Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I recently got my first Ric, a 1975 4001 MG, and there are a few things I was wondering about.

1. I've heard people talk about plex vs. molded truss rod covers. When did they switch over, and is there any significance (mine is plex)?

2. Why do the tuning machines work in reverse? Is this normal? If so, when did this change?

3. What is the pickguard made out of? Mine is black, and it's really brittle and not flexible at all (like most pickguards are these days).

4. I noticed that my 4001 has a much lower output than my other bass (a p-bass with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder), so I took it to a local shop to compare it to some other Rics. They had a new 4003 and a 90s 4003s 8 (with a toaster at the neck). The 4003 had a slightly hotter output, and sounded a little tubbier. The 4003s 8 had a MUCH hotter output, and also sounded tubbier. I wasn't surprised that the 4003 was louder, but does anyone know why the 8 string would have been SO much louder than the 4003? I know the resistance of Ric pickups has increased since the 70s, but should there be such a difference between two relatively new, somewhat similar 4003s?

I think that's it, but I may think of other things later. Thanks for your input!

The pickups may be closer on the other bass, or maybe just the fact that there's twice as much string making resistance.

I'm pretty sure the plexi TRC's stopped by the early 70's. I'm not familiar with the PG's being brittle either. I hate to raise the point, but does your bass have two truss rods and a serial number?

The reverse tuners are a RIC thing. Totally normal.
You may want to check with Sergio if you consider rewinding or replacing the pickups.
Modern higains are hotter, but Segio can wind your pups to whatever strength you desire.

Your 4001 may have the treble pickup cap, a 4003 does not. You can run a shunt wire across the cap to run the pickup full range.

First off, the issue of the pickups being closer: I have adjusted mine as high as I can. They were definitely not lower than the basses I tried out. Also, I thought about the fact that there was twice as much string and picked just the bass strings on the 8-string. It was still super loud.

And yes, I've got a serial number and two rods. I thought of the possibilities of this being a fake and have come to the conclusion that it is definitely a Rickenbacker.

I've thought about rewinding, but I'm very hesitant to change the bass. Does rewinding effect the bass' value much?

My bass does have the treble cap, and I have plans to rig up a little switch to bypass the cap (don't worry, no permanent changes will be made to the bass). I was comparing it to a 4003 with the vintage tone switch, and the 4003 was still hotter.

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Anyone know about that pickguard? It's also kind of rough and uneven on the bottom side.

My 75 4001 has a molded TRC (mine is from February)

My '75 4001FL was a modified mess when I bought it. A previous owner did all kinds of nasty mods in the control cavity. It has the plexi TRC, the neck pickup route can accommodate the 1/2" or 1" spacing. Mine had the reverse tuners, I didn't like them. I changed them out for the new style RIC tuners. The old ones now reside on a fellow forumite's 4005. Mine is loud, has plenty of low end. It doesn't have the cap. When I bought it, seller also included brand new wiring harnesses that he never installed. I also replaced the neck higain with a toaster.

So are you saying that mine is molded as well? What are the characteristics of a molded guard? . . . And molded as oppose to what?

By the way, that's quite a pretty bass you have . . .

Thanks Ethan! If the letters are raised on the TRC, it's molded. If the top is smooth, it's a plexi TRC.

Oh, my fault, I was reading TRC but thinking pickguard for some reason. I get the whole TRC thing. Still wondering about the whole pickguard situation though. Mine seems to be quite a strange material . . .

Man, you guys are sure making me jealous with all your pretty reds!

Ethan, your pickguard was surely replaced with a poorly made aftermarket or homemade one. If you want to put a nice one on your bass that will fit right and look good, try here:
www.pickguardian.com.
A new 4003 pickguard will not properly fit your 4001.

The pickups on my '76 4001 are very low-output compared to any other bass I've owned. At one point I put Seymour (sp?) Duncans in it (shameful, I know, but I was ignorant) - within a day or two the originals were back in it. The originals just sound so good! You could consider some kind of preamp to boost the signal if necessary. I would think that it depends on how your rig is set up, also maybe if you switch basses a lot while playing live. These days, I only record at home, so it's not an issue 95% of the time.

Oh, and congratulations on your first Ric!

Joey, what makes you think that the pickguard is not original? It looks fine, I just think the material is a bit odd. Perhaps it is a replacement, I really don't know. I should take it off again and investigate. Can you guys describe your early-mid 70s pickguards (are they shiny, flexible, similar to the the pickguards of today or different in some way)? Did my description of the material make sense, and does anyone have an idea what it might be? hmmmm . . .

Check if there is paper adhesive tape under the pots. I believe genuine PG's always have this tape.

Just that you said it was rough and uneven on the bottom side. Like Lars said, check for the tape. It's possible that a previous owner damaged the pickguard.