Rick o sound again!

spiha · Post by **spiha** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 9:19 am

Hello!

I use a Rickenbacker 4003 with seymour duncan pickups. My setup is Ampeg svp pro preamp+crestaudio vs900 through a svt810 cabinet. I was just thinking of getting another preamp, the sansamp rbi has got great reviews! I´ve always had a passion to use the rick o sound option. Now it could be possible to connect it through two cords for each preamp and stereo through the poweramp. But only one(mono) cabinet. Has anyone tried this? Does it work in reality. Rick o sound from just one cabinet?

In the studio i´ve tried the rick o sound through the board D.I.. The bass changed immediately. It became different in touch and response. I really liked it. If this rick o sound through only one cabinet idea works. That would spare me from buying another Ampeg cab.

bigbajo60 · Post by **bigbajo60** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 10:31 am

I used to run each pickup from my 4001 into its own channel of the same amp/cab. I'd overdrive the bridge pickup and keep the neck pickup clean and deep. The effect was cool, even though it wasn't "stereo".

robj · Post by **robj** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 10:32 am

Unless I'm misunderstanding your post Henri, it looks like you would like to connect both outputs from a stereo amplifier to single cabinet. If that's what you are trying to do, don't do it. You will probably fry the amp and/or the speakers. A single speaker cabinet can only be connected to one side of a stereo power amp.

If that's not what you mean, and you are wanting to run the ROS signals into a stereo pre-amp, then on to either a mono amp or stereo amp run in bridged mode, and finally to your 8x10 cabinet you should be fine. As to the sound, I haven't done it this way so I don't really know how good or bad it might sound.

Congrats on your first post and welcome to the looney bin. Just kidding of course, there are some very knowledgable and nice people who post to this forum.

rickengrowl · Post by **rickengrowl** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:52 pm

If I understood correctly, I believe Henri meant :

- 1 P.U. > 1st preamp
- 1 P.U. > 2nd preamp
- 1st preamp > right side of the power amp
- 2nd preamp > left side of the power amp
- Power amp bridged mono > 1 cab

Henri, the answer is yes, you can experiment that. You will have no stereo effect, of course, but this is a way to experiment Ric'O'Sound. For example, you can add some drive in one preamp, and none in the other one. And adjust tone controls independently for each P.U.

Cheers,
JL

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:18 pm

If one is bridging a power amp for higher powered, mono operation, I don't think you can used both inputs for the two channels on the power amp. Only one channel's input can be used as the two channels will be set up in an out of polarity condition for the bridging to work.

rickengrowl · Post by **rickengrowl** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:30 pm

Oops, sorry, you're right, Jeff. Well, let's start again.

- 1 P.U. > 1st preamp
- 1 P.U. > 2nd preamp
- Y cord to mix both preamps into 1 mono signal
- Y cord > input of the amp dedicated to mono-bridge mode
- Power amp bridged mono > 1 cab

Correct ?

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:34 pm

That sounds better! 80)

spiha · Post by **spiha** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 12:29 am

Thanks for the advice everyone!

So I try to explain my idea once again.

rickenbacker 4003->rick o sound unit->2 cords to 2 preamps. Then connect 2 preamps mono to the poweramp. Mono-bridge mode out to the 8*10".

I was still wondering when using effects during this setup. I own a green beatup electroharmonix bigmuff, bought in 1995. Now I could connect the bifmuff to the bridge-pickup and get a distorted treblepickup sound. but the neckpickup is going without effects or distortion. But now when plugging the bigmuff to just one amp in mono mode it sounds good but a bit too compressed and thick.

I´ve been looking for that fragile/close to the edge sound/moving pictures sound for ages.

Of course its not possible to get or copy someone´s own special way of playing.

But I came quite close when i connected the rickenbacker through rick o sound to the mixingboard D.I.. Now I have to get that Sansamp Rbi 250USD is not too bad! If this idea works for me I´m in high heaven! I have everything in 6U rackcase. Quite easy to get Rick o sound to the gig aswell. Just give 2 D.I. to the house and rock and roll. The sansamp is great, its got a dry and wet D.I. output. dry output from the ampeg and crunchy sound from the sansamp! IT MUST WORK!

AIN´T IT FUNNY WHEN EVERY BUCK GOES TO BASSES AND EVERYTHING BASSRELATED. I MUST BE SICK IN THE BRAIN

rickengrowl · Post by **rickengrowl** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 12:36 am

No, you're not sick in the brain. We're all the same on that thing. Errrr... well, maybe we're all sick in the brain

Just two remarks about your latest post :

1/ I'm really not sure that Ric'O'Sound is absolutely needed to get the tones you're after. But that's a way to explore, anyway.

2/ The "Moving pictures" Rush album was recorded with a Jazz Bass, not a RIC. But I agree it does sound pretty much like a RIC, though.

Cheers,
JL

spiha · Post by **spiha** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 12:52 am

Yes! Except for redbarchetta(whimsy lyrics!

), which was played with a rickenbacker rick o sound through ampeg svt+2*15"V4B cabs and sunn amp+some cab which I don´t remember? Fragile was recorded with 2 dual showman tubeamps and some fender cabs.

If you listen very carefully to the bass sounds on for example signals or moving pictures. You can notice this ampeg svt bottom presence and sunn grittyness. They´re both used at the same time. Listen with headphones. Its just the best bass-sound ever!

Of course I´d would need real-tubeamps to get that famous distortion. But I´m really looking forward to mixing each pickup differently. the neckpickup is very different from the treble pickup+ getting effects and the bigmuff separated to the other preamp. if the change in sound and playability is enormous then I just have to get another 8*10"cab. My friend is not happy with his 810? he´s more of a HIFI-SWR guy. active soapbars, 5strings, horrible things, YAK!!!

By the way i´m not getting these things to my bedroom, i´m constantly gigging and rehearsing+paying

with my band SPIHA.

rickengrowl · Post by **rickengrowl** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 4:37 am

About Red barchetta, I didn't know... I was fixed on rush-signals.com information, saying (about Moving pictures) : "The '74 black Fender Jazz w/maple neck and ebony block inlays was the only bass used on this album". But that's a fact it does not sound at all like a JB in this track.

http://www.rush-signals.com/rush/geddy_gear.html

Cheers,
JL

rickless · Post by **rickless** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 5:23 am

Henri,
I'm also after that same sound. If you get the SansAmp RBI, let me know how it sounds for the bridge pickup overdrive. Do you have the 0.0047 mcf cap? As I understand, that'll get your overdrive sound closer (to the heart).

As far as Geddy's bridge pickup signal going to the Sunn Amp for his overdriven sound, I've read it was a Sunn 2000S head with a Sunn 2x15 cab with SRO speakers in it. I would be interested in buying this head except (as I understand) to get the overdrive from the Sunn head, you basically have to crank the volume pretty much all the way much like the early Marshall guitar heads without a master volume. Working with that kind of volume for me is just not realistic. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about cranking the Sunn head to deafening levels.
I've considered getting the Sunn rig and using a THD hotplate to attenuate the juice coming from the head into the cab, but I think (someone please tell me if this is true or not) the speakers being hit with that very strong signal contribites to the overdrive sound, i.e. the speakers are being overdriven, not just the amp tubes.

gothbin · Post by **gothbin** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 6:30 am

Thats true about your speaker story....as power increases speaker distortion starts to take place. So for use with a hotplate, or for that matter any powersoak, it might be a good plan to look for a (second hand) 15" driver that has less power-rating so it will start to distort at lower levels (ie.: for recording, or miking up on stage).

Good luck, and remember maybe a speaker unit from an old Fender tweed combo will fit the bill and needs.

gothbin · Post by **gothbin** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 6:32 am

Oh and yes, I love the Geddy Lee stories. I just bought the Rio DVD from Rush......rocks my world!!! Can these guys play or what?

spiha · Post by **spiha** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 6:53 am

Well that´s a wonderful idea. Another 1*15"cab. I´ve seen those cheap. Ive been to gigs where 810 just too big. 810 must be cranked to get that boom. It sound very lame when played at low volumes.

1*15 could be a good start. and remember! Consult a good technician conserning those power-brakes for tubeamps. There are BAD and good ones. Installation of a powerbrake must be done properly!

The guitarist in our band use a 50W hiwatt combo with 2*12" speakers. The thing is very loud. but using the powerbraker we have achieved very good acdc stylish sounds at lower volumes. Maybe a good idea for a bassplayers too. So no more; turn that thing down!!! and when you normally turn down the volume, playability changes. nothing changes when powerbrake is on.