4003 hi-gains out of control

nightsky · Post by **nightsky** » Mon May 19, 2003 5:05 pm

This is my first post, although I've been checking out the forum for over a year now. I have recently aquired a 98 4003FG and am having a slight problem. The output of the rick overpowers the input preamp on both my stage rig and my recording board (a Mackie 8 buss). I can reduce the gain on the 4003 or the input trim on either rig to get it within limits, but at that point, the tone I love is gone. I like to run the 4003 with both pickups & all the controls wide open (old school rocker I guess). The problem is most prevalent when playing the E string. I'm using TI's with a 107 E & play with a pick. Any suggestions?

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon May 19, 2003 5:25 pm

The modern Ric pickups are pretty hot ... They have gotten hotter through the years ...

Most other basses have as well ... some of the after market pickups are even hotter ... then if you go active you get even hotter ....

So to cut through with today's hot pickups you have to get a cleaner sound. I use a line 6 pod ... I was using this with my 68 ric .. I made some pretty hot patches ... then I played a jazz bass through these patches and it was more distorted. When I got a 4003 the pickups were hotter like the jazz bass. So I cleaned up my patches so they sound good with hotter pickups.

Also if you use a preamp or modeler you will find that the settings that sound good at low volume are the dirtier ones ... cleaner ones sound good at higher volume ...

Another way to mellow out your 4003 is put a toaster in the neck position ... you can then blend the smoother toaster with the hotter high gain .... this works nice on a 4003

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon May 19, 2003 5:34 pm

If you have a few bucks get a line 6 pod or a sans amp ... a cheaper solution would be a stomp box EQ ... this will have a volume control on it ...

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue May 20, 2003 9:07 am

Old school rockers haul old SVT's, problem solved. No that was a joke, I realize that there are many different preferences in amps here, but I have and have had many newer 4003's and have never had a problem overdriving my preamp in my SVT. (but I do back off the bass pickup somewhat for bite, and I am primarily a finger player, but I am not a light player by any means unless the music calls for it) On the other hand, they overdrive a solid state B-15T that I own. (the light comes on but I hear no obvious distortion) Do you have real low action? The closer your strings are to the pickups obviously the more your pickups will put out. Do you play hard? playing hard with low action can definitely put out a hefty signal. And yes everyone is correct the new pickups are hot, I think they are the best bass pickups Ric has ever made.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue May 20, 2003 9:31 am

yes I agree ... the new pickups ... 1990 and later are the best pickups that Ric has ever made ...

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Tue May 20, 2003 10:40 am

A 4001 neck high-gain pickup from, say, the late 70's, with a typical ohm rating of around 8.0 K, will have even more output than its modern version if you wind it to have the current ohm rating of Rick high-gain pickups: about 13.0 K. Guaranteed.

nightsky · Post by **nightsky** » Tue May 20, 2003 12:16 pm

Yes, I have the action set as low as it will go without buzz, and have backed the bridge pickup off a bit to compensate, perhaps I'll back it off some more and see if that helps. I had a 4001 back in the late 70's with the opposite problem (low gain) which was solved by the mighty SVT, but it's long gone along with the back problems. I might drag it down to the local store and try out a Pod. I've been curious about them anyway. I love the look of the toasters also, so perhaps that's another route to nirvana. Thanks gentlemen for your input.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue May 20, 2003 5:52 pm

I have owned and played Ric's from the 60's 70's 80's and 90's ...

I was playing a 1973 4001 in a band ... then I got a 1989 4003 and it was louder than the 73 4001 ... I had to turn the volume down ... then I got a 1990 4003 and it was fuller, and louder yet ... the quietest one of all is my '68 ...

Also as you add more winding to the pickups it changes tone as well ...