I too agree with Scott completely. I use very low action and play very lightly, although my string gauges can vary (usually Roto 40-95, but sometimes 45-105). I find I can't play anything in shops nowdays. Often I can hardly get a note out of basses I pick up. I recently tried a new 4003 and you could have driven a bus under the action. And ignoring the playability issue, my setup is extremely important to my sound. I find that with anything other than my setup I get a terrible tone. Sometimes it irritates me how fussy I am about my setup, but that's just the way it is. And the "discussions" I've had with luthiers about low action...have they never heard of Jeff Berlin, Matt Garrison et al? Even Flea has very low action; for years it was 1/32" at the 12th fret E. He's now up to 1/16"
BTW, the Rick/Pedulla issue doesn't really surprise me. Both, although very different in many ways, are through-necked all-maple basses (assuming we're talking about the MVPs), and both have a not dissimilar string to string ratio (i.e they both sing nicely as you go up the neck, and neither has an overpowering E- the reason why I struggle with the majority of Fender-type basses). Along with my Alembics, Ricks and Pedullas are the nicest instruments I've played, although I do have to agree that not all basses of a particular make are created equal, and there are dogs and gems of every type. BTW, Bobcat, interested to see your top 3; I px'd my Pedulla MVP for a Wal around ten years ago, and regretted it within weeks. I found the Wal great for solo stuff, but I personally thought the tone of the Pedulla far outshone it in a band setting (well, MY band setting!).
Ultimately if someone doesn't like Ricks, I guess it's up to them. Maybe they just don't work for their style, like Fender Jazz basses don't work for me....
