Rickenbackers are best

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 12:35 pm

Heres a topic that doesnt show up often in here so here goes: aint Rickenbackers the greatest bass guitars ever?

i have a 91' 4003, only got it recently but my god! I played it in a loud band rehearsal for the first time last week, this bass sounds amazing. Its so trebly and crunchy, yet bassy and dark- and both at the same time. Plus it puts out this incredible driving natural distortion, this thing has everything. Why do hardly any notable players of today play them?

I cant be bothered with my Fender precision anymore. Fender's are fantastic but, well, they aint the same.

Please, everyone, join me and praise your bass

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 1:50 pm

[aint Rickenbackers the greatest bass guitars ever?

Yes!

[Its so trebly and crunchy, yet bassy and dark- and both at the same time.

Amen!

4003seagreen · Post by **4003seagreen** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 2:24 pm

After a brief foray with a Hofner (neat little bass), I'm back to playing the RIC full time. I missed that familiar tone I'm so used to. RICs are the best. Why don't more artists use them? Who knows, I think they should (especially Geddy Lee - Geddy, come back from the dark side!)

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 2:33 pm

yeah keep telling me what you like best about your rickenbackers

A seagreen one?......weird.

So who is your favorite bassist who played a Rickenbacker? For me, it has to be Bruce Foxton of The Jam

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 4:14 pm

Rickenbacker basses are (one of) the best sounding production basses money can buy. The neck-through design, along with its maple body and rosewood fingerboard materials and small things like bridge construction(albeit the hard to turn intonation screws) and even the fingerboard lacquer finish all contribute to the sound characteristics of a RIC bass. I'd like to call the sound "organic" because you can really hear the wood providing sweet harmonics that cut through the mix, thanks again to its neck-through design providing long sustain due to the fact that all vibration points are on the same piece of wood. Increase the gain of your amp a little and you get what Owen calls the "incredible driving natural distortion".

And the look of a RIC bass is simply irresistable. Elegant while being so "Rock'n'Roll"!
The late Mr. Roger Rosmiesl, designer of the bass, was a man of great taste. Look at the fluid lines and curves of the bass and you know what I mean. My Fender Jazz Plus bass looks so...uh..."working class" when put alongside my 4003FG.

Oh man somebody stop me please! I can go on and on!

Owen, does your white 4003 have black body binding, truss rod cover and pickguard? We need young players like you to spread the good words!

Congratulations on a great find of yours!
(RIC basses are so addictive, you can't get enough of playing or owning them.)

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:16 pm

Rickenbackers are excellent ... consistent American made quality ... even an abused screwed up Ric has the potential to be restored to excellence ...

The 4003 4001 design is awesome but a little old fashioned .... the 4004 is great but a little too smooth with humbuckers ...

You rarely see a thumb slapping bass player choose a Ric ... It can work for this but others work better ...

Everybody seems to like Geddy Lee's work with the Ric best ... the same for Paul McCartney.

The Ric is an excellent bass especially for those who use a pick ...

I LOVE RICKENBACKERS BASSES!!!!!

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 6:18 pm

I started out on a '78 4001,moved on to a '74 4001 after it's theft, and even had a '65 4005 for a brief time. The lack of experienced Rick techs caused me to move on after my '74's neck could be adjusted no more. I've had Kramer's, Yamahas, Steinbergers and Alembics since then. I sold them all last year because they didn't have the character my old Ricks had. Ricks just have a cool, a vibe other basses don't have for me. The look, feel and above all sound just plain does it. Now that I've learned to modify the things that weren't quite right and adjust the neck properly it's kinda like falling in love al over again. Ya, pretty sick but I think you all can identify. My particular addiction is the 3000 series due to it's shorter scale and my smaller hands, it's so much more natural to play than the longer scale 4000's and with the proper mods can sound identical. Next year I plan to have an 8-sting bass custom built. It will look like a 620 guitar in FireGlo with a short scale neck topped by a 4001 style headstock with alternating bass and guitar tuners. It will of course use all Rick parts. Just 'cause Rick doesn't build it doesn't mean I can't have it! Favourite Ricky bassist: Chris Squire...duh!

ricnvolved · Post by **ricnvolved** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 6:43 pm

"Rickenbackers are best"

Was there ever any serious doubt?

I mean, the genuine vintage Fender Precision & Jazz basses are truly great. I proudly own a '67 P-bass, and considering a Mike Lull Vintage4 Jazz clone at some point. I even have a Zeta Crossover 4 that is a wonderful bass.

But............ [see the heading of this thread]

wormdiet · Post by **wormdiet** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 6:49 pm

Believe it or not, my fave Rick bass sound of all time isn;t the Squire/Lee sound. As posted elsewhere, it's the creamy booming tone Mani gets on his 4005 on the first Stone Roses album. McCartney's tone on "Rain" is awesome as well, but who knows what studio weirdness affected it? Mani's not my fave bassist though - that goes to Geddy. I wish he would trash his keyboards, pull out his Rick doublenecks and rock out!

BTW how does he play the old doubleneck songs like "Xanadu" live? Another guitarist or another doubleneck? Or no go anymore on tour? Is it just me or did Rush compositions go downhill after Geddy switched basses? Now it's all girly relationship stuff and politics. Bring back the 12 minute fantasy S/F epics! Hee hee (Sorry for the rant)

Regarding looks, 4005's take the cake, w/o a doubt! 4003's, as a 19th c. philosopher would have described the alps, are "sublime," not pretty. Impressive, elegant, and cool as all hell? YES! Beautiful? not to my eye;) Obviously YMMV. Love the look though.

I still like my J-bass for sound and sentimental reasons (First name-brand instrument/sort of)even though it's MIM and needs a setup like I need a real income!

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 10:28 pm

Paul Yan, my White 4003, has black binding, pickguard etc, and black hardware

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 2:11 am

yeah its white, but aged to "ivory". I was told it should have originally been brilliant white, but i looked under the pickguard and the paint underneath is only a bit lighter, it seems the "ivory" is the original colour after all. It has the black binding, nameplate, and pickguard. It also has black plated hardware (save for the jackplate?!).

Its a stunning instrument. I have never before seen a rickenbacker like this one, i was looking for a nice one for ages, and this was the one. It has been looked after, but is well played ( with just the right amount of chips

) there is no fret wear or anything.

I may put a link to some photo's of it on here, so you can all tell me wot u think

turlu · Post by **turlu** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 2:51 am

4003 Seagreen said: "(especially Geddy Lee - Geddy, come back from the dark side!) "

I fully agree with that !!!

Especially when Geddy mentions that he gets a Rickenbacker top end tone using the SansAmp RBI with his "Jazz"..... then why doesn`t he simply use the Rickenbacker 4001 ?????

Just a thought.

4003seagreen · Post by **4003seagreen** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 4:32 am

Stephane: Yes, I fully agree, why go through the motions of replicating the RIC sound with a Fender when he could simply play the RIC again.

I also agree with the notion that Rush's sounds seems to have changed since Geddy switched from the RIC to the Fender/Wal, but I can't say for sure that the switch caused it, but I certainly don't hear any real memorable bass lines coming out like "Anthem", "Closer to the Heart", etc. anymore.

And finally, Owen, a Sea Green 4003 weird? It's the most beautiful finish ever. Here's a pic of it:

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mccorp/4003seagreen.html

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 6:30 am

weird as in unusual, not as in nasty!

, you are right tho, its a fantastic colour, very striking.

mines better tho.

4003seagreen · Post by **4003seagreen** » Wed Jan 29, 2003 6:56 am

White with black binding is a fantastic finish. I was looking for one in that color configuration, but I came across the Sea Green and absolutely fell in love with it. Definitely post some pics, I'm sure we'd all love to see it!