Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm trying to establish a timeline for feature changes on the 4004 series basses, and I hope Forumites can help. It seems that the first model Cheyenne (with the walnut body and head wings, maple neck and fretboard) started in '93. Same with the all-maple Laredo.

Now, it appears that around 2000, the Cheyenne II (4004Cii) appeared. Or was it earlier? Or later? Also, the first of the Ciis seemed to have a different "hybrid" structure of walnut body wings and maple neck (just like the original 4004C), but with a figured maple top and bubinga fretboard. The most famous of these appear to be the coveted "quilted" Mapleglos. These also appear to have the pickups in the new "lowered" position.

After a while (but when?), the body structure changed to the current style with the maple top and back sandwiching a walnut core.

The Laredo's are another matter. Did the change in pickup position and fretboard material coincide with those on the Cheyenne II? Recent surfacing of a Midnight Blue Laredo from 00 shows a maple fretboard (old) but the pickups in the lowered (new) position.

It would appear that these changes were gradual, but if I can ask Forumite 4004 owners to check their features and manufacturing dates, it would help get these feature timelines straight for the book. Just post 'em here. Thanks!

I have a 98 4004ci and it has walnut body wings, oil finish, walnut headwings, and the pickups are closer to the neck.

My Tranny Red 4004 CII "covergirl" is dated '02, with the pickups farther away from the fingerboard, highly figured top and back with a walnut core, unfinished neck and maple headwings.

My 4004CiiTR, dated 2004, also has the far PU position, same corpus structure like Scott's, but a finished fingerboard (bubinga)and neck and walnut head wings.

'05 4004CiiTG.....unfinished bubinga fretboard
'05 4004 Laredo......coated bubinga fretboard
'94 4004Ci....maple fretboard

All of 'em are with p/u's close to neck and are "standard" for the time of production.

April 1995 4004Ci: walnut body and headstock wings; oil finish on body, neck, and maple fretboard; pickups close to the neck.

It seems that the first model Cheyenne (with the walnut body and head wings, maple neck and fretboard) started in '93.

It would have to be more like '89 or '90, as I have some recollection of specific events involving these that couldn't have been any later than this.

2003 Cii, Mapleglo: maple/walnut/maple sandwich, pickups away from the finished fingerboard.

Thanks, all. Keep 'em coming.

John Hall, any light you can shed will be extremely helpful. The earliest catalog, and so far, the earliest Cheyenne I've been able to document is '93. (I have a '92 2060 which appears to have a similar fretboard and wiring arrangements as the Cheyenne/Laredo setup. Different pickups, of course, but the microswitch/vol/tone controls may be the same(?).)

October 2004 Fireglo Laredo.

PU away from the finished fingerboard. Has walnut headstock wings.

The earliest 4004 I have ever seen is 1993 ...

One 4004cii I worked on appeared to have an unfinished bubinga fretboard ... another seemed to have a conversion varnish finish that was rubbed with a scratch pad to make it appear unfinished or to degloss the finish on the fret board ...

Okay, I did some digging. The very first one of these was completed somewhere between 11/23 and 11/29/1989, because I remember having it in hand at a specific event on those days (which I don't care to discuss).

is the fiver ever coming back?

I got the same ones Johnny B's got-
03 Cii maple/wal/maple, pup off neck
05 Laredo, pup on neck.

Jaymi,shhhhh...we got him digging for production info. Let's wait a while longer till we spring that one on him again.