Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm having one of the members do a 4004 mod for me to include 4002 pup placement. I found the thread here that had all the pup placement data from lots of members supplying their pup measurements, but from what I could find, it had 4002 measurements from just one 4002. I wanted to verify the 4002 pup placements in case that one 4002 measurement data had an error. The table data is all based on inches from the center of the pup to the body side of the 20th fret bar. Thanks!

You know, any excuse to get my 4002 out. Taking a standard yardstick, and putting the end of the yardstick against the inside edge of the nut, the center of the neck pickup is at 27 inches, and the center of the bridge pickup is at 31 inches. Since this gives the overall proportion to the scale length, I believe it is a more accurate measurement. I hope this helps.

Yep, I only got data from one 4002 owner. The measurements were taken from the middle of the 20th fret to the center of the pickups. This was done to avoid any discrepancies due to intonation adjustments on the bridge saddles.

Anyway, the one measurement I got was:
Neck: 4.75 (4 3/4)
Bridge: 8.21875 (8 7/32)

It would be great if a few other 4002 owners could make the measurements too so we could get a larger sample size. I don't think we need to get the measurements super precise, something in the range of 0.1 inch (or 1/16) is probably fine...

iiipopes wrote:You know, any excuse to get my 4002 out. Taking a standard yardstick, and putting the end of the yardstick against the inside edge of the nut, the center of the neck pickup is at 27 inches, and the center of the bridge pickup is at 31 inches. Since this gives the overall proportion to the scale length, I believe it is a more accurate measurement. I hope this helps.

That's true, but we chose the 20th fret assuming that it would be pretty consistent on Ricks having the same scale length, and is an easier (smaller) measurement to make...

So, using Scott's measurements, 27" from the nut and 31", we can calculate the measurements from the 20th fret.

On a 33.25 inch scale bass, the 20th fret should be 22.777 inches from the nut. So, we get:
Neck: 4.223
Bridge: 8.223

Which is a pretty close match for the bridge pickup, but about 1/2 inch difference for the neck pickup from the previous one...

Okay, I don't usually chime in on threads like this, but you're in luck - I have both a measure and a 4002 sitting right by the computer right now. I get the following:

Nut to Bridge - 33 inches
Tolex of neck pickup - 27 1/8 to 28 inches from nut
Tolex of bridge pickup - 30 5/8 to 31 1/2
Bridge covers 32 15/16 to 33 5/8, with the saddle contact points between 33 3/16 and 33 3/8.

Thanks Jason. Could I talk you into measuring just from the 20th fret bar to just the centers of the pickups? Your measurements indicate the pup centers themselves are 3.5" apart from each other, which is consistent with the table data.

Folks, all RIC 4000/1/2/3 basses all have 33 1/4 inch scale. Due to the vagaries of bridge placement, saddle offset for string intonation compensation, even the wobble of the gang saw cutting frets, the best measurement is from the inside edge of the nut. This is my experience after over 35 years of not only playing, but tinkering, modifying, and even designing my own fanned fret custom bass. And it was exactly, to less than 1/32, what I reported as measurements.

Scott- that's why I'd like to verify placement. Both the table data and your data indicate consistent bridge pup placement, but now we have an anomaly in neck pup placement as your measurements indicate a pup spread, center to center of 4". Table data and Jason's data indicate the spread of the pups, center to center, is 3.5". I'd like to see where the error lies.

coolhandjjl wrote:Scott- that's why I'd like to verify placement. Both the table data and your data indicate consistent bridge pup placement, but now we have an anomaly in neck pup placement as your measurements indicate a pup spread, center to center of 4". Table data and Jason's data indicate the spread of the pups, center to center, is 3.5". I'd like to see where the error lies.

I went back and checked my bass. The error is with me. I mistyped. 27 1/2 inches and 31 inches.