macca on a scavenger hunt for strings)
3) Overall tone: You have not purchased a 4001/3. The growl will be a completely different flavor. Satisfying, yes, but different.
4) Unlike a 4001/3 which has a .0047 inline capacitor to the bridge pickup, the 4002 has a .01 inline capacitor & resistor inline to both pickups. Link to the schematic:
http://rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19513.pdf . This can actually do two things detrimental to tone:
a) Cut the low end from the mid pickup, where you really need it; and
b) Cause phasing and comb filter distortion when both pickups are full on because no two capacitors are identical, and the coil windings on the pickups are different from mid to bridge, since the bridge pickup has the low impedence interleaved windings.
5) I purchased a push-pull like the current 4003 basses have so I could re-wire the neck pickup to bypass the capacitor/resistor network to get full output from the mid pickup. I keep the old pot in case I need it in the future. Call me a heretic as you will. I purchase instruments to gig, not collect, and I have made many times over the cost of my bass.
Interesting observation: why are the pickups mounted where they are? Take a 60's style Fender Jazz bass. Hold it up to a 4002 at the pickup positions. You will see the bridge saddles are 3/8 inch in, and the nut is 3/8 inch in, to split the difference between the 34-inch Fender scale and the 33 1/4 - inch Rickenbacker scale.
Bass and sounded great !