Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Pictures aren't great, but the bass looks to be in good shape:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2367218780&category=4713

The one I bought from Dave Westheimer has become my main player and I've come to prefer it over the 4001/3s in my collection.

Wow!, only $3 extra to ship outside the USA. I wonder if he'll give me the number of his freight company ?
Seriously though, its a nice looking bass, wouldnt mind it if I hadn't just forked out for another 4001...

That bass would make a nice 5 string ... a new bridge, a new nut, a new tuner, and then wire it volume, volume, tone ...

I think this question has been covered before, but I'd appreciate it any way if someone could fill me in - what's the difference tonally between these and the 4004 Cii, and the 4004L ? Are the differences subtle?

I could give a comparison between the 4004C-I and C-ii as I have both basses, but I have never played the Laredo model. There are definite differences in tone between the two I have and as the Laredo has a traditional finish I would guess it's brighter sounding than the C-I, but doesn't have as much presence as the C-ii,largely because of pickup placement. Just my two cents....

Robert,

Does the C-I have more low mids? Is it warmer and fatter?

- Tim

I have a 4004L ... I have never played a 4004C or 4004CII ... but moving the pickups and changing the fretboard material has to have some effect ...

I would guess the CII sounds better due to the wood change and pickup location ...

I've never heard a CII but I suspect I wouldn't like the change in pickup location on the CII (and new 4004L) as well as the original.

But then again, I love my Gibson EB-0. Go figure.

I used to have an Eb0 ... pretty bass ... not too versatile though ... they do the smooth deep sound very well, but not much else ... you won't get a Geddy Lee or Chris Squire tone out of those ...

the short scale made for easy fingering ...

I've never tried to get a Geddy Lee or Chris Squire tone out of any bass. Definitely not my taste.

I had a Cherry Red EB-2, great sounding bass, the big boom! It was a 32" medium scale bass with one big giant humbucker like the EB-0. That's one bass I regret selling. the next one will be the two pickup model as I'm definitely getting another one. I also want an EB-1 like Felix Pappaliardi had.
Maybe an OLP Philco signature model, what do you think Phil? haha!

they sell epiphone re-issue models of the Gibson sg basses ... eb0 and eb3 ... and for people like me a five string model ...

Bob, the OLP Philco Signature Model will come with a photocopy of my derriere on the back and a great big kiss on each cheek because anybody who would pay extra for it is doing just that!

Anyway, forget the cheap Chinese copies, Bob. I just bought a mint condition Spector ReBop 4 with EMG soapbar humbuckers and the infamous Aguilar OBP-1 18V preamp. It has the lightweight alder body in glossy amber finish, so I named it Blondie. Blackie (my 4004L) and Blondie make a good pair. Opposites attract, you know.

Anyway, I placed the bid on eBay after drinking a bit too much the other night. My bid was low and I had little expectations of winning. I was surprised that I won it when I checked my bids. I lost all the other bids except one. Now, if somebody would outbid me on that excellent condition Hohner G3T (Steinberger guitar copy), I would really appreciate it. It only takes a $202.52 bid to do it. Great little guitar, with great reviews, but I can always pick one of those up later as they are selling very well. Anyway, still a bargain if I win ($750 MSRP). Go ahead, SNIPE ME!!!

Anyway, that was a REALLY good bottle of Shiraz that got me my Spector.

P.S. I have the original 4004L from the first year of production in June, 93. It is 100% maple, including the body wings, when I checked the control cavities. No cavity shielding, but still fairly quiet. In spite of the maple fretboard, it is still a VERY bassy sounding bass. My SB4 with rosewood fretboard is MUCH brighter sounding. The 4004L maintains clarity in spite of the heavy bass sound. I would say definitely more clear sounding than the old Gibson humbucker basses. You CAN get a punchy sound out of it, but it is NOT a good bass for getting the Squire & Lee sound as Dave has noted. Like Dave, I do not consider the Squire & Lee sound to be the best example of Rickenbacker bass sound. McCartney & McVie would be preferable to me. I know McVie uses an Alembic, but the 4004 would be good to emulate his sound style. When played through speakers that are flat to 40 Hz (and most are not), the 4004 has a subwoofer quality to the sound, or "earthquake generator" as I call it as it is more felt than heard. It would be awesome in 5-string version with Acme Low B2 cabs I suppose. Spector basses, by contrast, are for more of an Entwistle sound. Good deep bass is available, but very extended on the top end without harshness. Kind of an "improved StingRay" type of sound. Spector is much more adventurous in trying different woods, pickups, preamps, and neck-thru design than Ernie Ball is, and builds up to true highest end boutique levels if you have the scratch to satisfy that itch. The 4004L to me would be thought of as an "improved Gibson" type of sound. Anybody that liked their old Gibson bass and wants something darker than the all pervading Fender tone should really try a 4004 of any model. As always, the Rickenbacker bass has a tonal range that can't be closely imitated by any other bass (you MIGHT be able to imitate one particular sound it makes). I suspect the tone is mostly centered in the pickup construction and how they attach to the body, and not the choice of fretboard or body woods, or even different finishes.

I honestly don't understand why the 4004 hasn't become one of the most popular basses among top players, other than the fact that RIC doesn't keep enough 4004's in stores and they continue to concentrate more on the 4003 for some unexplained reason. Those mini-humbucker bass pickups are like having an active preamp as far as output voltage is concerned. When running through a SansAmp RBI, you get the tonal range of an active bass as well. The 4004 would sell like crazy if RIC would just keep them in music stores. I think Ed Roman finally got a few in, as he is greatly expanding his boutique bass selection for 2004.

I know all about the dangers of a night of simultaneous drinking and E-Baying!