Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I played a 4001CS yesterday. I pretended it was "just a Ric bass" to keep my brain level.

I thought the sound was flat and pretty lifeless. I tried picks and fingers, 1 amplifier, and headphones via a direct input to a Mackie mixer. All good gear. There are no dampers on the bridge.

I just have to hope it was a matter of old, lousy strings (they could be original for all I know). If I were in the market I would certainly change the strings (at my expense even) to see what this thing "really" sounds like before buying it.

But, as it was, it really is a bad sounding bass. In a blind test, I would put it aside and try something else. My Jazz can actually sound more like a Ric!

Is it simply the strings? I've never heard one of these played, so I have nothing to compare to.

It must be the strings...It seems that fresh strings are the best thing for a Rick. I have Elixirs on my player 4001CS and it really sounds authentic. Of course Rotos will really give you the Squire grind, but I digress.

Just the other night, someone in the audience said "man, I love that sound". So unless there's something wrong with the electronics or the like, I believe some new strings will fix it.

By the way, my CS's do have the mute pads.

The question is, how much were they asking for it?

$2300 or best offer. As it played though (forgetting the CS part) I would have paid $400 (heresy!).

Well it's cheap considering what they've been going for. But I've never had one that sounded bad, must be strings or a bad setup.

I still have the original strings on my '99 and it still sounds good. I don't know what the problem was.

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The 4001CS will not sound like a vintage 4001 or Chris Squire's original bass. It is pretty much a 4001V63 with the Squire finish. It does not have a .0047 cap like a vintage bass would either. But it is a very nice sounding bass, and more versatile in some ways. A new set of strings is essential to have brightness and definition to any basses' sound- I think. I use GHS super steels, which are similar to ROTO-sounds, being that they are stainless steel and roundwound. I also think a bass pod or a sansamp can really bring out a "perfect balance versatile sound" with a 4001cs or 4001v63. IMHO

I had the same situation back in '97. Dead mint CS 4001 at my local shop, I picked it up, plugged it into an SWR combo and it sounded terrible. I could here the sound trying to come out, but do to the poor setup and dead strings, it just plain sounded and played bad. But with a new set of strings and the proper setup I'm sure it would have been just fine. Yep,...coulda took it home that day for less than $900.00, but at the time I was out of work......."the one that got away"

Heresy! Mine sounds pretty good...

NO problems with tone here...

Jared,
How is the bass doing these days? If you ever decide to let it go drop me a line, I'm sure it misses OKC.

Mine sounds good too. A nice new set of strings, with the volume up...sweet!

pretty much any bass will sound lame with old dead strings ... that's why I buy nickel wound strings in bulk and change strings a lot ...

Kendall-

Gotta hand it to ya-the ones you pass on (CS, 4003S/5BT) gives many here great pleasure!

Thanks!