Opinions: Ric or Wal Pickup in Next Custom Order?

basse · Post by **basse** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 4:26 pm

Hi all! I'm at the point where I'm ready to pull the trigger on a new custom bass order. It's going to be a Harlot through my friend Alan at www.acguitars.co.uk although I'm not sure if it will be the original design with 2 horns or the "S" type. Hopefully we'll get the details worked out when he's here on vacation next month. But before I get started I'd like to ask your opinion on the pickups.

I'm definitely going to use one of his Musicman style pickups and I'm seriously considering a 2nd one but I also could go with either a Wal pickup or a Ric toaster. I have both sitting in a drawer and not being used.

Here's what I'd like to as your opinions on:

1) do I have him use the Ric or the Wal pickup in conjunction with his Musicman pickup?

2) if I have him use the Ric or the Wal pickup should it be in the bridge or neck position?

I'd really appreciate your comments and rationale as to why you'd go one way or the other for each of the questions above. Thanks VERY much in advance!

And hey, if JH is reading this... If you feel like breaking out the 4002 blanks and taking custom orders I could be swayed in my custom-order decision... *smile*

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:27 pm

The acguitars basses are truly a step above pretty much anything Rickenbacker has ever made ... they don't have the vintage looks and feel of a 4001/4003 bass though ...

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 6:49 pm

I think the MM pickup will way overpower the toaster, plus I think the combination will just look strange together.

John Simmons or Mike Guiterrez can comment on the Wal pickup, as they have Wal basses.

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:32 pm

Jeff, what are the price ranges for that gallery of basses on the acguitars.co.uk web site?

I did not see that this guy has the capability to make a neck-though offering, amidst the dizzying array of woods.

Despite the woods, has anyone actually played one to these to see if they are any good? It's all in the tone anyway, not the wood-looks...

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:39 pm

The acguitars basses are truly a step above pretty much anything Rickenbacker has ever made ... they don't have the vintage looks and feel of a 4001/4003 bass though ...

So, how are they are step above anything Rickenbacker has ever made?

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:04 pm

I have never heard Wal pickups in anything but a Wal Bass, but as an owner of a Wal I can say that they are fantastic instruments. The electronics are first rate.

To me, I would have to have both a Rick and a Wal (and I do), for they are both too different in their own way...they certainly do not sound the same at all IMO.....

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:19 am

David, don't know if you're going active or passive but Leroy (actually Leigh) Gorman of Bow Wow Wow used a passive Wal Pro 2 (ash body) which may give some ideas about the passive tone of a Wal pickup . I'm not sure about the output of a Wal pickup but would suspect it would also overpower a toaster. I could be wrong though.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:13 am

Joey: I played a high end bass that was or looked very much like the recurve model ... it was selling used to around $3500 ... it was an incredible instrument ...

the point is there are some high end boutique instruments that are a step above factory produced instruments ...

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:27 am

the point is there are some high end boutique instruments that are a step above factory produced instruments ...

Wouldn't that be the entire point of a "boutique" instrument? How would any boutique maker survive if their instruments were no better than factory-made? Sure, they can do some custom stuff but there's also plenty of shops that do this at about factory level quality that I would hestitate to call "boutique".

Maybe it's a definition problem. In my mind small is, well, just small, and boutique is a title to be earned encompassing small AND a high level of quality.

basse · Post by **basse** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:16 am

Hey guys, to address some of your points...

I have 2 Wals and 2 Rics so I'm familiar with the sound of each and love them both - which is why I was wondering about including one of their pickups with one of Alan's.

I also have one of AC Guitars ReCurves and it is one of my 3 main basses as I tend to take 2 of the following 3 basses to gigs; my 4002, the Wal MK1 and the ReCurve. In fact I LOVE that ReCurve and the sound, feel and quality are stunning. You can see pics of it on Alan's website at http://www.acguitars.co.uk/Gallery/97/.

I think that the points about differing output levels may be key to this decision. I'll have to get them measured and compared to Alan's MM pickups. And I just realized that the Ric toaster may introduce some of that ol' single-coil noise and hum so maybe it makes sense to go with either 2 MM or the Wal and a MM since they're both humbuckers.

Alan's basses are very competitively and realistically priced. I think that, depending upon your choice of woods or pre-amp configuration you're probably looking somewhere between 1100-1200 pounds sterling - but honestly, you'd have to ask him - he's a really great guy!!!

And I definitely have to agree with JH's statement above, just because you're small doesn't make you a boutique... It truly is a combination of size and quality! And with that as a qualifier, AC Guitars definitely deserves the "boutique" handle!

Anyone got any experience pairing a single-coil and a humbucker?

bard2dbone · Post by **bard2dbone** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:57 am

It may be heresy to say it on a Ric forum, but I think the Wal p'up is a better choice than the toaster.

Sorry. But Jeffrey(jps) had it right. The Ric p'up would be buried.

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:05 pm

Welcome Wayne!

I have only played a Wal a couple of times and only one through an amp; good thing too, because with the other one I would have sounded like I just picked up a bass for the first time although I have been playing since '71 (it was a lefty Wal and I am not lefty!). The tone of the Wal I did plug in reminded me of an Alembic, probably due to the similar type of tone filter used. It sounded great but there were no Ricks around to make any kind of comparisons with.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:23 pm

This is an interesting thread ...

Rics have the great classic single coil bite and growl ... some of the modern boutique basses have an incredible clean pure sound ... the 5 string AC bass that I played had a really lively low B and low E string and a really nice neck ...

Even though I appreciate the craftsmanship and engineering that goes into the modern boutique basses I really like the Vintage sound of the factory produced 4001/4003/jazz/p-bass type basses ... but if you can't afford a high end $3000 to $5000 or $10,000 bass at least go try on out and play one that has fresh strings and a good setup ... it is a real joy to play such an instrument ...

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:18 pm

To me, most of those boutique basses all sound very similar.

crazypink · Post by **crazypink** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:59 pm

Just a thought, how about the use of an HB1 or HB2 pickup with a Wal. I have owned two Wal's in the past and wished I'd kept at least one of them, that's why I'm on the waiting list if they ever produce anymore basses.

I recently bough a NOS '93 4004L and the pickups are nothing short of incredible for a non active humbucker!

Just my thoughts, at least the HB1's and 2's have a higher output.