I'm building a 4000 series bass and I'm wondering if it's easier to bind the neck after fretting and scrape to size or fret first and use binding meled in acetone to get the fret tabs.Kind of a pain either way I suppose.And secondly the bribge issue,a ric brige or a Badass.The ric brige is kind of the look.

I know nothing about binding procedures, so cannot comment.

However, I know for a fact that actual "rickenbacker" bridges are thin, flimsy, and flexible (as well as being made from "Unobtanium").
Not to mention, the saddles have some adjustment issues!

So a bad-ass (or one of the many Gotoh variants) woud likely be yer best bet, in terms of overall sound and playability.

The 4004 (& Lemmy model) use a Schaller looking 'bad-ass'-type, and i'd characterize it as a 'factory improvement'...

I think most people bind first and use a tang nipper to prepare the frets to go in cleanly between the binding. I've never done it, but that's how it has always been explained to me.

I have bound first before but what a hassle.I also have a luthier friend that says use the Badass.I have his 78 4001 to spec out and the bride is flimsy.His is bowed but as I said part of the look.