Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

aceonbass wrote:While a Hipshot bridge could be used on a 4004, even the widest string spacing puts the outer strings quite far from the edge of the fretboard. Not optimal for playing on the wider neck.

Hipshot makes several versions of the A style bridge (direct drop in) with different width options.

E-mail me Dane, at stacknobjb AT sbcglobal DOT net, and I can send you the PDF with the tech specs on the bridges.

I couldn't imagine anyone would put that bridge on a 4004! An A style is perfect however.

I was thinking purly asthetics + function. I'm sure the stock bridge and HB1's are fine for their purposes.

Two new high gain bridge pickups in my hot hands. Guess I'll know by tomorrow afternoon how this works. I'd do it tonight, but I have to gig the bass in the morning. Bah humbug!

More clank, indeed! I just installed the guitar high gains and they sound pretty darn good. I won't get overly exuberant, but it's a noticeable change and, to my desires, improvement over the HBs. Not slagging the HBs, just that this is more the sound I like. And to get the single coil sound on the Cii body is quite pleasing.

They were a bit weak on first blush. I'm speculating a combination of where the pole pieces are now in relation to the strings and the body composition. I adjusted the new pole pieces (flat hex screws, 8-32 3/4") a bit higher, added a little more drive to the preamp, and *poof*! Lovely sound. I'm actually back to where I was on my drive setting where I used to run with a 4003. The HBs didn't want as much drive to sound good. Again, it's just a hair off from sounding exactly like the 4003, close enough to be convincing, and just enough difference in sound to be unique from the 4003 and 4004. Did that make any sense?

The B and G strings do lie outside the pole pieces, but it does not appear to make a difference compared to the other strings. They're all equally potent. The next test is with a full band in the room this afternoon.

And the other two showing the raised pole pieces:
Sorry they're out of focus. Good as it gets in these hands. But you get the idea.

I couldn't imagine anyone would put that bridge on a 4004! An A style is perfect however.

+1

As high as I was adjusting the replacement pole pieces to sound better (and not hitting them with strings), I went back to the factory pole pieces out of curiosity. So far so good. The only time I hit them is while slapping because my palm apparently rests on the B string a bit, forcing it down onto the pole piece.

Good thing I don't really know how to or use slapping to any degree.

Ricky, since you started this thread (and I rudely horned in ), where do you stand on doing this with your bass? Have you done it already? Considering the new guitar high gains?

Bruce . When I found out my high gains were too old to be modified I decided to just let it be . I am very happy with sound of the toasters that I have in there but Im always thinking I can make things better . My V63 is the clank machine and I go back and forth on that with the horse shoe / RIC bridge and then change it to high gain / hipshot depending on my mood . The 4004Cii always feels the best with that light contoured body . I think your changes are excellent . Getting close to a 4003 is about perfect to me . My damaged wrists have been bothering me again so I bought a Hofner Club........No Clank !!

remember if you put single coil pickups in a bass it should have 250k ohm pots to keep it from sounding harsh ...

aceonbass wrote: Bruce, if you remove the stock buttons, you can get the pickups closer to the strings for what I would think would be a more balanced sound.

Do you use a shim under the foam padding to raise them up?

jwr2 wrote:remember if you put single coil pickups in a bass it should have 250k ohm pots to keep it from sounding harsh ...

I never quite got that . The only concentrics I found were 500/250 ohm ? They work/sound ok to me . Jeff you played/modified that FG4004Cii . Pots ok to you ?