Gear Begets Style or Vice Versa

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 7:25 am

Well, that's depressing Tony! Got any cool Ricks for sale now?

tony_carey · Post by **tony_carey** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:39 am

Ha,Ha...nice one John. I sold a couple to fund the Les Pauls, but I have sold a few others to fund my studio upgrade. My 345 & 4003 are with me for keeps, which leaves a couple of 12's & a friends 230 to sell. My cull has nothing to do with my 'defection', but with the fact that I have spent a lot of money on my studio lately & need to balance the books! I am lusting after several Rics & will aquire them when things settle down....

When recording seriously, I am pretty focused as to what I need, so there is often an upheaval at these times. A tremendous amount of effort & soul searching goes into sound quality & the type of sound that I want to achieve. These are the decisions you make at pre-production & it takes an absolutely crazy amount of time & thought....

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:13 pm

An old Les Paul with an old pre-master volume Marshall is one of the best rock tones going, if not THE best rock tone. I love Les Pauls and miss seeing and hearing them. I'm a bass player by choice and guitar player (haven't played for many many years) and don't deserve a Les Paul, haha!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:15 pm

I've used Rics and especially SVT's in power trios for years, never felt the need to change to anything else.

j_gary · Post by **j_gary** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:59 pm

Bob, you use a 4003?

Seems the 4003/SVT set up works for that Lemmy fella and his "little" trio, BAM!!!

I've started using a 4004 with interesting results.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:34 pm

My neigbors are always asking me why I have so many different basses.

I always explain that a serious musician is like a craftsman who has alot of different tools in his toolbox.

And there's nothing like having the right tool for the job.

jeff_ulmer · Post by **jeff_ulmer** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:00 pm

>And there's nothing like having the right tool for the job.

Exactly. I think it is probably safe to say that younger musicians will emulate their influences in their gear choices, but I know that as I matured and get to know the instrument, I began to make gear choices based on my specific needs, not necessarily what fit the image. I use a wide range of instruments based on what I'm after. There is no such thing as too much variety.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:26 pm

Gary I use both 4001's and 4003's with them. I've been favoring my 79 MG 4001 lately with GHS light gauge bright flats, it has a very crisp sound. I've going to be doing an original rock trio or quartet soon and will probably use my 78 4001 Azureglo with Ric round wounds on it.

j_gary · Post by **j_gary** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:36 pm

Jeez you have a nice selection to choose from Bob!

Have you done much with any 4004's?

Also, do you find the 4001 brighter than the 4003?

Seems like my 4003 G string does not punch through at high volumes.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 12:23 pm

I've never tried a 4004 Gary, would like to though but I'm more of a single coil guy and also like to have two volume controls as I like the bite you get when you back off the neck pickup a little bit with bridge full on. My 4001's are as a rule brighter and clearer than the 4003's but I like both of them and the 4003's have more presence in many situations. I sometimes will file down the bridges (both E and G) so the shape fits the pickups better.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 12:35 pm

I got into Rickenbacker guitars when I was still looking for my place in music. I was writing vastly varying songs, genre-wise, and didn't really know what to do with myself.

I loved the tone of the Ricks I was getting and, consequently, I shaped my sound around them. Suddenly, power-chords were out and bright, ringing open chords were in. I phased out the powerful sounding Strats, P-90 guitars, and PAF guitars, and adopted a more delicate sound. But don't get me wrong - sometimes I want a completey jagged sound, and all of my Ricks deliver.