Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Ya ... I thought of putting a jazz bass pickup near the bridge as well ... but the thought of routing out that hole in my 4004 gave me a real bad feeling ... but I did seriously consider adding a 3rd hb-1 pickup similar to the Lemmy 4004 and then wire it with 3 volume controls and no tone ... but my 4004L5 sounds and looks good the way it is so I will probably leave it ... but maybe I will make a 3 pickup 4004/5 someday ...

Swerving just a little off topic here. Much as I cringe at some of the mangled Rics on ebay, I side with the attitude of "I'm a player and I intend to keep it". I was at the ballet and noticed that all the upright basses in the orchestra pit had this extension (about 9-10 inches) sticking up at the top of the E string. So at the end of an intermission I went down to the edge of the orchestra pit and questioned the first bassist back from break. Kind of problematic communications talking from 25' apart but seemded like they have essentially converted their uprights to 5 strings. The extension, he told me, makes the E string a low B and there is a single string capo at the zero fret that makes it an E. Some of those uprights looked pretty collectible to me so I'm guessing that those orchestra dudes place themselves among the players rather than the collectors.

And going further off topic, 5 and 6 string bass viols were indeed made way back when. Who knows why four strings became predominant... maybe the luthiers back then couldn't consistently make a neck strong enough for the extra tension, or maybe a time travelling alien came back to them and said "Jaco only needed four strings!"

Oh, and 7-strings with frets! http://www.michaelheale.com/Web_pages/Forsale4.htm

Back to the "few more aces up our sleeve for the 4004 model" thought, maybe he's thinking of a deluxe version of the 4004?. Picture it, take a flame maple 4004, put checker binding on it, full width crushed pearl inlays, and a vintage 4002 style headstock. With some limited edition transparent colors, maybe even exotic woods. And a 5 string model for Jeff.

Those "C" extensions are rather common on upright basses actually.

Scott....Hate to say it, but as JH said...."Dream on"
Why not ask for a carved top ala the 4004LK?

Jeff, you are a man after my own heart. Keep modifying your 4004L bass if it improves it to your liking. I intend on doing some mods to my 4004L as well. And what about that '3rd pickup' mod? I thought about a 3rd pickup next to the bridge, because the early 4004 basses really don't have a true bridge pickup, but adding an Aguilar OBP-1 preamp would probably get the brighter bridge pickup tone I want, because of the 18dB treble boost available.

Jeff, since the Scottish Highlanders used bagpipers in their army units, don't you think a black 5-string 4004L would be a modern alternative? "Aye, lads! The situation looks a bit daunting. Better call up the 'Bass of Rath' to support the Pipers."

Don't forget the black 'skull & crossbones' inlay at the 12th fret.....and the Tartan plaid body stripe. Perhaps it would be better to walk behind an armor plated self-propelled Ampeg SVT.....and behind the Pipers as well.

I saw this in a bad dream. This is what detox does to you

I think I'll stay away from those guys with bagpipes and skirts ... and I think I will refrain from putting preamps into my Rics ... but the 3rd pickup is tempting ... this would be cool ... and then wire it with 3 volumes and no tone control ....

I think an EMG BTC might be a cool thing in a 4004. I might try one out when I get my pickups in. It's pretty tight space wise in the control cavity.

Gregg,
I have a Bartolini NBTB preamp wired with volume, stacked bass/treble controls and panpot for the pickups available if you are interested.

I do lots of things to Rics ... but I think I'll stay away from putting emg's and preamps in them ...

Jeff R: The EMG BTC is just a stacked bass and treble pot giving you gain or cut . It doesn't change the character of the bass at all. This could go into the bass with no mods at all.

Jeff S: I don't think a Bart preamp would fit into that cavity without modding the bass.

Gregg

Gregg

That's for sure! Routing would be needed or the preamp can be put in a box a la the outboard Sadowsky or Aguilar preamp.

Greg ... Where would I get the emg btc?

Aguilar makes a preamp that is the size of a pick ... and Seymour Duncan has some that are built into the pickups ...

I got one from these guys recently:

http://guitarpartsdepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=AC