4004 control cavity plate and wiring

[vulcan_creedler]

Anybody know why the control cavity cover plate on the 4004 basses is proud of the body? It would have been easy to recess it into the body, and IMO look a lot nicer! I only ask, as I'm thinking of buying one!

Dane - I'd welcome your comments on how to improve the stock wiring too, but keep the HB1s. Possibly 500k volume and tone, with a brighter capacitor, and a push/pull coil tap?

Guy

[cjj]

To recess it would require one more machining operation and therefore take more time and cost more money so, I suspect they didn't recess it because it really doesn't matter or get in the way.

I changed the wiring on mine to have stacked 500k pots for V/T on each pickup, then used the 4002 schematic with 0.1uF and 0.01uF caps, 10M resistors. Then I added a stereo jack and switch to select Standard/Rick-O-Sound, a couple of switches for coil taps on each pickup, and finally, a couple of switches to bypass the 0.01uF in-line caps. Totally reversible to stock too.

[vulcan_creedler]

To recess it would require one more machining operation and therefore take more time and cost more money so, I suspect they didn't recess it because it really doesn't matter or get in the way.]

Kind of the same thinking I'd come too, but I mentioned it just in case there were issues like clearance with the pots especially if push/pull are used!

BTW - your new wiring looks thoroughly impressive! With coil taps, you'll presumabl;y get to a very similar tone to a 4001 or earlier 4003?

Guy

[rickenbrother]

Anybody know why the control cavity cover plate on the 4004 basses is proud of the body? It would have been easy to recess it into the body, and IMO look a lot nicer!

As a proud owner of some 4004's, this never occurred to me. I have an Ibanez BTB Q405 and a Carlo Robelli 12 string bass. Both of them have the control/battery covers recessed into the body as you describe. Both can be a real pain to get the covers out. The 4004...remove two screws...cover is off, never got in my way.

[woodyng]

Hi,Guy! I have 2 4004's that have Dane's rewiring set up,with 500k coil tap push-pull pots for each pickup.one bass is wired VVT,and the other is wired like a 4003,that is,with 2 vol,2tones,and a pickup selector switch. With being able to engage the coil taps separately,you can get some really nice tone combinations. On both basses,i usually have the neck pickup in tapped mode,and the bridge full coil for a sound i really like. I used to have a bass that had the recessed metal back plate,and had the same problem Joey mentioned. (It was aluminum,too,so i couldn't just lift it off with a magnet.)

[aceonbass]

Guy....Yes to all of your questions about improving the wiring. I've done several wiring harnesses for 4004's that are a drop in. They upgrade the stock set-up to VVT with coil taps on the 500K volume controls, and an NOS Ajax Blue cap wired to the 500K tone control.

[vulcan_creedler]

Dane, does the hole on the body that originally had the pickup switch need enlarging for V V T, or is it the same size as the 2 pot holes?

Can you PM with costs? also - if you have in stock an extra chrome 4004 knob!

I've yet to get the bass, but......VERY SOON!!!!!!

Guy

[woodyng]

Hey Guy,RIC has the chrome knobs for sale on the boutique section of their website. (But not the gold ones for some reason...)
Edit...sorry just saw u are not in the U.S.....

[Kopfjaeger]

Wow Dane, that harness looks very familiar!!

The harness Dane manufactures is a drop in fit and a work of art. While I have not yet installed mine, that will be done this weekend. The small toggle hole in my bass needed to be enlarged lightly since the threaded part of the pot. barrel was a little snug. It was no big undertaking. A small piece of fine sandpaper rolled up and 10 seconds of friction and it was "good to go" .

Sepp

[vulcan_creedler]

Hey Guy,RIC has the chrome knobs for sale on the boutique section of their website. (But not the gold ones for some reason...)
Edit...sorry just saw u are not in the U.S.....

Woody! Yup - complete bummer that us decent folk in the UK cannot buy from the Boutique. spares in the UK, whether via Fleabay or the UK importer, or a couple of "well-known vendors" are extortionately high, compared to the boutique prices.


Guy

[Colonel Sanders]

Woody! Yup - complete bummer that us decent folk in the UK cannot buy from the Boutique. spares in the UK, whether via Fleabay or the UK importer, or a couple of "well-known vendors" are extortionately high, compared to the boutique prices.


Guy

Indeed. My personal opinion is that the "regional distributor" business model is doomed for extinction with the increase of on-line commerce.

This won't make much of a difference for situation where the demand exceed the offer like Rickenbacker.

[Kopfjaeger]

OMG!!!! I took the plunge today and installed Dane's harness in my one off 4004 Cii. What a huge difference in tone! This is no longer the same bass! Instant Rickenbacker snarl very comparable to my 4003 basses yet fuller sounding. Dane you are "the man"! I was seriously thinking of putting her up for sale because I was unhappy with the tone I was getting. That is no longer going to happen. This bass now sounds as awesome as she looks!!

Sepp

[aceonbass]

Awesome Sepp! I'm glad I was able to help solve your tone problem. Time for a video/sound clip now!

[woodyng]

EXCELLENT!!! I'm glad to hear the mod renewed your passion for that very cool bass,Sepp!

[vulcan_creedler]

I've yet to get the bass, but......VERY SOON!!!!!!

Dammit - I missed the midnight blue 4004L on Ebay! Right - I'll keep hunting!

I did however buy a 1998 4003 body/pickguard/bridge/pup-ring from Gibsondependable!!! So - all the hot wiring from my 4001 will go into it, and the 4001 will revert to as-built condition! It's already in the for-sale section!

I don't actually know why I bought the 98 4003 body. I think it is a guilt thing, having the 4001 so heavily modified, so I have the chance to put it back as Ric intended! Unfortunately, she-who-must-be-obeyed more or less insists on a guitar policy of "One-in, One-out"!!!! S'pose she's right - she always is! Therefore the 4001 has to go! Not sure how (when I find the right one) that I will slip a 4004 into the house, unseen!