Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Would like to get a 5-string ric.
Anyone heard of any plans?

Good one!

jdogric12 wrote:

Good one!

Now, now. Be nice Jason!

?

If there are plans, they're not public.

Someone who works for RIC contacted me for specific details about my custom Paul W.-created 5-string Ric. That suggested to me there is some interest. But the conversation was pretty short. I will say, if my custom bass is any indication, the notion that a Ric can't give you a good B string is patently false.

I'm rooting more for the 4003FL or SFL to come back.

"custom Paul W.-created 5-string Ric."?

Don't remember seeing that one,,could you post a pic?

lumgimfong wrote:?

It's been considered quite the long shot for years now. With Rath's 4-2-5 conversions on the used market, it's unlikely there's sufficient interest to justify a production run. The hardware cost alone is probably one of the biggest factors. Just like a reissue 4005, everyone wants one, but nobody wants to pay for one.

There is a guy who posts on Talkbass that does some really nice 4 to 5 string conversions, short of finding an old one, that's your best option these days. He uses standard 4003 or 4004 bodies, so the string spacing may be a little tight for some, but his work is impeccable.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/4-stri ... t-20103360

cassius987 wrote:...the notion that a Ric can't give you a good B string is patently false.

Exactly. I had one Rath 4-2-5, another from someone else who put the extra tuner on top, and did a Rath-ish of my own. Never a moment of trouble with the B string. But then I hated how sick I felt when I took a drill to the head stock and stick with B-E-A-D tuning these days. Same effect, great B string.

Here's my Paul W.-customized 4003/5.

Gilmourisgod wrote:There is a guy who posts on Talkbass that does some really nice 4 to 5 string conversions, short of finding an old one, that's your best option these days. He uses standard 4003 or 4004 bodies, so the string spacing may be a little tight for some, but his work is impeccable.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/4-stri ... t-20103360

How come Jeff slammed the door here?

Nice bass.

wim wrote:

Gilmourisgod wrote:There is a guy who posts on Talkbass that does some really nice 4 to 5 string conversions, short of finding an old one, that's your best option these days. He uses standard 4003 or 4004 bodies, so the string spacing may be a little tight for some, but his work is impeccable.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/4-stri ... t-20103360

How come Jeff slammed the door here?

Jeff Rath was banned from the RRF.

I did this 2010 4004L MID 5 string conversion several years ago. In order to get the proper spacing on the treble side tuners, I dowelled the tuner holes and redrilled them. The whole bass was refinished due to the original NEW finish peeling badly. I used a heavily modified 4003 tailpiece with a custom bridge insert as well.

Did the original 4004cii/5 basses have a wider fingerboard, or was it the same as the four string 4004?
If its the former, RIC was close to building a great 5 string. The downfall of those original 4004cii/5 basses was the use of pickups from the 2000 series basses. They simply weren't wide enough to provide proper string coverage. There was significant signal drop off on the G and B strings. Its a shame the 4004cii/5 was shelved rather than sorting out the pickup issue - I would love to have one!