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5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:28 pm
by bobaloo
Hi guys - newbie here...I looked through the previous posts, and could not find any discussions about finding that glorious 4003 "bark" in a 5 string pickup. I sold my last 4 string Ric 4003 a few months ago, along with all my other 4 string basses, and fully committed to the 5 string instruments. Have not found a 5 string with the balls of my Ric yet. Any suggestions for me? Thanks
Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:50 pm
by jps
Welcome, Robert!
Martin Keith Elfin 5 with Citron pickups and passive electronics gets the job done for me!
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Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:49 pm
by cassius987
If you want it to sound like a Ric, you'll probably want low impedance (single coil or parallel humbucking). But you also need to remember the position of the pickup and the other features of the bass that make the string resonate the way it does also affect the sound.
Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 8:21 pm
by bobaloo
Thanks you guys: Yes, I want it to sound like a 4003. Several routes to take, but all have to end up with 5 strings, and I am looking for specific 5 string pickup suggestions as a first choice - I have a few 5 string basses with 34" scale I would gladly hot rod - necks I like, but nothing I have found recreates the single coil bark of my old Ric.
My favorite bass necks have a fairly narrow 1 3/4" nut, and standard bridge spacing. I would also consider having a custom bass built if I can find the sound.
I can't be the only dude looking for the Ric sound in a 5 string.
I saw a few posts (elsewhere) regarding shoving 5 slugs in a Ric pickup, but all admit they are really too narrow - especially for the B string.
I've had lots of Fenders, Mosrite, Music Man, Alembic, Gibson and other basses, and the closest I found was an older Tobias Growler with a single Bartolini pickup, a big square dude that I believe might have been the parallel humbucker you mention. It has a ton of tone controls and a good sound, but not that single coil/passive combo.
Somebody must make em! Robert
Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:03 am
by ram
Is there anything wrong with a 4003s5?
Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:32 am
by cassius987
bobaloo wrote:I can't be the only dude looking for the Ric sound in a 5 string.
Nope!
Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:55 pm
by ken_j
That appears to have a Wilkinson bridge. You don't see those to often. I just sold a four string version last year.
Re: 5 string "Ric" pickups
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:08 pm
by aceonbass
I think that only a Rick bass sounds just like a Rick bass, so if you want a 5-string that sounds like a Rick you need to start with a Rick. 4003S5's or converted 4003's like Joshua's have that sound (I'm only guessing Joshua's does since I haven't heard it), but string spacing is still fairly narrow. The very rare 4004Cii5 sounds great, but the neck is really wide and the pickups aren't wide enough for even string response on the B&G strings on all the ones I've played. I've found that the wider necks on 4004's made up until they went to the narrower 4003 neck are just right for conversion, offering a 15.5mm string pitch. Stock HB1's cover this spacing well and sound great.
