Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

There's your problem; older instruments aren't routed as deeply. I forgot about that.

Until the existing stock of pickguards is depleted, there's an adapter washer. In the future there will be no need for an adapter.

I was considering retrofitting my 4001 & 4080, but not if routing is required.

That should be deeper tone when the cap is bypassed .

".. Maybe I have your pot confused with another pot.."

I thought it was Hawaiian, my mistake; it's really Colombian!

Try Torres Engineering. They do tube amps and parts. I bought an Alpha 500k DPDT pot/switch which is small. It fits perfectly into the shallow Rick cavity with room to spare. I hardly use it, but it's there if I want the un-capped F*nder Jazz sound! I prefer the ring and clank of the cap. (Back me up here Sergio!!!) LOL!

Mike Parks just emailed me a JPEG of the wiring diagram (possibly Joey's?).

Probably not Dave, you'd know it, if it was my wiring diagram.
I've added a link to Adobe Reader where the wiring diagrams are on my site for anyone who needs it.

I had already made the custom pickguard for my "4003CS' when I got my push-pull pot from Mike Parks. Even though the hole should have been smaller, I just drilled a hole in the guard to clear the locator tab on the new pot and installed it without the star washer.

I just received my push-pull pot and cap conversion kit from Mike Parks and spent the last couple of hours installing it.

Short story: It works!

Long story:

I used Joey's PDF wiring diagram because it is MUCH clearer than the one that came from Mike. If I didn't have Joey's diagram, I don't think I would have been able to figure it out.

Yes, the pot is taller and has a narrower stem. However, I just followed Dane's suggestion above and drilled a hole in the pickguard for the locator tab and only used the nut with one washer. It is a tight squeeze with all that wiring in there but it works.

The one thing that doesn't come with the kit is an extra piece of wire. You end up short one small length of red wire to make all the connections. So I clipped some similar wire (although it is solid core copper rather than stranded) and used that.

I was in the hardware store picking up some solder and decided to try that "ColdHeat" soldering gun you've probably seen on the TV commercials? Well save your money folks. It will melt .40 (1mm) solder okay but doesn't make a dent in the heavy solder on the back of these pots. I got out my little blue Weller stick and did all the soldering the old fashioned way.

After playing my 4003FG with the new push/pull switch and the .0047 cap for the last couple of days, I am just thrilled with it! Regardless of whether you appreciate "modern tone" or "vintage tone", this is an upgrade that gives you plenty of versatility. Before I bought my RIC bass, I was concerned about much of what I was hearing on the internet about RICs being "two-dimensional". I know it is no modern, active pickup sounding bass, but, for my interests, it is plenty versatile.

Two years ago I bought a 50th Anniversary Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster with the S1 switch. Purists were saying it "doesn't have the classic strat sound". Well the naysayers and the purists are just guitar snobs. The strat has a whole new range of sound possibilities. Just like the new 4003 bass! Why would you limit your choices in a sonic palette?

If you have a 4003 bass, do yourself a favor and install this extremely inexpensive upgrade and fall in love with your bass all over again!

While I was at it, I put some vintage knobs on both my 4003FG and my 320JG. I think they look great! Check out the mirror Pickguardian on the bass.





PS: Why can't the spellchecker spell "internet"??

Sometimes I see on this forum people requesting some sound demo of the Vintage Tone Selector.
I've just plugged my 4003 in my computer.
Settings: Bridge pickup full and Neck pickup half open. First fragment VTS is off, second one it's on.
It's not a quality recording, but you can hear the difference, it's huge!!
http://www.webstudio10.nl/ebay/ric/vts.mp3

Phil,

After your long wait, I'm glad you finally got your bass! I put that mod in my 4003 and results are similar. Big difference.

-Greg

Thanks Greg!
It's a great bass. Great low action and it sounds terrific! Thanks again Paul

Does anyone have any idea how this would sound on a RIC humbucking pickup?