Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So, currently considering giving a 4004 another try at some point and can find very few CIIs, but a couple of Laredos. In my experience with very early versions, I’d say the Laredos were typically a bit brighter, but I have no experience of more recent Laredos with the bubinga board.

Allowing for the fact that individual instruments will differ somewhat, anyone with experience care to comment on the differences/similarities?

They've always sounded the same to me.

I guess the problem is it’s very subjective. I’ve never heard 2 Rics of any type that sound exactly the same, across many hundreds (possibly even thousands).

A friend once played 2 of mine and thought they sounded the same, but to me they’re utterly different. And when I bought my last Cheyenne II I played 2 in the shop and they both sounded very different to me.

I find Ciis to be a bit darker sounding, or is it that the Ls are brighter?

jps wrote:I find Ciis to be a bit darker sounding, or is it that the Ls are brighter?

I was hoping you’d chime in Jeff. So that was still the case later on, the darker/brighter difference?

I think that the preference of having the finished fingerboard of the Laredo or the unfinished fingerboard of the Cii would be more of a deciding factor.
As far as the sound between the two, nothing a good equalizer couldn't "equalize".
I have four 4 string Cii's and two 5 string Cii's. and they all sound different, the darkest sounding being the Blueburst. It's from 2005. I'm guessing the differences in sound are due to variances in the wood, overall body shape, neck girth, headstock size (they all vary) and tolerances in the volume and tone pots.

Joey's right. Really, no matter how identical one can make an instrument, there will always be, at least, subtle differences due to variations, assuming they are wooden ships instruments.

Has anyone here compared two completely carbon fibre-made (note the British spelling ) instruments, such as a Status Streamline (British), for example?

As to the Cii being darker than a L, that is my experience from the few samples I have tried. These were before the Ciis started coming with "naked" fingerboards.

Don't flame me here, but I think the 4004 series was a great concept, the next level of Rickenbacker basses, but was very limited in its potential. RIC really had something with the 4004, but didn't give it enough of a chance, How difficult would it have been to put a little thought into some simple wiring options?

It could have been great, my opinion, Flame on!

jps wrote:Joey's right.

You bet your sweet bippy I'm right!

cheyenne wrote:Don't flame me here, but I think the 4004 series was a great concept, the next level of Rickenbacker basses, but was very limited in its potential. RIC really had something with the 4004, but didn't give it enough of a chance, How difficult would it have been to put a little thought into some simple wiring options?

I wouldn't flame you for that. I agree that at the least a blend knob for the pickups instead of the switch would have been cool. Being that the HB1's could be coil tapped would make them even more versatile. I have the feeling Ben and company have a few great ideas and tricks up their sleeves that they may slowly launch. I'd prefer it's sooner rather than later...I ain't getting younger.

As far as electronics go, my '93 40004C has been update (harness by Dane) to a 500K harness with a blend knob replacing the switch. So that is B/V/T, with the V & T push pull... tapping the HB1s (one each). With my '93 4004L8 I have not and never intend to modify anything there. So two 4004's from '93 - one modded and one not!

Wait. 4004L8? Eight string? Think that one has already been modified.

bassduke49 wrote:Wait. 4004L8? Eight string? Think that one has already been modified.

was speaking of the electronics.