Hi - New here & here's my Ricoholism!!

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:59 pm

...and what a GREAT event that was!!

You should GO to the confluence , if you can , Jim....meet some of the guys you talk to on here...it is enriching!!

4005player · Post by **4005player** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:29 pm

Hi Guys -

Bob - the dots on the binding of my 1989 fretless are right on the note, for every note, and that's helpful, especially on a dark stage. The dots on the fingerboard are in the middle of the "fret". My 2004 fretless has the dots in the middle, both on the fingerboard and binding, so they're kind of pointless. I haven't played an upright for years, and yes, they do have a different sound and feel than an electric, and I agree with your styles of music and which bass is best for each. However, since I lack an upright, the closest approximation to that upright sound is with the tapewound strings currently on my 89 fretless....I think it's time they were changed! I'll look into the TI flats for that one. Which set# are they?

Ken - yup, I'm a baltimoron, born and raised...I managed to escape at age 41 to Malibu...sure wish I'd known about it sooner! Pennsyltuckian - hahahaha, uh huh, especially their driving habits....even worse than NJ, hahahahaha! (Let's not forget MASS and RI in that group as well....and of course, people here in SoCal are INSANE on the roads!) Hmmmmm....you want to know the whereabouts of my 4005MG in Baltimore...you're not contemplating playing Grand Theft Rickenbacker, are ya?!

(And sorry, no special software to allow viewing of sex scenes is available!) My three basses are in a safe location, at my sister's house.

Erik - thanks for that info and links! I may be able to attend that, since I'll be back home from Baltimore earlier that week! It sounds like it's a really cool thing to do on a weekend!

Hi Mark, and thanks!

Hi Charly - you a jazz player?!

Jeff - ah, ok...one person having FOUR 4005s would "just be wrong", LOL! And thanks for the BIG pic via email!

Hi Chris - yeah, I will try to make it to Santa Ana that weekend...sounds cool!

I'm out for the moment....later!
Jim

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:35 pm

Nope not a jazz player, just liked the joke. I play at church and along with everybody on the blues channel!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 7:18 pm

Jim, I think there are still tapewounds available from different manufacturers. The TI's are Thomastic Infeld Jazz Flats, but they don't really have an upright type of sound to them, I do get a lot growl with them but no thump.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:04 am

For a closer approximation to an upright sound, get one of these:

Mine will be in my hands on Monday!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:19 am

Jeffrey do you play upright at all?

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:06 am

No, I keep thinking about getting one, but every time I try one I realize that my hands would kill me after five minutes of playing!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:22 pm

Yeah it takes a while and it's a weird process because you already know how to play. I've been playing mine now for about a year and really like it but it took a long time for me to get to where I could make it sound good on a consistent basis. (learning how to get a good loud sound without feedback is also an adventure) You can pluck two fingered like on an electric but they sound a lot better with the side of the index finger like most jazz players play. And then there's the slapping where you pull up on the string let it go and then whack the strings with your palm. The problem is that you need high action to do that properly and they play much easier with low action and I do gigs that demand both. But you get stronger and stronger the more you play, I'll tell you one thing my electric fretless playing has gotten a lot better! I really think you'd like them though hearing the music you play, once you get over the hump on them they are a blast to play and for once you will get more attention than the front man in the band. People love these things, what's that? what's the correct name? is that a cello? on and on. It's the first time I've actually had more people watching me more than anyone else in any band I've been in unless I was singing, haha!

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:41 am

If I were to get one, it would be an EURB, like an NS Designs.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:51 am

You can actually bring the action way down on an acoustic if you don't want to slap and they play almost as easily as an electric fretless bass and sound much better than a EURB. I have an adjustable bridge on mine. That big resonant body adds a lot of sound and tone.

4005player · Post by **4005player** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 9:59 am

Bob - you are indeed correct, sir, with what you say in both your posts so far today! The upright I played years ago had an adjustable bridge, and it was adjusted to very low action. It was a pretty smooth playing bass, and sounded really great...I should have bought it from the guy when I had the chance....oh well, nothing like 20-20 hindsight....

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 10:22 am

Cello and Standup Bass are 2 different things btw. But anyohwho. I got a Dean Pace Bass. Its kind of a semi upright. The strings arent as far apart as on the real thing. It uses the bridge for a pickup. So it gets that upright sound. Its kind of a good thing to get as a step between electric basses and an upright. I wish i had saved and gotten the real deal but... its not that bad. I still love playing it. I think they are about 1k. Some where around there.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:05 pm

Jacob I know that, that was my point I get asked many questions about the real name of it which is double bass and it's not a violin it's closer to a viol. this is interesting:

Dance-band bass players had used conventional microphones as pickups for years without altering their playing styles. Some recent variations of the double bass have been fitted with electromagnetic pickups like an electric guitar's and are designed exclusively for use with electric amplification. These instruments, generally known as electric upright basses (mostly called [EUB]) often have a minimal or skeleton body, to reduce size and weight. The first electric upright basses have been built around 1935 (by Rickenbacker). However, it took quite some years to develop high quality transducers to amplify the sound. Nowadays electric upright basses have become quite popular.

http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/string_bass

4005player · Post by **4005player** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 7:37 am

Hi Everyone! I just returned from my trip to Baltimore to visit my family, and here's the shot of my Baltimore Bass Contingent -

February, 1976, 4001 MapleGlo, PB-xx72 (jackplate rusted over the other #'s)

January, 1969, 4005 MapleGlo, IA-012

September, 1978, 4003FL Custom color, RI-5487

Jim

4005player · Post by **4005player** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 7:42 am

And here's the shot of the incredible guitar my brother left to me in his will...it's near mint -

August, 1968, 366-12 FireGlo, HH-1307

Jim