4003 vs 4001c64

[fab49er]

Can someone tell me the difference in sound between the two? I recently bought a new 4003. I always thought the c64 was basically the same bass with 'vintage' body. Last week, at the guitar show, I was looking at a C64 (first time "in person"). I really liked it. Asking $2600. I was told the pickups, neck, wood and sound completely diff than the 4003. I did really liked it but ... is there a difference in sound?

[fab49er]

Me again. I just found a thread in the Ric site comparing a new 4003 and 4001c64. They say the 4003 sound is more bottom end, which is probably more appealing to me. more P bass sound ??

[cassius987]

Hm. I don't know, they're so similar that I bet you could get one to sound very nearly like the other with not that much work. Seems to me the pickups are the only real difference that would contribute to the tone, and the .0047 cap not having a bypass available. (So a 4003 would be "bassier" if you considered this, but it's an easy thing to fix.) I hope that helps...

Truth is I've never played a 4001C series so I can't be much help.

[johnallg]

Robert, lift the tone pot to engage the tone cap on the 4003 and you will have a pretty decent idea of what the C64 will sound like. Not identical, but close.

[sloop_john_b]

I played the brand new Fireglo c64 at the POTR booth at the King of Prussia show this past weekend. Didn't get to plug it in, but what struck me immediately were that the pickup shoes were now "bent up" like the originals (wonder if that'll affect the sound any? I doubt it) and that the 2-piece neck had an incredibly thin and comfy profile to it. I've owned two c64's in the past (both 2003 models IIRC) and neither of them felt or looked nearly this good!

The satin Jetglo c64s looked pretty wicked too.

[jps]

.....what struck me immediately were that the pickup shoes were now "bent up" like the originals (wonder if that'll affect the sound any? I doubt it).

Trust me, it sounds better with the shoes bent up.

[rickaddict]

.....what struck me immediately were that the pickup shoes were now "bent up" like the originals (wonder if that'll affect the sound any? I doubt it).

Trust me, it sounds better with the shoes bent up.

And better still, with them off!

[jps]

Pay no attention to him!

[rickaddict]

Pay no attention to him!

[woodyng]

the newer pickups' shoes are not a functional part of the pickup,so whether the shoes are on,off,flat,or bent should make no difference.....(?) As to the various pickups sounds, it seems that the hotter the pickup,the less clarity you get,but more of a ballsy sound. i have really got to get a meter reading on my 4000's higain someday,when i figure out how to do that.......(have i ever mentioned i'm not very technical-minded? ) i think the recent c64 would have a scatterwound toaster,which would be a "cleaner" sound than the hot neck position higain. if i remember right,the reissue horseshoe is about as hot as the neck position higain on the 4003.....helpful?

[fab49er]

I am a new Ric owner. What do you mean "shoes are bent up"? ??

[JakeK]

Trust me, it sounds better with the shoes bent up.

The shoes on your V63 bent up, Jeff? Or do you do like Macca and rarely use the HS pickup?

[teeder]

The shoes on my V63 are slightly bent up. I didn't do it, so I have no idea if it's factory or not. What I do know is the hot HS sounds great! However, I never could get a sound that I liked from the hot Toaster. I swapped it out for a '60's Toaster and now I'm in Heaven!

[bpguitar]

What do you mean "shoes are bent up"? ??

Robert -
See photo - on the left is a 2009 C64, on the right is a 2000 V63. At least on mine, the shoes on the V63 are flat (parallel) with the face but the C64 are slightly "bent upwards". Why this is will have to be explained by one of the more seasoned Ric owners on this board because I don't know either....

[cassius987]

i have really got to get a meter reading on my 4000's higain someday,when i figure out how to do that...

It's so easy a Joshua Chandler can do it. Basically just plug in a 1/4'' cable to the mono out, use the switch to isolate the pickup of interest (uh... in your 4000 I guess this isn't an issue!), then take the two probes from an ohm-meter and measure directly on the metal plug. You'll get a slight resistance drop IIRC, but it'll be really close--maybe off by +/- 100 ohms. (For instance my neck Toaster in my 4003FL measures 6.7 kohm outside of the bass and 6.8 in the harness.) If your ohm meter (or multimeter) has options, you want to make sure it's set for resistance and that you're around the right resistance range--2 kohms is going to be too low, so I set mine for the next option--20 kohms--and that does the trick.