Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

How good is your bridge pickup at keeping the volume even across all the strings? I've heard some rumblings that the pickup is too narrow and the B&G strings are lower in volume than the inside strings. I'm curious since I'm considering ordering one.

This has been a concern of mine as well. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the bridge pickup has been moved towards the neck - the strings should be slightly closer and hopefully have more pickup coverage.
It appears that RIC (and please correct me if I'm wrong), is using the same pickups that were used in some of the 2000 series four string basses. As they're using a 4 string pickup on a 5 string instrument, the bridge pickup is barely as wide as the strings. It's too bad because I would love to order a 4004cii/5, but I'm really concerned about the signal strength on the B and G strings. Since I'm never going to see one in a store in my area, I'm not willing to take the chance of ordering one without hearing it first.

I noticed the same thing, they look like the old pickups and they look too narrow. I haven't seen or played one yet, just judging from pictures I have seen...

Of note from the Bartolini web site.
http://www.bartolini.net/selecting_pickups/choos_91.htm

In the "From the mouth of my wife....." thread, John Hall has said the 4004cii/5 has been pulled from production to make some changes.

The HB1 pickups have 2 steel rails in them that are about 2 1/4" ... with these rails I can only make the bridge spacing 2 3/8" on my conversion basses ... but I have not taken apart the pickups that the 4004CII5 uses ... I assume there are rails in there but I don't know the dimensions ... but a good pickup design would have those rails more like 2 3/4" +/-

Ok, so now Im concerned. With me taking delivery next week on a new 4004/cII5TG and listening to it in the store amp room, I have noticed a distinct difference in the low B as oppsed to the rest E A D G. The latter are certainly louder than the low B. Is this a design flaw, will replacement pickups of some type fix this, and if so what type. Is this the reason for the production shutdown JH? I have been waiting patently for over 2 years now to take delivery, ordered at NAMM when they were first released through my local dealer who I saw there, took him by the hand and showed it to him, and said I WANT ONE OF THESE NOW!!! heh.... I really wouldnt even have an issue with routing for new pickups if it will fix the issue.

Any thoughts??

Greg

Hey Greg! Could I ask what Dealer you are getting one from? I've been looking all over for one.

cheers!

Sorry the only 5 string they have is mine. It will be paid off this next week. The store is Apple Music in portland Or. 503-226-0036. They do have a few RIC basses in stock, a blue boy, that I can recall off hand. They did tell me that the bass I am getting, is the last one RIC will ship to them till after the re start of shipping on the 5 strings.

Greg, does the one you are getting have the pickups closer to the neck like my trans red or is the pickup configuration like my mapleglo?

Im actully not really sure. I havnet seen it in about a week. I think its like the red one.

Good for you Greg!

Please post pics of that bad-boy when you get it. I'd be interested to know the manufacturing date also!

cheers!

Yeah Greg, post some pics when it arrives.

I wonder what happened with Alberto Cortina? He was supposed to get the trans blue 5Cii from POTR. We haven't heard from him since he bought it.

OKIES, Just got back from looking at it. It has the pickup config of your mapleglo.
Serial no 04 23922
Greg

Cool Greg! You must be excited! How does it play?

Interesting, June of 2004! Do you know when they got it?