Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Sat May 21, 2005 2:52 pm

Definitely Rick bass. Not in-your-face, but not super-subtle. Refreshing to hear it again today...

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Sat May 21, 2005 7:51 pm

how can you tell it's a rick? just curious. by the way, it's my fave PF album.

nattiep · Post by **nattiep** » Sat May 21, 2005 10:49 pm

Here's a good way to tell!
http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/rwaters.html

Great album. Rog probably turned up the bass on his amp a bit. I think "Matilda Mother" has the "Rick growl." Not sure though.

I should listen to mine... I haven't listened to it in over a year I think.

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Sun May 22, 2005 4:40 am

ah, that certainly speaks volumes! thanks.

but i really don't see how some of you guys can hear a song and say "oh, that's a rick". were people able to tell when geddy switched from ricks to fenders?

then again, during my drumming years, which were most of my life up until 2000, i could generally tell if a guy was playing paiste, zildjian or sabian cymbals. it just seems to me that someone can tweak and amp or their bass to get something similar to that sound.

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Sun May 22, 2005 1:10 pm

Besides the pictures and films of the era, I can definitely recognize the sound. Matilda Mother high notes intro., the Lucifer Sam rapidly picked bass solo. Again, it's not in-your-face Rick, but I hear it.

Point taken about Geddy, but there definitely is a difference in the sound to me. Geddy's J-bass, while growly, aggressive, and Rick-ish, sounds "creamier" to me. Good example, Tom Sawyer.

I can't pick out a Rick from any song containing one, but I'm confident when I recognize it.

There are definitely examples where I know or have been told that a Rick bass was played on a track, but I cannot clearly hear it. For example, I can't positively identify Rick bass by sound with Zebra, Bee Gees, REM or Kinks, but I know it was often used. Someone recently mentioned that John Wetton used his Rick on Wildest Dreams, but I can't distinguish it.

There are other examples that I had no pictures or knowledge of the bass player, instrument, band or album first time I heard it, but was positive it was a Rick, and later confirmed it. Cathedral's Stained Glass Stories album, Crack the Sky's Ice and Mind Baby come to mind.

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:21 am

Check out the video "The Pink Floyd Live in London '67". It's awesome.

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:26 am

Maurice Gibb had a cool Ric tone on those early BeeGees hits
.

marty · Post by **marty** » Mon May 23, 2005 7:30 am

Is that bass in the second picture of Maurice Gibb the refinished fireglo bass from the picture above....the one now owned by Wints?

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon May 23, 2005 9:28 am

Yes, it's the same bass Marty. I actually need to get hold of the Floyd video too as I've been trying to do some investigation work on my other RM1999.

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon May 23, 2005 9:45 am

marty · Post by **marty** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:20 am

That's a beautiful bass...and a lovely bit of history behind it too.

Any idea as to why Maurice had the fireglo refinished white Wints...was it purely for the look or did it need a refinish anyway and he opted for white?

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:50 am

I have a lefty 4001S that currently looks like this:

But someday, when the Beatles band comes to an end(14 years and still goin' strong)I plan on having it painted white.

marty · Post by **marty** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:07 am

Or you could scrape the finish off down to bare wood and shave the horns down a bit

That's a very nice replica of Maccas bass Ronn....you did the work yourself didn't you?....nice job

BTW...is it purely by coincidence that you're a lefty or was it a requirement that your Beatles band had a lefty player for authenticity?

phlemmy · Post by **phlemmy** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:16 pm

that was maurice's? awesome! i am super jealous. huge bee gees fan here, especially the pre-fever stuff.

wints · Post by **wints** » Mon May 23, 2005 1:14 pm

Thanks for the comments guys...

Martin, I think Maurice just always liked white. He had the white 4001 deluxe bass after the RM1999 too. He was 18 and probably wanted something different from the stock fireglo that everyone else had.
A very good choice imo!