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Fretless 4002 on the 'bay!

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:34 am
by henny
She needs bringing back to her former glory. Gorgeous 4002 minus those ****** mods.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=27586&item=3763766331&rd=1

Image

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:49 am
by jnbass
whoa!-did not know that thang came in a fretless!

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:07 am
by jwr2
that looks like a modification ... after market pickups as well ... and look just 3 knobs ... another mod ...

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:10 am
by jwr2
damn look at the after market bridge as well ...

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:49 am
by basse
Makes me seriously wonder if it's worth picking up and begging someone like Ted to restore it!

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:57 pm
by rickfan60
They did not make it in fretless. That fingerboard is either a replacement or set over the original. B#*tards! The electronics are gone. Could be restored though.

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 1:04 pm
by rickfan60
I should say, all but the electronics could be restored. The pickup are not like any RIC pickups before or since.

The description says:
Wonderful fretless Rickenbacker 4002

Birdseye maple

beautiful fretless sound

<description of the jacks)

The bass is in very good condition with no evidence of breakage.

With case!

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 3:53 pm
by rickcrazy
That's a Seymour Duncan in the neck position and a 4001/4003 neck high-gain in the bridge position. I forget: what is it about the 4002 wiring harness that makes it hard to be restored?

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 4:12 pm
by brian
I thought I read somewhere the original HB pickups were somewhat different from the modern ones and "not easy" to find.

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 4:39 pm
by rickfan60
The harness is not so different. It is the pickups that are not the same.

Image

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:18 pm
by jps
Where is the low impedance transformer? I don't see it.

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:36 pm
by rickfan60
It is totally passive. The low Z is apparently only wired to one coil in the rear pickup.

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 6:09 pm
by jwr2
If I was restoring that one I would put in 2 4004 pickups and use 4003 wiring and a 4003 tailpiece and bridge and get a custom pickguard ...

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 7:27 pm
by rickfan60
I would do pretty much the same but depending on how the fingerboard was done I would consider pulling it and making an exact replacement for the original. The pickguard on a 4002 is made of a 5 layer material with a slight bevel cut on the edge. If anyone here buys this bass I will provide tracings of my pickguard.

Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:52 am
by cheyenne
Bad time of year for me. Someone needs to grab this bass just for its historical significance.