Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I picked up a 2003 Jetglo 4003 and converted to a 5 string bass for a guy in France. It had a few scratched and dings but the neck is sweet. I stripped off the hardware and gave it a scratchx and zymol treatment. Then I installed black hardware and black plastic. I even used black screws where I could. It turned out pretty good. The only problem is I would like to keep it.
More opictures on this link here.

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/2003-4003-bt.htm

Fine-looking bass, Jeff...Goth, indeed...

You may have already addressed this issue, but how do you decide where to put that 5th tuner? I have seen a few done with the peg through the Kewpie Kurl, instead.

Oh, sorry. Kewpie Kurl:

Someday I'd like to 4-2-5 a 4003 or 4004. However, I'd prefer to plug the two exiting holes on the bass side of the headstock and make three new ones. I think it would look much better as well as be easier to tune.

Paul ... it seemed like the best place to put the 5th tuner to me ...

But if someone is willing to remove a headwing and refinish the bass then you could do something like this ...
you could use the 4 existing holes and just replace the top headwing and just add one more hole. Then you wouldn't have to fill any holes.

When I do a conversion I try to keep the cost down and try not to fill existing holes and refinish the bass.

Gotcha. But how about in the middle of the curl?

I thought about that one ... but for several reasons I went the other way ...

Te only reason I ask is that I've got one of these in for a refin, and it doesn't look bad...haven't played it though...

Maybe in the future I will utilize your services if I have a customer who is willing to pay more ...

I like that black 4003 and have no problem tuning my Rathed 4-2-5 .

Not trying to drum up business, Jeff, just picking your brain a bit...

I can't see any functional reason for locating the 5th where you do, or in the center of the curlicue as in the one I'm repainting. Hence my posts.

When I put the tuner on the treble side I can get 3 evenly spaced tuners ... The tuners on the bass side are almost 2" apart, so to put a 3rd tuner in there you have to get one way up in the horn. Almost off the edge of the horn. Or put them in assymetrically. Or add a headwings and drill and fill holes. ARRGHH!

One of the things I like about the p-bass neck is there is plenty of room for a 5th string and there is a nice place for a 5th tuner on the treble side of the headstock.

The solution I came up with is the simpliest least intrusive, it changes the look of the headstock the least, it does not require a refinish, it only requires the drilling of one hole, no holes have to be filled, and it works.

Hey Paul, are you talking about the green boy Laredo fiver I sent you? If yes, than it's one of three conversions I did where I put the hole in "the wave". There is a method to my madness though, I'm going to use Hipshot Ultralite cloverleaf tuners and they won't work in any other configuration than that one. I don't think you're going to be able to play it though, I didn't send it with any hardware, I even took the truss rods out. You could be talking about somebody else's bass but I haven't heard of anybody crazy enough to drill a hole there.....yet. I put cloverleafs on the Cii conversion I did almost two years ago, I'll get off my lazy butt sometime and take some pics.

Thanks to both of you; Jeff for sharing the wealth that is knowledge about your own well-known 4-2-5 conversions; Mark for clarifying your reasons for doing it "your" way. It is your green-boy I'm referring to, and the reason I'll never play it like this is precisely that you only sent a carcass. (It's in the short queue for the spray booth, finally, BTW)

This is possibly the best example I've seen of things coming together this way--in only three posts--to provide a majority of knowledge on a very specific topic.

if you want to do a 4-2-5 you are looking at choices like these ...
For my tastem the first one looks more "Rickenbacker" to me