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It can be a challenge to hear examples of 4004 basses on record, as it were, but in Paul Weller's recent live appearances his bass player (Andy Lewis) can be seen rocking a 4004 bass - a Cheyenne, I think, in Montezuma Brown. Currently on his home page (http://www.paulweller.com) there's a video that spotlights that 4004 a few times. This video is promoting his "Just a Dream - 22 Dreams Live" DVD.

I'm not a huge Paul Weller fan or anything. I was just pleasantly surprised and thought I'd share the find. (Note: there are other "22 Dreams" clips on YouTube, notably the BBC 4 Sessions where Lewis appears to be playing a translucent red 4004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR-CjqBu ... r_embedded#).

The 4004 sounds good!

Nice. That'll put a spring in your step.

Cheyenne. Just a few seconds before the clip recycles, you can see the gold hardware around the pickups. Nifty!

Hmmm... is this the 4004's first moment of fame-dom-itude?????

Having played two by now, I think they're freakin' lovely. Really GASing for one, which sucks, because I'm at my 3 bass limit.

I like how these clips illustrate how the 4004-sound can sit in a mix. The HB-1 pickups (and in the case of the Cheyenne, the woods too) give the 4004 a different voice, but it still sounds like a RIC. Is it unmistakably a RIC? I'm not sure yet...

I adore my '08 4004L (FG). I'd prefer a more 60s-feeling neck and individual volumes for the pickups, I've ordered a Hi-Gain from Chris@POTR for the treble position, but I love not having that big chrome pickup surround. That was the main reason I went for a 4004. I like being able to pluck or pick the strings anywhere around the pickups. 4004s are also uncommonly beautiful and somewhat rare, which is fun.

danclaro wrote:... but I love not having that big chrome pickup surround. That was the main reason I went for a 4004. I like being able to pluck or pick the strings anywhere around the pickups...

I also like being able to pluck or pick the strings anywhere around the pickups. But I love the big chrome pickup surround!

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cassius987 wrote: Having played two by now, I think they're freakin' lovely. Really GASing for one, which sucks, because I'm at my 3 bass limit.

3 bass limit? Why?!

cassius987 wrote:Hmmm... is this the 4004's first moment of fame-dom-itude?????

I think Lemmy's playing of his (modified) 4004LK has given plenty of fame-dom-itude to the line, if not to the sound.

bassduke49 wrote:

cassius987 wrote:Hmmm... is this the 4004's first moment of fame-dom-itude?????

I think Lemmy's playing of his (modified) 4004LK has given plenty of fame-dom-itude to the line, if not to the sound.

But Lemm'y's 4004LK is not really like the standard production Cii and Laredo basses.

rickenbrother wrote:

bassduke49 wrote:

cassius987 wrote:Hmmm... is this the 4004's first moment of fame-dom-itude?????

I think Lemmy's playing of his (modified) 4004LK has given plenty of fame-dom-itude to the line, if not to the sound.

But Lemm'y's 4004LK is not really like the standard production Cii and Laredo basses.

Yeah, it is the Supreme Being of the 4004 series.

rickenbrother wrote:

bassduke49 wrote:

cassius987 wrote:Hmmm... is this the 4004's first moment of fame-dom-itude?????

I think Lemmy's playing of his (modified) 4004LK has given plenty of fame-dom-itude to the line, if not to the sound.

But Lemm'y's 4004LK is not really like the standard production Cii and Laredo basses.

Being the only 4004 with binding, it seems almost a push to call it part of toe 4004 family, but I suppose the bridge, pickups (even though there are 3) and control configuration makes it a 4004. Otherwise, just looking at it, as different as it is from the rest of the 4004 line, I'm not sure a lot of people would make the connection...

Yeah, I think Lemmys bass is really not a 4004. It is a thing of its own.