4003.5 bass pics

[lumgimfong]

Not quite a 4004.
In my quest for humbuckers and wiring simplicity people have suggested creative ideas of using only one pup, or simplifying controls.
So for fun, here is what some variations on a 4003 would look like if I did this with HB1's on my 4003. Bear with my sloppy photo shopping.
Which aesthetic do you like best?

[jps]

Well, depending on whether you want one, or two, pickups I'd go with the bottom two photos. The control placement is nicely balanced that way with the pickguard shape.

But, what's with that control near the upper horn?

Here is a control harness I made many years ago for a 4001 I had. A friend of mine has the bass now, but I still have the pickguard with the harness on it. VVT plus a mini switch for the bridge pickup in-line cap.

It is available for sale at a very reasonable price if you are interested.

[lumgimfong]

That's what I thought,too. The second from bottom.

Here is an idea of what a 4001 FG would look like with a minimal pguard to show off the finish. Excuse my hideous photoshop skills.

[lumgimfong]

ps- that extra tone control by the horn is just because I was beyond the point of going back and too lazy to undo it when I finally noticed it was there.

[lumgimfong]

Better to have a chrome and smaller pguard on the 4001 I think.

[jps]

If you really want a small pickguard for just the control area I'd do a truncated teardrop shape to tie the pickguard into that classic Rick shape. You'd still have to deal with the neck pickup route and its lead channel to the main cavity. Better you should just keep the classic pickguard as it is used on a 4000 model.

[marcinkus]

My 4003s to 4000 conversion

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=414716

[jdogric12]

I like the 4th photo - like a 4000. But it might be neat to have the wiring harness of an old tulip - 1 pickup, 2 knobs, 3-way switch for tone up, tone down, tone engaged. Or even the earlier 2-way switch for bass boost.