Cool Rics on eBay / Reverb / Craigslist

[ilan]

Yep. That one is very nice too. Those doublenecks look so cool I almost wish I needed one. But I can't justify it.

[Highlander]

Since when has that ever made a sackful of Shekel's difference round here... 

[Hörnisse]

Back in the late 1990's when I had my Mapleglo '71 4001 21 fretter I used it for the Motorola corporate band I was in at the time.  I remember paying $500 for it at a pawn shop and asking a LOT of questions about it but nobody knew anything about them (back then)  I remember CS using one on The Yes Album but and had seen photos of him with one.  I do remember it was one of the best sounding Ric's I've ever played.  Something about positioning of the pickups due to the bridge being 1/2 inch more forward than the stock bass.  We played an outdoor gig at the Travis County Rodeo in 1998 and we had a great female vocalist.  Trace Adkins was setting up in the main building and a few of his people came to check out the band.  That Ric just sounded beautiful in the context of a country cover band. 

[Paul Boyer]

Actually, the bass (Toaster) pickup would be roughly 1/2" closer to the bridge. To keep the scale the same, they mounted the tailpiece/bridge "up" the body a bit on the 21-fretters. Unlike the 4002 (also a 21-fretter), they just made the central neck-through assembly a 1/2" longer. Weird.

[gearHed289]

Actually, the bass (Toaster) pickup would be roughly 1/2" closer to the bridge. To keep the scale the same, they mounted the tailpiece/bridge "up" the body a bit on the 21-fretters. Unlike the 4002 (also a 21-fretter), they just made the central neck-through assembly a 1/2" longer. Weird.

Or the bridge is 1/2'' closer to the pickup.  Weird indeed! And sure enough, just a few years later, they moved the neck pickup 1/2'' closer to the bridge on all 4001 basses. Centered exactly where the 24th fret would be.

[the mojo hobo]

Actually, the bass (Toaster) pickup would be roughly 1/2" closer to the bridge. To keep the scale the same, they mounted the tailpiece/bridge "up" the body a bit on the 21-fretters. Unlike the 4002 (also a 21-fretter), they just made the central neck-through assembly a 1/2" longer. Weird.

So the 21 fretters overall length is 1/2" longer than the rest? That is weird.

[Paul Boyer]

So the 21 fretters overall length is 1/2" longer than the rest? That is weird.

Yep and yep.

[Hörnisse]

Not a very good pic of it but it was a player!  Lots of wear and tear but sounded so good.  I think the bridge pickup and tuners were not stock.  It was KA 015.

[ilan]

They are rare but I don't need that extra fret very often, and don't like the bridge that far from the body end revealing the unbound part, so other than rarity I don't get the attraction.

[gearHed289]

Back in the early 90s, I used to jam along to this Voivod song called The Unknown Knows, and there's a line near the fadeout requiring a 21st fret. Other than that, I've been doing fine with 20. 

[Hörnisse]

They are rare but I don't need that extra fret very often, and don't like the bridge that far from the body end revealing the unbound part, so other than rarity I don't get the attraction.

They sound slightly different than the standard 4001 basses.  The bridge pickup is 1/2 inch closer to the bridge too.  It nailed the intro tone to "Yours Is No Disgrace".

[Highlander]

I have a double octave fretted and fretless... the latter is hung in the shed at present...

[Hörnisse]

My Kubicki Ex-Factor has 23 frets! 

[Highlander]

... and probably explored as rarely as mine... 

Why did the 4001 move on...? Sounds like you really liked the beastie...?

[Chris P.]

I have one bass with 26 frets. Do I ever go there? Of course not:)