NBD: Rickenbacker 4005xc (day 2 impressions)

[BigJohnAZ]

Love the fretboard and the pearloid markers. Very subtle. I like the way they look, not too bright, makes the neck look classy.

 

[teleharmonium]

So, why call it thus?

The decoy effect.

 

[bobyoung53]

Nice. Glad they went with the trapeze. What is the weight ?

The 5th knob is a series volume control for the neck pickup wired to work counterclockwise. You can think of it as a balance knob... or as something completely useless since you have another volume knob that can go all the way down.

So it's basically like a fine tuning for the neck pickup volume?

 

[bobyoung53]

This might sound crazy, but the high pass cap added to the bridge pickup allows that pickup alone to produce a guitar like sound, or for it to work sort of like a treble blend when both are on. I did that on my 4003s5.

I had the cap bypassed on my 4001 for years, about 6 months ago I threw some Rotos on it and undid the bypass and there was the vintage tone again.

 

[teleharmonium]

So it's basically like a fine tuning for the neck pickup volume?

Right, but of course you can always just use the main neck pickup volume for that. I almost always have one of the pickups slightly dialed back when I'm using both together, it's a habit to make that setting even though it's pretty small roll back, I'm sure others do this.

 

[bobyoung53]

Right, but of course you can always just use the main neck pickup volume for that. I almost always have one of the pickups slightly dialed back when I'm using both together, it's a habit to make that setting even though it's pretty small roll back, I'm sure others do this.

I can see where it would be useful, you can have both main volumes on full and adjust the blend more easily, especially since when one pickup is on full it only takes a very small turn of the other one when it's near full to make a big effect.

 

[blackat]

Beautiful! Gotta ask... how did you get from wanting an acoustic to this??? Tell us your journey.

 

[TTA]

I think this is a beautiful bass. I LOVE the checkerboard binding! If I ever get another Ric, I want checkerboard binding - even if I have to pay extra for it.

 

[TTA]

This might sound crazy, but the high pass cap added to the bridge pickup allows that pickup alone to produce a guitar like sound, or for it to work sort of like a treble blend when both are on. I did that on my 4003s5.

i pulled on all the knobs and there is no high pass cap on this. The bridge pickup does not need it based on position imho. It sounds pretty high pass stock.

 

[P. Aaron]

Very nice. Congrats.

 

[TTA]

I fell in love with these when they were released, but I was immediately heartbroken at the price point. Absolutely gorgeous basses though. Congrats on your new instrument!

The price point is in collector territory sadly… and i was nervous about the investment on a bass with no real reviews or soundclips, and a 1 year wait… until i got mine. I made the right choice with the gamble.


Looks are killer imho and plugged in… or even better… unplugged i just love grabbing a pick and jamming it out guitar style. Sure there is that new bass glow… but this bass 100% fills a niche in my collection that none of my other bases come near. It will be played a ton and is just so conducive to writing.

 

[TTA]

I just received my brand new Rick 330 guitar about a week ago and couldn't agree more that the new Rick semi-hollow smell is AWESOME.
Also, I'm glad that the bridge pickup is so close to the bridge and not in the 4001/4003 position. I say that because I don't like dual pickups being that far apart, making for the one factor that allowed me to talk myself out of dropping serious dough one of these!

Lol fair! I like the position as the neck pickup has great tone and i see the bridge pickup as adding character. I wanted something different from a 4003… and this is different. It is its own kind of monster.

 

[TTA]

Nice bass!

The sticker thing is quite amusing. I guess a replacement plate is worth it if the bass retains more value than the cost of the plate, but wow….

yeah i soft troll the ric folks by removing my stickers on my new rics. :-O

 

[captainofsmooth]

The price point is in collector territory sadly… and i was nervous about the investment on a bass with no real reviews or soundclips, and a 1 year wait… until i got mine. I made the right choice with the gamble.

Absolutely. Im no stranger to spending collector money on basses. I guess the deciding factor for me was that I’m not normally a Ric guy in general. I’ve owned a few 400x over the years, and never really clicked. But that beauty of yours is so very enticing. I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Cheers!

 

[TTA]

So, why call it thus?

i think this is a “marketing department bass.” It probably went something like this…

“so 90th… what do we do? This is pretty big?”
“Lets reissue a 60’s horseshoe 4001!”
“Great idea… but lets do that at the 100th. Other ideas?”
“Lets sell a 4003 bass as a guitar, and a 330 guitar as a bass!”
“That would have crossover sale appeal. Lets do it!”
“It needs to look like a 330 though.”
“We can make that happen with short scale.”
“R tailpiece? Some guys in talkbass threads love r tail pieces.”
“But some that actually own them hate them.”
“Harrison used the plain style. That bass is iconic.”
“Plain tailpiece it is!”
“What do we call it?”
“Well is is kind of like the 4005… semi hollow body.”
“TTA suggests a 4330.”
“Hmmm… how about 4005xc!”
“What does XC stand for?”
“Extra costly!!!”
*everyone roars laughing*
“Amazing. I think we will sell a lot of these!!”

 

[TTA]

Once I installed Hipshot Ultralite tuning keys on it the 4005WB balanced perfectly, for me.

Would they be drop in here?

 

[TTA]

That is drop dead gorgeous congrats and keep the stickers they add to the resale like pedal boxes

Stop it! But in all seriousness i am getting a pickguardian replacement.

 

[TTA]

So it's basically like a fine tuning for the neck pickup volume?

I think it is like insurance.

 

[TTA]

Nice. Glad they went with the trapeze. What is the weight ?

The 5th knob is a series volume control for the neck pickup wired to work counterclockwise. You can think of it as a balance knob... or as something completely useless since you have another volume knob that can go all the way down.

I have never weighed a single bass i own. “Lighter than a 4003” is the best i can provide. But someone else said theirs was in the 8lbs+ range.

 

[TTA]

Right, but of course you can always just use the main neck pickup volume for that. I almost always have one of the pickups slightly dialed back when I'm using both together, it's a habit to make that setting even though it's pretty small roll back, I'm sure others do this.

I roll back the bridge pickup back a hair on this bass.