Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I decided to try the pre-soldered harness from Bayou cables that I was telling J.R. about. The guys at the Dudepit use these to drop darkstar pups into J's & P's, so I took a chance and figured the J spacing was close enough to fit a 4004. It was a tight fit as you can tell from the pics, if I was to do it again I would get longer wires going to the jack and I would get the tone pot turned so the terminals face the center vol pot, I was just barely able to make this work.
I crimped everything together instead of soldering as this all has to come apart this summer for the refin, but everything works good and sounds great.

Did you have to drill out the hole that the switch was originally in?

I'd say yes, looking at the pot and contemplating the same on mine. Thats why I chose the stacked pots - didn't want to drill.

Way to go Mark ... the only thing I would do different is use the same size knobs on all 3 controls ...

and yes you do need to drill the toggle hole slightly larger ...

I think every 4004 owner should rewire their bass VVT ... or put in stacked pots ...

Anybody done the concentric conversion and kept the 3 way switch connected ?

Mark, is that a factory white paint job? And if you're going to refin, what color?

Mark's bass is Blueboy, Paul. He's going to have it refinished White.

"Anybody done the concentric conversion and kept the 3 way switch connected?"

Yes I have. But I rewired it neck pup/switch down and bridge pup/switch up, opposite from factory. Bass down/treble up to me is more intuitive.

Sorry for the washed out photos but it was late and the light was not good at the time. Bayou also has concentric pot setups, go to their website and check it out, the owner will build to your specs. When you drill out the switch hole use a Dremel with a router bit because you will have to enlarge and move the hole backwards in the cavity to get the pot to fit.
I would have used three knobs of the same size but I like to be different and this kind of gives it a J-bass vibe. I think that putting your mark on your work is important, people should be able to to see a rick five and be able to tell if it's a factory, Rath, or Gilbert five stringer.
Brian Crisman's also working on a white 4004, his is probably going to be an eight string, go Brian!

"When you drill out the switch hole use a Dremel with a router bit because you will have to enlarge and move the hole backwards in the cavity to get the pot to fit"

I did the opposite on the 4004CiiJPS you have. I drilled the hole to match the distance between all three pots and then used a Forstner bit the make the cavity slightly longer to accept the pretty large Clarostat conductive plastic pots that are in the bass. Post a pic of it when you get the time, Mark.

Yup, hadn't noticed that before, you've got the 4004CiiJPS/5 knobs on 1 5/8" centers, my Laredo has 1 1/2" centers which is pretty close. Anyway here's the pic....

I think every 4004 owner should rewire their bass VVT ... or put in stacked pots ...

Beating a dead horse here...but so far I've not felt constrained by the stock electronics on my 4004, but I am intrigued about doing the concentrics.

But after a year and a half I've found I get what I feel is the best bass sound I ever have gotten from my Laredo. So a part of me says "leave well enough alone".

Another part says that having volume and tone for each PU would be cool...

Mark, what's these guys web site?

http://bayoucables.com/

Go to "on line shopping" and then "wire harnesses".
This mod was pretty easy(IMO), I didn't have to do any soldering, I used tiny aircraft crimps with heat shrink and it only cost $30 w/$5 shipping. The hardest part was routing the hole for the front pot and it wasn't that bad, certainly not as bad as drilling the hole for a fifth tuner.

Real clean job.
Do you have a picture from the front before and after.

I'm thinking the concentrics are the way for me to go. Will have to see his price without the output jack and chrome knobs. But I think I should be able to do in about a month after I do a few corporate X-mas gigs.

Thanks!