Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

OK, raise your hands if this bass looks familiar.

OK, now keep your hands up if you owned it at some point.

I thought so. Yes, this is the 4004Cii that was in Jeff Scott's possession when it needed a new truss rod and had to go back to the factory. It is perhaps the one responsible for revealing a design oversight. When RIC "dropped" the pickups toward the bridge, there was no longer easy access to push out broken rods, so they had to route a couple of channels between the fretboard and neck pickup. They refinished it quite well. I think shortly after that RIC moved the p/u's back "up" on production 4004s. I think Jeff put a couple of toasters in it, as well as the VVT mod(?). Anyway, I'm not sure who had it next, but eventually Mark Gilbert converted it to a five-string. Then it was sold to Brian Crisman who planned on converting it further to an 8- or 10-string beast, but he never got a round Tuit. I bought it from him last spring. I had a local guitar builder reinstall the Humbucking pickups and wiring, then I reinstalled the bridge, tuners, TRC (a V63 type), and put on a new set of TI Jazz Rounds today. The bridge is kinda scary. The adjustable saddles just rest on a flat, frameless metal slab with a short "L" to hold the string butts. I had to do a little tweak of the trusses and raise the saddles quite a bit, but she intones well and has low action. It has a fairly low buzz that seems to be coming from the tone pot. I'll call the local guy and see what's up.

Now the struggle begins; this is my first attempt on a five-string, and I play be ear (OK, and with my fingers ), so there will be some positioning problems at first, I'm sure. Anyway, here are the official portraits:

Um.....

Can I put my hand down, now?

I sold it to Chris Pappas who sold it to Mark Gilbert who sold it to Brian Crisman who sold it to you. Whew!!!

You'll do fine, just think of it as a four string with an added low B and it will come pretty easily, with time, and a bit of practice, and a little luck, and a bit of.......

That's pretty cool Paul, glad to see you get some use out of one of my experiments. This bass taught me that you don't do things like this to natural finish instruments, it's hard to go back. The bridge was an experiment too, if I would have known that Hipshot would have made a bridge with no dividers (they will if you ask them), I would have gone that route. A Schaller 496 will work too w/16mm spacing, if you've seen the newer 4004's they have Schaller bridges now.

I don't see your hand up, Mark!

markbass99 wrote:That's pretty cool Paul, glad to see you get some use out of one of my experiments.

I think the real experiment will be Paul and the B string!

jps wrote:

markbass99 wrote:That's pretty cool Paul, glad to see you get some use out of one of my experiments.

I think the real experiment will be Paul and the B string!

It's just another string, mang.

Don't be too heavy handed on the B, it's heavy enough as it is. Too much B string (below the E) spoils the pot. Save that deep BOOM for when you want to make a huge impact.

I have a hard time thinking about playing 4 stringers now.

I'd love to play a 4004 5er. That might make my whole year.

Congrats, Paul.

I currently have two Zon 5 stringers, I used to have a third one, plus in the late '80s till early '90s I had a Yamaha BX-5. In '00 I bought a Rick Turner RB5FL, but sold that as the neck was a baseball bat; I now have the 4 string version of it, the RB4FL.

For me.....in the log run.........a 5 string is easy to play. More across the fingerboard movement instead of vertical reaching .

Great looking bass Paul, when thinking of the fifth string, just remember its only 5 extra notes. , well sort of...

I've only seen a pic of one of your Zons Jeff, you got a pic of the other one?

How do you like the composite neck?

No pics of the fretted one; at the moment it is back at Zon having some mods done to it, a second pickup is being installed and some new electronics. I wanted to ad some more versatility to the fretted bass, as the single pickup was somewhat limiting. Once it is back I will make some photos and post them. Imagine the spalted maple Zon but with a burl California walnut top instead.

Lovely, Paul!

Do you sense somewhat softer volume coming from the B and G strings? I asked because those 2 strings are a little outside of the magnetic wondows of the pickups for my eyes.

There is a bit of drop off on the G string with the bridge pickup, but I usually have both pickups on and it's not terribly noticeable with both on. Still trying to figure the buzz. I'm pretty sure the wire to the bridge is making contact, but when I touch the strings or the bridge, the buzzing gets louder. When I turn the tone knob down (less bright), the buzz becomes almost imperceptible. Volume knobs don't seem to have much affect on the buzz. Anyone?

ooh,nice,paul ! i've always admired the grain striping on that bass,and the rear pickup is right where it needs to be . this bass has certainly had a journey,hasn't it?