• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The Rickenmodder Club

#41
Here's a couple modified with photoshop. They never made 4003s5 basses that looked like this. Too bad.

Burloakric-b.jpg


ruby02.jpg
 
#42
cassius987 said:
I agree, although using this guard has caused the look of the Gibson Ripper/Grabber-style pickguard to grow on me. It's a really good way to get away from that Horseshoe-style pickup as well, which is not a problem for me but can sometimes seem obnoxiously big. Part of that original late '50s aesthetic I guess.

The dual Toasters are one of my favorite things about this bass besides its perfect neck and the condition of the fingerboard. They are wound 6.8 and 7.5 k (neck and bridge respectively), so they still retain some different tones, and due to its placement, the bridge pickup is "growlier"/"burpier". I actually like the bridge pickup on this bass for Jaco-esque stuff, although I still don't do it quite as bright as he did.
Click to expand...

Ah, see, I love how obnoxiously big the treble pickup setup is. But then, being obnoxious is the main reason I play bass, so, there ya go...
 
#44
Thanks!
The 1980s RIC catalog had a pic of a white 4001 in a case on the back inside page, I always thought that it looked pretty slick.

Mine's more of a banana colour now, that's pretty bright sunlight in the pic above.
It was a $400 beater when I got it, plays decent, and it sounds great.
 
#45
Bigjohn said:
I love you guys and encourage you to keep it up.
In fact, do it harder!
Get out those drills and routers, slap in those pickups and bridges and make those funky pickguards and brackets!
Because the more you guys hack up old Ricks, the more my unmodified 1974 4001 is worth. :D
Click to expand...

I certainly get what you mean, I have a foot in both camps, so to speak. ;)
I prefer reversible mods, generally, my basses are players, not collectors, though I do have one rare one.

This club seems to be more about relatively subtle mods to working basses, than hacking anything. We're not throwing random pickups and parts at a bass and seeing what sticks.
Many 1970s mods were rather ill thought out, but then those basses were still pretty recent production.
And mid to late 1970s basses are basically dirt common compared to early 1970s and 1960s basses.
Certainly nothing really rare here yet.

I have a 4080 that I changed tuners on the guitar neck (after a long search to find some that will use the original mounting holes) and bypassed the cap with a twisted solid core wire.
Totally reversible, no one would ever know it's been changed at all, and that's the way I like it.
I don't really consider it modded at all.

The Hipshot bridge uses the RIC mounting holes, so there's no change to the bass itself other than unsoldering the bridge ground wire.
It's not like you're routing out the body for a BadAss I.

My new 4003 is still bone stock, but will eventually be 4-2-5'd in the way Jeff does his. I just need to scrounge up the cash for the parts.
It's now my main gigging bass, and I don't feel the need to keep it totally original when a change will make it more practical.

In the last 3 bands there are precious few songs that we din't change the key to accomodate the singer's range, so a 5 string makes more sense, RIC has very little interest or incentive to make 5 string basses currently for several reasons, and waiting around for an s5 to sho up on ebay isn't practical, or cost effective.

Jeff has done quite a few basses for other folks who need a 5 string but would prefer to play a Rick bass, and they're all quite pleased with the results.
I'm sure I will be too, I prefer tight string spacing, and the general feel and sound of a Rick bass over anything else I've tried, so that mods is a good fit for me.
 
#48
As kcole4001 points out, some of our mods are less ambitious than others. I think there are certain circumstances that come into play when making mods, not the least of which includes our individual modding skills.

For example, I cherish my '80 4001 because of what it represents (hard work, thrift, youth, etc.). I've replaced the old Kluson keywinds, installed BadAss II and Hipshot bridges, and added a custom bezel for the treble pup. The risk of jacking it up means it's not a candidate for anything but reversible mods. It'd be like that if were a Fender or a Gibson or whatever.

On the other hand, if I were to get another Ric-4, I would certainly be pestering Ric5 to convert one to 5...and based on what we've seen from his past projects, it would be worth paying for, handsomely.
 
#49
Ric5 said:
My favorite modified Ric. This is a 1993 4004 Laredo. Modified from 4 to 5 strings. The pickups were swapped out and a 4 band Audere preamp installed.

bass5%20060.jpg


bass5%20062.jpg
Click to expand...



in the pics, it looks like the g string past the 12th fret will fall off the fingerboard. IMO, the Low b is pretty close on the other side too.
 
#50
I believe I have played that bass when I visited Jeff once recently, inquiring on a different Rathenbacker bass. I don't remember what I played on it, but it sounded fine and I never felt like I was "falling off" of the fingerboard. Maybe after taking the photo he tightened the string spacing a hair.
 
#58
That one's a classic.
Though oddly, there was little of the anti modding sentiment regarding that particular project if I remember correctly.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
"The spacing is already a bit tight on my 4001 with only four strings"

The current production 4003 neck is noticeably wider than a 4001 neck.
Not sure how long the current width has been in use, but it looks to be the same as the 4004 series basses, so is better for a 5 string.

The new headstock also has slightly more room between the D and G tuners than a 4001, so again, better for the 4-2-5 conversion.
Again, not sure how long this has been the case, but I believe the headstock change was fairly recent.

Mine's a Jan. 2010 bass.
The only thing I'll miss about the 4 string version is the adjustable pickup poles. This was one major reason I waited for a new bass rather than get an older 4003.
It's one of the best changes RIC has made in a long time.
Love those pups!
I get loads of compliments about the tone when gigging, and theses are mostly from people who have heard my old Rick basses.
 
#59
Ric5 said:
The strings are still on the fingerboard ... but they do get close. I pushed it on that bass to get more space at the bridge.
Click to expand...

The G on my 4001 isn't that close and I still find that I need to be careful if applying any vibrato.

The 4003S 8 is cool... like that the octave strings are reversed as compared to a "normal" Ric 8-string (which I find difficult to play).
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back