NBD Custom built Rickenbacker 4005 'tribute'.

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Chris Capp said:

Absolutely beautiful!
I want one. How can I go about getting one?

People will do custom builds - read @yorks5stringer's post...

[Skybone]

@Maude

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Skybone

[Maude]

@Skybone, I've just seen that on the fakers thread, it looks fantastic. Walnut is my favourite 'colour' for the 4001/3 shaped bass. It looks great without the scratchplate too.

How does it sound? 

👍

[Skybone]

Unfortunately, the sound is disappointing.

The neck pickup's too loud & the bridge is weak & thin. I've ordered a set of Gemini Waverider's, in the hope that a matched pair will even things out, and sound better. 

A new TRC is on the way too.

[prowla]

Real Ric pickups work well together - it must need some adjusting.

Has it got a push-pull tone pot?

[Skybone]

And cost more per pickup than the set of handwound pickups. Not sure what the pickups are, but I doubt they're Ric ones.

No Vintage circuit, TBH, not sure if I want it. I always liked the ballsy tone of my old 4003 & my Faker's without the push/pull.

Edited June 5, 2020 by Skybone

[prowla]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

And cost more per pickup than the set of handwound pickups. Not sure what the pickups are, but I doubt they're Ric ones.

No Vintage circuit, TBH, not sure if I want it. I always liked the ballsy tone of my old 4003 & my Faker's without the push/pull.

I was wondering if the series cap was in circuit, which makes the treble pickup thinner and cuts some volume.

I like having the switch, because it gets a sound.

[Loran]

Hello, is it still possible to know the name of the luthier?

[4000]

9 hours ago, Loran said:

Hello, is it still possible to know the name of the luthier?

I would suggest you send a PM. 

[Mac0151]

I’ve coveted a 4005 since I first saw a photograph of one in a book when I was 14 years old, but they’re so expensive it’s never going to happen.  If you ever want to part company with it, please let me know.  

[prowla]

Curiously, I may have seen him playing in a Beatles tribute band at Epcot (either him or the other top-notch faker-maker).

He's going to be doing a bit of work on one of my fakers sometime soon-ish.

AFAIK, all of the parts will be genuine ones.

As far as selling goes, I think it being a custom build means its original delivery wasn't a transgression of any laws, but the selling of it with logo was (though since it's a one-off sale by an individual there's be no mileage in pursuing them).

 

[itu]

As Rics are discussed here in general, was it so that the 4-string models are 4000 (single pickup), 4001 (double pickup), 4002 (rare special model?), 4003 (a renamed 4001), 4004 (Cheyenne or so), and the semiacoustic 4005?

Rose-Morris had few special model names of these.

Oh dear and of course... answers to my questions can be found from: http://www.rickbeat.com/

Edited September 16, 2020 by itu

[miles'tone]

On 31/03/2020 at 15:58, Maude said:

Firstly, thank you, it is a lovely bass and has now been my sole gigging bass for over a year. 

Secondly, follow the advice posted above. 🙂

Great thread! Also it is indeed a very beautiful bass.

I'm really considering one for myself and it's reassuring to read that it was your number one for a year's worth of gigs. But I'm curious - you mention that you weren't so keen on how it plays. Do you mean how it sounds with the pickups at both extremities? The lack of a thumb anchor? Is it hard physically to play?

Apologies for all the questions, it's just that I've never seen a 4005 in real life, never mind play one!

Thanks.

[Maude]

Hi @miles'tone, firstly I was trying to shoehorn this bass into the wrong situation. I use it in a Mod/Northern Soul/Ska band and on that scene image is everything. I previously was using my modified Variax on the 4003 setting and with a bit of pedal trickery added in had the punchiest tone I've ever had. I wanted the looks of the 4005 so bought it but wanted it to sound like a 4003, it doesn't, and never will. It sounds great but just in a different way. The neck pickup is lovely but lacks a bit of definition/punch, the bridge pickup adds in the definition but not really punch, due to its position. It really needs a pickup in the middle (like the Chinese fakers) but then it wouldn't be an authentic copy. It has a lovely warm vintage tone and sounded great for the Northern Soul and Ska stuff with the neck pickup solo's but just didn't have what I wanted for the Mod Revival stuff (The Jam, Lambrettas, Secret Affair, etc). Putting in a series switch sorted this, it would still probably be more what I wanted with a central pickup but that can't happen. With some boosted low mids in EQ it sounds as punchy as I need. 

Feel wise again is just personal preference. I like a thumb anchor and I like heavy stiff strings. I also like a narrow-ish string spacing. This had a wide string spacing but the strings were very close to the edge of the board, they look to be that way on the originals. This was good as it allowed me to make a new nut with a narrower string spacing without it looking odd, in fact it's better as the G had a tendancy to slip off the edge of the neck (bear in mind I play hard). The thumbrest thing couldn't be fixed, for, me, by using a pickup casing as the bridge was too near the bridge and the neck, while being fine for most, felt too floppy to me, fine on the Ska stuff but not when I dig in for The Jam and our own stuff. I made a full length ramp but only to use as a thumbrest really as the Variax has a full length thumbrest and it's a great idea. I made a full length clear ramp so it would 'dissappear' as much as possible, remember it's all about the looks. 

In standard form it's certainly not hard to play and sounds great, if that's what you're after. The only thing that feels different to most other basses is the height of the strings from the body. As the Rickenbacker toasters are face mounted, ie not sunk in like most pickups, the strings need to be a long way from the body to allow room for the pickups underneath them. Not a huge issue but it just felt a bit odd to me and as I like to get a bit theatrical (image remember) when I'm playing so I wanted the bass to feel as familiar as possible. 

It's still my gigging bass, if only we were gigging. 

[miles'tone]

Cheers @Maude for all the details there! 👍

Definitely food for thought. I hadn't noticed how close the strings usually are to the edge of the fingerboard on these so thanks for bringing that to my attention. Great fix too! 

I think the main thing that concerns me is not having a pickup in my sweet spots (P or Stingray placement) but I realise that it would probably spoil the beauty of the instrument. Which kind of sounds vain but the looks is what draws me too them. I did a crude mock up of adding a 3rd pickup in the middle but I'm not so sure!

What do you think?

[Skybone]

@Maude, have you had a look at the Gemini Pickups Waveriders?

Plenty of oomph in them.

I put a set into my Walnut, and it sounds very punchy indeed.

[Maude]

2 hours ago, miles'tone said:

Cheers @Maude for all the details there! 👍

Definitely food for thought. I hadn't noticed how close the strings usually are to the edge of the fingerboard on these so thanks for bringing that to my attention. Great fix too! 

I think the main thing that concerns me is not having a pickup in my sweet spots (P or Stingray placement) but I realise that it would probably spoil the beauty of the instrument. Which kind of sounds vain but the looks is what draws me too them. I did a crude mock up of adding a 3rd pickup in the middle but I'm not so sure!

What do you think?

I prefer the look without an extra pickup, but it's a tool so doing what you need to to get the sound you want has its place. Just adding a series switch was enough for me. Another pickup would also give issues wiring it. Standard it has a tone and volume for each pickup and the 5th knob which rolls off a bit of bottom end, (don't ask how it works, peace in the middle east will be sorted before the Rickfans will agree on how the 5th knob works), with three pickups you'll have to give it a bit of thought. 

Put very simply, if you want a 60s pop tone then the 4005 is great, if you want 70s punk/80s new wave then get a 4003. 

It's a bit like buying a Jazz but wanting a Precision tone, but the 4005 and 4003 are even further apart than that. 

[Maude]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

@Maude, have you had a look at the Gemini Pickups Waveriders?

Plenty of oomph in them.

I put a set into my Walnut, and it sounds very punchy indeed.

The pickups in mine are fine, it's the location. 

You have a 4003, this is a 4005. They're both a Rickenbacker design but very different basses. Neither are better or worse, just different. 🙂

[miles'tone]

13 minutes ago, Maude said:

I prefer the look without an extra pickup, but it's a tool so doing what you need to to get the sound you want has its place. Just adding a series switch was enough for me. Another pickup would also give issues wiring it. Standard it has a tone and volume for each pickup and the 5th knob which rolls off a bit of bottom end, (don't ask how it works, peace in the middle east will be sorted before the Rickfans will agree on how the 5th knob works), with three pickups you'll have to give it a bit of thought. 

Put very simply, if you want a 60s pop tone then the 4005 is great, if you want 70s punk/80s new wave then get a 4003. 

It's a bit like buying a Jazz but wanting a Precision tone, but the 4005 and 4003 are even further apart than that.

Great explanation, thanks.

The middle pickup does spoil it. Kind of looks like I've drawn a silly nose on it 😆

Series switch is a really good idea.

I had imagined wiring the bridge and middle pups in series to one volume and leaving the neck pup as is.

But it is what it is and should be enjoyed for just that eh?

I've always wanted one since I saw Mani use one with The Stone Roses 1st time around. His sound on that debut album using a 4005 is sublime. He used it on Fools Gold as well to great funky effect.

Edited October 7, 2020 by miles'tone

[Skybone]

6 hours ago, Maude said:

The pickups in mine are fine, it's the location. 

Just a suggestion, as I got the impression you were saying that they weren't punchy enough.

[Maude]

40 minutes ago, Skybone said:

Just a suggestion, as I got the impression you were saying that they weren't punchy enough.

Yes, I've just re read my reply and it reads a bit stroppy, it wasn't intended. 

The pickups are custom wound by House of Tone to 4003 specs, the neck pickup sounds like a 4003 neck pickup, but on a 4003 it's all about that bridge pickup, which the 4005 hasn't got. Well it has but it's pushed right up against the bridge and will never sound the same due to the lack of string oscilation it gets. If it was in the same position as the 4003 it would probably be loads better for the sound I wanted. 

For my situation I should be using my 4003, but being a vain tw@t I wanted the looks of the 4005 and had to tweak it to get the sound I want. 

🙂

[onehandclapping]

This is a 64 repica made by the Rick guru in the US....He repaired Sir Pauls when it went back to Rick

[prowla]

On 10/02/2019 at 18:17, Maude said:

There was enough lacquer on this to flat and polish so that's what I've done. It's all shiny now without the annoying orange peel finish. 

I'll post some pictures once rebuilt as we all love a picture 😎

I'm onto wiring now and have put a post in the 'Repairs' section, if you know your electrics then please take a look and help me out if you can, thanks. 

 

http://www.rickenbacker.com/service_g_schematics.asp

[prowla]

I picked up three barebones Chinese Ric copies recently;

One is a 5-string (but I need pickups to fit).

On is just going to be a generic 4-string.

And the other is having brass fittings, including a Kahler whammy.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 8, 2022 by Jus Lukin