Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Pre 1984 4003S's and 4001S's and new C64's etc. Do your basses have the infamous bridge pickup "cap" I have always been under the impression that pre mid 1984 two pickup models, deluxe and S all had the cap right back to day one. I just found something in the archives in which someone says the new C64's also have the cap. I would especially like to hear from the S owners and especially 60's 1999 owners along with any C64 (S) owners (or the original McCartney model before the mods which ever one that is, thanks.

The C64 is the McCartney bass before the MMT paint job. The C64S is the bass after he sanded his bass down to mapleglo. The regular C64 also comes in mapleglo as well as fireglo. I was under the impression that they all had the cap. I could be wrong though.

My 4001C64S has the cap on the horseshoe.
I went headstock to headstock with a '73 4001 from another band at last weekends Rock & Roll Reunion. His had a toaster and high gains w/o horseshoe and it was no contest in the tone department. All four bassists used the Eden World Tour and 4x10 XLT cab from the provided backline. Our band sound checked last and all the other bassists decided to use the Eden the way I left it EQ'd but at the end of the night all three felt their basses sounded like mud and mine just killed, Sgt. Pepperland all the way.
For those keeping score it was flatwounds 3 roundwounds 1.

Thanks guys that answers part of my question and actually probably the whole question, but it would be nice to hear from someone with a 60's RM 1999 or other pre-84 mono double pickup bass. So I assume Bear, that the C64S's have a great sound? Or was it the player and flats along with the bass? I would assume if his post 60's bass had it his 60's must have it too?

Yes Bob the C64S's do have a great sound.

The interesting thing about the comparison at that gig was the other Rickenbacker was also strung with flats.

Wayne (the other Rickenbacker player) concluded that it was probably the player and his fingers that made the difference too.

Even the sound man gave me a compliment that evening, said my tone was the easiest to slot in the mix he had ever done in his life, said all he did was keep turning it up because of the tone and definition the Horsehoe gives it.
Used my Fulltone Bass Driver and Mini Deja'Vibe for the first time live on that gig, those are some kick *** pedals.

I think it is time to break down and order another C64S and leave it strung with Rickenbacker RW's.
There is something about the neck and the tone of this model that is a perfect match for the way I like a bass to feel and sound.

My two 4001C64's and my 4001C64S all have the cap. My 89 4001V63 does not.

Thanks Carmen. I appreciate the help.

Bob, both of my RM1999's have the cap. Both have been rewired, one just with a stereo add on, but the little cap is still present in both. I still haven't been bothered to look under the hood of the 68 I bought in 2002 but I'm sure that has it too...

When I get a chance, I'll pull the pickguard on my 1975 4001S WHT and see what's there.

I played a c64 at motor city music ... it had no bass cut capaciter ... it had a nicer neck and better resonance than the 4003 ... to test to see if your bass has a bass cut capaciter flip the toggle switch to the bridge pickup only and see how it sounds ... if the capaciter is present then the pickup will have the low mids and the bass removed ...

A 1960's bass with 1960's pickups and 1960's amps and 1960's strings really needed the bass cut capaciter ... my 1968 4001 sounded awful when I removed the capaciter ... but when I put 4003 pickups in it then it did not need then capaciter ... it had great treble, bass and middle response ...

also the all of the 4001v63 basses that I played did not have the capaciter either ... and I don't think the 4001cs did ... but I have never played one of those ...

and the .0047 bass cut capaciter should not be confused with the .047 tone capaciter all basses have those ...

The reason I posted this is that someone at the Dudepit posted that all non-stereo basses made including RM1999's 4001s's, 4003's's etc. had no cap only the stereo versions had them. I thought I remember JH said they all had the cap right from the beginning and remember our many cap vs no cap posts, haha! I was trying to help a new guy out with a C64 who wanted to know whether his had a cap or not and as an aside I wanted to know if really only the stereo version had it which I doubt. I appreciate all the help from you guys, and Andrew do you think the caps are stock on your two 1999's and Gary when you get a chance I'd love to know. And Jeff are you positive the C64 you layed didn't have a cap? Maybe with the new pickups they aren't so obvious like the old ones were.

my '84 4003S has the cap and its stereo.

my 1968 4001 was mono from the factory and it had a bass cut capaciter ... before 1980 the ONLY basses that came from the factory without the cap were 4000 models ... they didn't put in the cap on single pickup models for obvious reasons ...

I am pretty sure the 4001cs didn't have the cap ... but then again I was like a kid in a candy store ... I played about 20 - 30 basses that day ...

Thanks Nolan, that doesn't count but thanks, you're the first guy I've heard from with an S model. What month is it?

That's what I thought too Jeff only 4000's, only I heard it was in late 84 when they took them out of the rest.