My 4 Days at NAMM- Rickenbacker Content!

[Elnjaybass]

Well-
The girls at Dean didn't wear those outfits- They were RIGHT down the line from us, and they had Red one day, and black the next two, unless I missed it, they didn't have those loverly pastel outfits you posted-
Irregardless- Ya know, if I worked for Dean etc. I can see the Bimbo vibe- What the He**- It's not exactly inventing the wheel having ladies/sex sell- It's all fun.

EB/MM-
Let me attempt to regain my track-
I do not care about Sailor-Suiting, have at it Sterling.
I really love my namesake bass, EXCEPT that GIVE IT UP- They have a serious problem with weaker output on the G string- (no reference to the ladies above btw).
Wheterh it's from the pup or pre-amp, I can live with it, but it is a flaw, and I am sick of hearing sycophants (sp?) meaning die-hard "fanz" say it ain't so! "It's the strings1" "Adjust the pup height!"
Blah-Blah.
God-**** it, admit it, fix it, do soemthing- It did NOT exist whatsoever on the pre in my earlier Sterling Bass- It DOES on my present- I have considered selliung/trading it because of it- And there is denial as well as unabashed saccharine loylty over in EBMM land.
Whatever. Don't want to start fists flying- but I will stand by those statements, pre-amp weakness and denial both.

The new products- I do not like them one bit, and that is only my opinion, and my perogative as well.
The build is adequtae, the control set-up is ludicrous to my taste, and I did not feel them.

I pick up certain instrumentes and feel them. The ESH bass was one, too bad the German didn't have his sales act together- too bad for me as I was offered one at about 1/2 price- Woulda bought it too. Unfortunately, I'm making $$!
The BEE bass felt good, I'm thinking of having Fred build me a very unique instrument.
Rickenbackers-
My Laredo may be my favorite bass, after 40+ years of playing the instrument professionally, including extensive local work, national and international tour engagements. (Hey, I'm not a major Rockstar or major anything- Just a working, solid player who KNOWS gear and has a musical background, rooted in Jazz, Blues, R&B, Soul and R'nR- I listen to everything and like what I like...)

I own 8 basses soon to be NINE, with my coming 4003- I have not played a 4003- Only so far felt the neck profile at NAMM. I know I will lay into it, and make it to my personal style, ability, and attack.

The EBMM thing is about marketing/sales. I do sales, I understand/respect it.
However-
"Big Al" ?
Anniversary Model?
Sorry, I did not find these instruments unique, toneful, or relevant. If one does, I am happy for them, and hope that they like it as much as I like my Rickenbacker- soon to be RickenbackerS.

No offense meant; but I will stand by this- Those basses cannot be in the same class, league, or spher as what the Ric factory builds. Black and white, my friends. If I'm looked at as disagreeable because of that, who cares? Not I.

And the Sailor Suit was -
ahh, never mind.
Not important.

Believe it or not, I had a pretty good show, made some good business contacts in several respects, and had my ideas of the businees of music, and the players, fans, wanna-bees and "schmoozers" within validated.
I like Art-

Rickenbackers are dignified and artisitic.
That's about it-
And seeing as my S.O. Lady is an advanced teacher of higher mathematics (hey don't look at me- I barely got thru Algebra)- The DEAN girls in THEIR Sailor Suits don't do a freakin' thing for me.

Howz about dem apples??

[dog]

Speaking of a "gentleman's booth". I was recently looking for a Thunderbird Bass part, and when I went here I had to when I saw the first photo. No offense to the (woman?) with the string through her tongue. It's just not my cup of tea, and I'm glad that Ric doesn't promote themselves in this manner. But even if they did, I wouldn't sell my Ric.

[Elnjaybass]

Eeeeewwww!

Doesn't get my attention---(maybe if she had on a Sailor Suit....)

BTW, Mike Lull is making a T-Bird variant which had a lot of buzz, I saw it.
Meh.

Sure it's a good instrument.

Saw among others- (well I saw 'em all for the most part)-
Fodera
MTD
Lakland
MM
Dingwall
Warwick
oh forget it, too many to even think- makes my head hurt.
Saw 'em all.

The Best of Show......

You get (3) guesses--


The Grand Prize-
A Sailor Suit!

[dog]

Hmmmmm. Best of show. Is it the Black Labrador Retreiver? Or the English Setter? Maybe the 4001C64?

[Elnjaybass]

Hmmmmm. Best of show. Is it the Black Labrador Retreiver? Or the English Setter? Maybe the 4001C64?

Nope-
Hint:
Rhymes with:
" My NEW forthcoming MireGlo Borsousandtree"--

You're getting warm, warmer, RED HOT!

[dog]

Larry, you REALLY crack me up!

[Elnjaybass]

Ron-
I BE crackin' up my own self!

Mighta been the secret sauce in the nachos at the Convention Center, or mebbe those DEAN GIRLS-
Yeah, that's what it is---
They emit light waves from their High-Heels, makes you want a DEAN bass!!!!

OMG, you shoulda seen them walkin' round the both, preening and posing in their high-heels and short-short skirts.
Would I do that if I were a Gurllll???

I dunno.

The rickenbacker booth was like finding civilization.
I wish my MireGlo Boursousandtree was here NOW!!!!

[dog]

You mean Fireglo 4003, right?

[Elnjaybass]

Ahhhhhh, ya got me!

Ok, just wait til after Wednesday when I start posting about how thrilled I am and how excellent this bass is-

Oh, it'll happen....!

[atomic_punk]

Hey, I was just havin' a little fun with ya, Larry! (re: Dean girls and Sterling)

As far as my EBMM thoughts go, the ones I have, I love. I don't know about others nor have I played the new ones.

As soon as RIC starts making a 5-string available, I might just throw em all out the window and buy a bunch of new Ricks. Who knows?
I've been known to change my mind pretty rapidly.
As for right now, they are solid and good for what I do. That's about all I need.

[Elnjaybass]

Hey, I was just havin' a little fun with ya, Larry! (re: Dean girls and Sterling)

As far as my EBMM thoughts go, the ones I have, I love. I don't know about others nor have I played the new ones.

As soon as RIC starts making a 5-string available, I might just throw em all out the window and buy a bunch of new Ricks. Who knows?
I've been known to change my mind pretty rapidly.

Steve, no offense taken; hope I didn't come across like that.
Dean Girz were just that- Dean Girls- Actually, they took my mind off the tedium of working an Exhibit; not so much their
creamy, voloptuous thighs; their tight, rose-bud shaped, ummm, backsides, their stellar set of assets, thier spindly legs on those stilleto heels..

But watching Clem & Hoss from East Bohunk go "Gawwwwly, looky me with them Girlz! Hyuk-hyuk"

And EB/MM-
What can I say- I personally really do not like the new models- Push button controls; way too much tonal variety and eq from electronics package, rather than intrinsic instrument design. Take my Laredo- Volume and Tone. It will put those models in their graves, to my tastes and ears....

Like one of my tube amps- Bass-Mid-Treble. Simple Eq- that's all I need. That, and to practice/hone my technique and skillz....

The pre-releae party and accompanying accolades from the legions hoping to get a high-five from Sterling Ball & his Sailor-Suit-
Just not my thang-
The basses did not feel good-to-me. I understand the price is up there with say a Rick, and this, combined with the intro of a new offshore lline, which I understand from many standpoints business-wise, points in a downward arrow for MM as an entity to me.
Only me- My opinion & my perogative.

The shortcoming of the weak G-string is not an opinion; it is a reality that did not exist on my older Sterling.
And the denial- I've seen it adressed by others, only to be naysayed, in the MM forum- That is lame to me.
Like I say- I love the build and 3-band of the Sterling, as well as the woods, etc. It's a powerful and well-built bolt-on,
But.
Fix it. And bring back the BE neck while you're at it. Something about supply I've heard. Don't pretend and/or hide and shout under the auspice of brand loyalty that it isn't true. It is.

I could not and did not get tone, feel, or resonance from either the "Big Al" or the Anniversary, while conversely-
The ESH was awesome, the BEE basses, fantastic, even some "low-ends" sounded/felt good to me.
The New MM's- not to me. ONLY my opinion- And I hope that those that like them, or covet them, are as happy as I am with Rics.

Right now, I'm enjoying "quiet time"- The DIN at NAMM is pathetic. I got there to open the Booth at 8:30 and already- Drummers were drumming, and slappers were slapping.
Gawd, please- Give it a rest. Read a book, think a thought or hey------
Practice a scale, or a mode.
Why not?

[beatlefreak]

Where are the pics?

[bb5000]

sort of related....
I took my 4003 to get set up (for the 3rd time in the short time I've owned it) on sat. When I asked how long
it would take, I was told that it might be 1-2 weeks since Mr. Carruthers was at the NAMM show and behind
on the shop work.
So.... He's hanging out w/ you and the booth ladies at a convention, instead of working on my Ric. !!?
sounds fair.
j/k
He does good work. I took the 4003 to other shops (intial set up, set up w/ flats for a project, now back to rounds w/ a hipshot)
because his wait times can get pretty girthy but, he's refretted my '74 SG and done setups on almost all of my current and
previous guitars and basses without any problems.

As for NAMM.... I flew a Huey in Saigon '68.
Sorry that was bad I know.
I went in '02 or '04 and it was a headache. A LOT of slap happy Korn Bizkit type of players and gear. LED fret markers
on NASA composite fiber bass bodies plugged into HAL 9000 amplifiers. Giving the bassists that amplified click that was popular w/
that genre. I don't slap anymore . I don't mind it, and although I don't listen to them, I don't mind those
bands either BUT there was no end to it. Like I said probably just a fad of that time but WOW was it a bit on the much side.

As for the booth ladies.... I think in terms of numbers, the E3 expo has them beat. er...used to before the headaches got too big
and they (recently) cut back on the lights , sound systems, dj's and booth ladies . Video games don't usually = ladies .
Or at least I would think that rockstars and their gear would = more. Not so. Video games for the win.

Brian

[shamustwin]

Thought the Rick booth looked the best I've seen it in three years. Lots of activity.

Beautiful finishes.
Oh, to have all the money in the world!

[Elnjaybass]

Where are the pics?

No camera; I didn't think of it- The forays I took were somewhat brief, as I was there to man my Company's booth and see my Customers, new and old; hopefully make mo' money- The way I've been buying basses and such, I better do just that.
I suck as a photog anyway, so you ain't missing much!

I briefly spoke with Mr. Carruthers; he had a small low-key booth in E hall, where I went to see Fred at BEE and bought! a gorgeous wide El Dorado strap- very sweet indeed; you'll see it in two weeks or so!
Carruthers was soft-spoken, he had some EMG I believe equipped J-style basses, I hear his work is supreme- The basses were very plain and generic- I mean that in the best way- No flash or trash, and I didn't want to play because it was almost pointless with the noise- He was near Accugroove e.g. and you guessed it-
Slapa-slapa-thonk-thonk; thapa-thapa, slonk!
Ya know-
I'm not abject to modern bass playing, No. But enought. What is disheartening in a way was legions of young pups, picking up the Flea bass (and others) then IMMEDIATELY slapa-slapa...etc.etc.
There ARE other ways to handle the axe. I rarely heard a melodic, linear bass line played. What about groove, pocket, and motion??
I talked to a player- he liked our straps- He SAID he took over for Jamerson at Motown back in the day-- either yes, or he's full of it- but-
He told me the same--'
LISTEN! To James lines; hear his construction and thought; his rhythmic variants, his sense of melody and harmony; counterpoint done in a rhythmic fashion, ghost notes, tension up and down...modes!
Thapa-Thapa- Slonk! slonk!
Sad.
It's showing off, not playing. Many builders I admired asked me to play- No point in it.
Ahhh, it's all good.
Long as we tolerate each other, I can listen to whatever and whomever I want, and can do my thing on my Laredo, and soon- SOON!
4003.
Oh yeah.