Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Korladis wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:31 pm A faster way to deploy the mute would be nice.

Agreed, I’d like it if were spring loaded, so you just pull on one of the buttons and it pops up with the option to fine tune the final height to get the right amount of muting depending on your action/preference etc. Once set you could just flick it on and off. I don’t have the engineering brain to work out how that could be done but it would make it more useable.

I have plans for a palm mute that can easily be added to any old style tailpiece. It would allow you to apply varying force with your palm or none at all.

Just need to make a few one of these days to try it out.

JM82 wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2024 8:49 am

Korladis wrote: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:31 pm A faster way to deploy the mute would be nice.

Agreed, I’d like it if were spring loaded, so you just pull on one of the buttons and it pops up with the option to fine tune the final height to get the right amount of muting depending on your action/preference etc. Once set you could just flick it on and off. I don’t have the engineering brain to work out how that could be done but it would make it more useable.

Yeah, that way I could deploy it for just a song or just part of a song.

Bass Blend Knob!
And for each Instrument, guitar or bass to ship with a spare set of TRC screws.

K9-4026 wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 12:41 pm Bass Blend Knob!
And for each Instrument, guitar or bass to ship with a spare set of TRC screws.

The 4005XC has one of these, and it's well worth it. It completely eliminates the need for a pickup selector (you get one just in case though). Just set each pickup to taste, and then blend brighter or darker without fundamentally altering your timbre.

While I'm in here though - A stock satin/oil neck finish on all instruments would be nice to have for the superior hand feel. Can't think of anything else that would fundamentally improve Ric basses -- they're already dang good.

Koshchei wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:18 pm

K9-4026 wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 12:41 pm Bass Blend Knob!
And for each Instrument, guitar or bass to ship with a spare set of TRC screws.

The 4005XC has one of these, and it's well worth it. It completely eliminates the need for a pickup selector (you get one just in case though). Just set each pickup to taste, and then blend brighter or darker without fundamentally altering your timbre.

While I'm in here though - A stock satin/oil neck finish on all instruments would be nice to have for the superior hand feel. Can't think of anything else that would fundamentally improve Ric basses -- they're already dang good.

I don't get the so-called blend knob. As far as I can tell, all it does is lower the volume on the neck pickup, and there's already a neck pickup volume knob. I don't see any way to get the neck pickup soloed using just the blend knob.

If all instruments had a satin/oil neck finish, lots of people would complain that they wanted the lacquer back, just as happened with the fretboards.

Does anyone here have any secret inside info on the possibility of a new run of Fretless Rics? And specifically LH fretless? I have my own fretless now and I am just thrilled with it! I have had a total of 7 fretless basses, and my Ric 4003 is by far my favorite!
I have a buddy who is a left handed fretless player, and he has quite a collection of BC Rich fretless neckthru basses. Now he is interested in a Fretless Ric lefty.

dlmarquez wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2024 9:30 pm Does anyone here have any secret inside info on the possibility of a new run of Fretless Rics? And specifically LH fretless? I have my own fretless now and I am just thrilled with it! I have had a total of 7 fretless basses, and my Ric 4003 is by far my favorite!
I have a buddy who is a left handed fretless player, and he has quite a collection of BC Rich fretless neckthru basses. Now he is interested in a Fretless Ric lefty.

I'm willing to be wrong, but I don't see this happening soon.

A bit of fantasy, for fun...

Rickenbacker V68 4001 (not 4003)
A reissue of a late 1960s spec 4001

3 piece long headstock, no skunk stripe
Toaster in 1960s position
Horseshoe
Checkerboard binding
Crushed pearl (or mica) fb inlays
Late 60s neck and body contouring
Back painted trc
Mono output

Standard finishes in fireglo and mapleglo
Custom or limited runs in Burgundyglo, Jetglo, and Azureglo

I would conceed the single truss rod and push-pull switch.

Take all of my moneys now, plz!

Koshchei wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:18 pm

K9-4026 wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 12:41 pm Bass Blend Knob!
And for each Instrument, guitar or bass to ship with a spare set of TRC screws.

The 4005XC has one of these, and it's well worth it. It completely eliminates the need for a pickup selector (you get one just in case though). Just set each pickup to taste, and then blend brighter or darker without fundamentally altering your timbre.

While I'm in here though - A stock satin/oil neck finish on all instruments would be nice to have for the superior hand feel. Can't think of anything else that would fundamentally improve Ric basses -- they're already dang good.

I seem to be in the minority who isn’t keen on blend knobs.

Koshchei wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 3:18 pm

K9-4026 wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2024 12:41 pm Bass Blend Knob!
And for each Instrument, guitar or bass to ship with a spare set of TRC screws.

The 4005XC has one of these, and it's well worth it. It completely eliminates the need for a pickup selector (you get one just in case though). Just set each pickup to taste, and then blend brighter or darker without fundamentally altering your timbre.

While I'm in here though - A stock satin/oil neck finish on all instruments would be nice to have for the superior hand feel. Can't think of anything else that would fundamentally improve Ric basses -- they're already dang good.

You can wet sand your neck with a green Heavy Duty Scotch Brite pad. I did mine. Soooooo smooooth!

henry5 wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2025 5:51 pmI seem to be in the minority who isn’t keen on blend knobs.

That may be so, but I'm with you. I see no point.

Isaac wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2025 9:45 pm

henry5 wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2025 5:51 pmI seem to be in the minority who isn’t keen on blend knobs.

That may be so, but I'm with you. I see no point.

Count me in, too. The idea is interesting but it just loads down the neck pickup making it darker sounding. I'd rather just use the volume control for that pickup if I want to lower it.

now that I have had my fretless single pickup 4003 for awhile, I have pretty much made up my mind that for me the dream Ric bass would be an unlined fretless 4004.
So should I hold my breath, sit on my hands, or pretend I never had that thought/urge and go my merry way?

I don't recall there ever being a factory fretless 4004 model, but some people have defretted their 4004s, however, those would have lines or at the very least faint lines depending on what material was used to fill the slots with.