4004/5 Conversion

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 5:35 am

Also remember I am not a professional luthier ... I am a Do It Yourself kind of guy ... but I learned enough to do a few mods ... I can use a soldering iron, a screw driver, electric drill and my dremmel ...

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 5:56 am

Lindsay knows!! It's all part of the process!

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 7:52 am

First, let me preface my comments by saying that I have a moral issue with irreversably modifying rare guitars. That said, I believe that the 4004 five string conversion will yield a better playing guitar than the legit five string version due to the wider string spacing on the 4004cii5.

My biggest concern when doing mods like this (yes, I've butchered a number of guitars in my time) is making sure to drill the hole properly, since doing it wrong can rip the finish off, and then you have a major disaster. I normally apply some masking tape on both sides of the work and drill through that, which tends to lessen the grabbing that can occur. Use sharp bits, and take your time drilling, being especially careful when coming through the back of the work. I really prefer to do this kind of thing on a press rather than with a hand drill.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 8:21 am

I agree with you on your stand regarding "rare" guitars, but a 4004 is hardly rare, is it? Considering it is a current production model, I would say it's a good one to use. Now if it were a vintage 4001, then I would say "Back away slowly!"

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 9:06 am

If you want to convert a ric to a 5 or 8 string model don't use anything older than 1986 ...

trick_knee · Post by **trick_knee** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 9:36 am

Well said! I'd like to keep the Ci original, but since it was produced for quite a few years, it probably will never be a rarity. If/when I do this, I have a friend that's one of those "handy types" definitely not a hack like Tim the Tool Man, so I'd lean on him and his massive arsenal of workshop tools before attempting the drilling portion of the project.

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:06 am

I don't know, there don't seem to be that many 4004s out there, either at dealers or on the used market. They only pop up on ebay every few months, and none of the major dealers tend to have more than one at a time, unlike 4003s which are everywhere, both new and used.

Jeff's Laredo is pretty rare, being the old pickup configuration with maple fretboard. I suspect some of these are out in lower numbers than the "limited edition" versions. Only JH could tell us for sure.

The 4003S/5 and 8 were current production models at one time, but there are a finite number of them out there now. The same goes for the Laredo (as above) and the Cheyennes with the original two layer design and walnut winged headstocks. I'm sure quite a few of those coveted '60s basses we all cringe over with Gibson pickups in them weren't seen as anything special at the time. Just some food for thought...

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:20 am

And a good thought it is, Jeff..I know what you're saying, but some of us have needs and desires for instruments that are simply not able to be met at this time by the manufacturer. So we resort to things like this. I also hear what you are saying about the Laredo and Cheyenne not being exactly "Common", but they are a lot easier to modify than a 4003. I would LOVE to own a Ric 5-string production bass, but I can't get one! The 4003s5 is gone and the new 5's are unavailable, and I am not going to wait a year for one.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:28 am

Well for me ... I'm more into playing them than collecting them ... and I have very little use for a 4 string bass ... and 5 string rics are hard to find ... so I convert them ... I now have a couple "One of a Kind" basses ... only time will tell if I ruined them or made them more valueable ... but the important point is they are more valueable to me converted ... otherwise they wouldn't get played or I probably wouldn't have even bought them in the first place ...

A five string bassist either has to play another brand or search hard for a 4003s5 or convert a 4 string model or buy a 4004CII5 and wait a year to get it ...

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 11:00 am

There's quite a few 4004's out there, although "quite a few" is certainly relative when you consider some other brands, or even the 4003.

But there's more and more of them going out than ever before and some equilibrium might be reached when dealers might actually have some hanging on the wall, rather than instantly pre-sold.

And, who knows, there might even be a few aces still up our sleeves regarding this series.

trick_knee · Post by **trick_knee** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 11:25 am

Mr. Hall, are you tempting me to hold on for just a bit

I actually found this Ci hanging in your one and only Ric dealership up here in NH three years ago. They had a Ci and a Cii hanging side by side and I couldn't pass up the Maple Walnut look of the Ci.

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 11:45 am

John, I hope one of those aces might be a narrow version of the five string, using the four string neck with tighter spacing like Jeff's conversion. I'd also like an option to use more highly figured woods, or even different tone woods. A spalted maple 4004cii5N would be pretty hard to pass up...

I have no problem doing mods on my Mexi Fenders, since those are being produced in the tens if not hundreds of thousands. I suspect that the 4004, while not being completely scarce, is in the range of number that given time and the usual things that make things rarer (accidents, mods, or angry ex-wives) that in 20 or 30 years some of these may be pretty highly sought after - they're hard enough to find already.

I'm sure the guys who started carving up their 1970s Strats wish they didn't now.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 11:56 am

how about a 4004 fretless?

robj · Post by **robj** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 12:23 pm

I have a 4004C and a 4004C-ii and I'm very happy with them both.They are my fav Rick basses. I'm planning to buy/order a 4004C-ii/5 but I must say I'm going to be watching John's sleeve cuffs closely in case an ace or two should slide out.

I've thought about making mods to my 4004C but just couldn't bring myself to do it.

I think the 4004 series is a great design but I think a number of enhancements could be made to make it even better. The only real design constraint for getting really creative with the electronics on this bass is the thinness of the body which oddly enough is one of its positive design features.

robj · Post by **robj** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 12:50 pm

Someone here had a 4004 made into a fretless in the last year or two. As I recall from the picture it was very well done. I can't remember who it was though but me thinks Mark did the work.