Which Pick-up(s) ?

steverok · Post by **steverok** » Tue May 02, 2006 8:00 am

Hey everyone, I have been playing the bass like mad lately. I never played bass in my life, until this February. I couldn't get my buddies to come over and lay down the parts, so I had to take it on myself. I'm not bad. Anyway, my friend "gave" me a 4001JG from the early 80s, I had it set up, and it plays and sounds good. I also am using a Jazz bass, and I like to switch between them from song to song. I tend to like the Ric for the fast, tight, high energy rock songs. I also like it for snappy little pop songs, where the bass has a strong melodic presence. I record straight through a tube pre-amp and compressor. How do y'all use the pick-ups on the Ric bass ? I used both, full-on, until recently, I am recording with just the neck pick-up. It seems like the neck-only is awesome, I wish I had tried it sooner. Please share your thoughts if you'd like.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue May 02, 2006 8:21 am

I turn all knobs to 10 then back off the neck volume to 7-9 range ... Chris Squire with Yes does a lot of just his neck toaster pickup only on his old '65 4001s

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:11 am

Pickup settings I use:
Both, with neck tone around 2, bridge tone on 10

Bridge, with tone on 10

Neck, with tone on 0

steverok · Post by **steverok** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:14 am

Thanks. I like neck with tone on 10 also. We'll see in the final mix, which is what really matters, right ?

dswp · Post by **dswp** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:34 am

I use both pick ups and the 2 tone both on 10.

I EQ as needed at the AMP...

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:47 am

It also makes a difference with what kind of strings you are using. With rounds you'll probably roll the tones off a bit more than if you're using flats.

steverok · Post by **steverok** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:53 am

I use DR rounds "hi beams", 45-100. Wow, neck pick-up on 10 is both snappy and fat. Give it a try !

zoomduck · Post by **zoomduck** » Tue May 02, 2006 11:31 am

With the cap bypass ..... Everything up ...bridge pickup volume back just enough to fatten the tone .

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Tue May 02, 2006 5:19 pm

I havent recorded or played with anyone much sence i got my ric. So i dont know what i use really. Dont pay too much attention. However I did get to use the ric-o-sound tonight. If i was recording id play with it. We went thru a little recording machine into the bigger set up so we could get all the effects. I was just simply amazed.

Sorry if thats off topic... Somehow in my head it related some.

dean712 · Post by **dean712** » Tue May 02, 2006 7:26 pm

I guess I'm the different one. I generally use the bridge pickup only (pickup selector in the down position), with volume and tone full up. I finger pluck, with a heavy hand.

I will flip the pickup selector to middle (both pickups) when I'm using a pick (a few songs per show).

I occasionally flip the pickup selector up to the neck pickup for a mellow part of a song.

So, essentially, my default is bridge pickup full on, and I use the pickup selector switch for effect. When I've recorded, I've used the same approach.

It's interesting to see how everybody else uses theirs....

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Tue May 02, 2006 7:47 pm

I have the mod in. Bridge vol max , neck only to match and the tones just rolled enough to not get fret noise when sliding. I also have a gentle midrange hill for Eq. Chromes. When I need a Fender sound I just play close to the neck, when I want growl, right over the bridge p/u. I love those two tones.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Tue May 02, 2006 7:52 pm

I should have mentioned, the neck p/u is much louder with the mod in, so I max the bridge vol and match that on the neck p/u. That way if I really wanted a Fender sound, I can just flip the switch up go close to the neck and really get that thump. I didn't want to have to adjust vols when flipping the switch, and I really enjoy the versatility with the vintage tone mod.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue May 02, 2006 8:38 pm

I change sounds to fit the song in all cases. I'll play flats, rounds, neck pickup, bridge pickup, bridge pickup with cap mod, both pickups....whatever works.

heinpete · Post by **heinpete** » Tue May 02, 2006 9:29 pm

I just use all pots to 10, whether it is the 4003 or 4004. I play with fingers, but use mainly the fingernails like a pick (to harden them I sometimes use a little bit of "superglue", cyan-acrylate, when we play long sets. The fingerplay can also mellow the tone a bit if I like. However I rarely use the PU-switch (on my 4003), it is mainly in the middle position.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Wed May 03, 2006 10:36 am

Anyone else think the pup switch is backwards? Intuitively for me up would be treble (higher freqs) and down would be bass (lower freqs).