Rickenbacker vs Fender (Side by Side)

[ajish4]

It's amazing.

I've tried a number of different Fender Jazz basses.....probably about 6 or 7 of them over the years.

NOT ONE SINGLE one had a decent neck. All had SOME degree of back bow. I don't get it.

A friend has a KILLER Fullerton P-Bass, I don't know they year, but that bad boy is great.

I like the tone and feel of a good Jazz bass. Especially any jazz up to a 75. Even more, I like the Pbass Special basses with the P/J pickup configuration with the jazz neck. Great basses. The ONE neck through Fender I had, I NEVER should have sold. It was a great bass, made in Japan. It was a Prophecy lll. THAT was a great bass.

Of the 40+ Ric's I've had, only ONE had a neck that needed my luthier to set. Even my Alembic's need some seasonal adjustments.

[jps]

I sold my two Alembic because they would never stay in tune. If you like a good feeling Jazz Bass type neck, try a USA G&L JB-2, Tony. I got one you could check out, come on up.

[antipodean]

.....or go for an MIJ J-bass - I've had two and both have had perfect necks.....

[ajish4]

I sold my two Alembic because they would never stay in tune. If you like a good feeling Jazz Bass type neck, try a USA G&L JB-2, Tony. I got one you could check out, come on up.

Um, I THOUGHT you had family down in my neck of the woods Jeff? (no pun intended).
Have bass, will travel?

I've never played a G&L Jeff, but I will give one a try. I hope to be in Orlando soon. Bass Central is the ONLY decent bass place I'm aware of here in FL.

Thanks Evan, I've basically just gave up on finding a good one. But if I come across one, I'll give it a go.

[teeder]

My '65 JB never needed a neck tweak in over 35 years of my family owning it. Every Rick I've owned need it a couple times a year.

Joey, I don't think a swing from AM to PM is enough of a difference to move a neck. I believe it's got to be a seasonal thing.


About the JB necks: I used to struggle with tendonitus and cramping in my fingers all the years I played the JB exclusively. Since I switched to Ricks, I haven't had the problem. Maybe the spacing works better for me. (?) I know I like the sound of the Ricks alot better.

[ricosound]

.....or go for an MIJ J-bass - I've had two and both have had perfect necks.....

Me too on the MIJ Jazz, my go to bass I've had for 20 years. It's my second one like it and both are excellent necks.

[rickenbrother]

Joey, I don't think a swing from AM to PM is enough of a difference to move a neck. I believe it's got to be a seasonal thing.

You may be right, especially since I leave my Ricks in their cases which protects them from the sudden change, but like I said, I didn't have any seasonal problems when I lived in the Bronx, NY.

What's the bid deal about having to do a seasonal adjustment anyway? You guys have to do maintenance on your cars (oil change, tire rotation, add coolant, part replacement, breakdowns, etc.), much more often than you have to do some maintenance on a Rick (which is all easy and you can learn to do yourself for free). Ange, I'm sure you're not on some car forum grumbling about that!

About the JB necks: I used to struggle with tendinitis and cramping in my fingers all the years I played the JB exclusively.

I could never be comfortable on a J-Bass Neck. I don't like that skinny top of the neck. I like to feel a bass guitar neck in my hand. I don't like the extreme taper of the neck either.

[ricaddic]

[/quote]
You may be right, especially since I leave my Ricks in their cases which protects them from the sudden change, but like I said, I didn't have any seasonal problems when I lived in the Bronx, NY.

What's the bid deal about having to do a seasonal adjustment anyway? You guys have to do maintenance on your cars (oil change, tire rotation, add coolant, part replacement, breakdowns, etc.), much more often than you have to do some maintenance on a Rick (which is all easy and you can learn to do yourself for free). Ange, I'm sure you're not on some car forum grumbling about that!

[/quote]
Well Joey, funny you put it that way, I have had very good luck with cars fortunatly, the oil change every three months, no big deal, bottom line, the car starts and performs everytime I turn the key, the Rics on the other hand, dont, cost me more to maintain the Rics every year than to do the oil changes on my car, all im doing is just posting the problems im haveing with the cklimate and set up, GRUMBLING, forgive me for not candy coating anything, I know for a fact im not the only out experienceing this, I get personal emails from people at the time that for some reason dont want to post what they send me on here, thats funny too.

[woodyng]

my current frankenjazz has a 1.5 nut width neck on it,rosewood dot neck,and new wiring with SD hot jazz pickups-it has a very *tight* and crisp clank to it. it out-clanks my ricks,and with the different emphasis on mid-lows,gives me a nice alternate sound. I do prefer the ric's sound for their clear and more musical-sounding higher register,though. i did try playing my 4004 with a pick last night, it was verrry crisp,but lacked the phatness i get with my fingers...

[teeder]

Speaking of neck shapes, I remember something about 4004 necks being shaped the same as 4003's now. Does anyone have one of these to confirm?

I'd like to get a new 4004CII to gig with to dump the noise of the single coils.

[coolhandjjl]

Yep- it is the same two piece neck used on the 4003. Thus the body wings had to be enlarged a hair on their inside joint to make up the diff. I have not seen any dealers with any 2011 4004's. Don't know if Ric has even made any other than the ones from the show.

[ricmic]

My gripe with a J bass is the position of the knobs. I play with a pick, and my little finger on my right hand keeps rolling off that first volume knob. Mark

[jps]

My gripe with a J bass is the position of the knobs. I play with a pick, and my little finger on my right hand keeps rolling off that first volume knob. Mark

That shouldn't be a problem, as the real tone of a Jazz Bass is from the bridge pickup.

[Blackstar]

I have 3 Ricks and they're all different.

My 1976 4001 - the only bass I had for about 15 years - has a thin neck and super low action and plays like a dream. But I'm finding the tone to be a bit thin, thanks to that era's pups and the .0047 cap. I'm usually boosting it with OD or a touch of Muff these days.

My 1989 4003 Blackstar is my work horse and dream bass. Same thin neck without the binding and hotter pups. It's been at Paul W's for a while getting refinished. The finish was beat up badly by a previous owner.

My 1999 4001V63 has a fat neck (didn't know Ricks could have them) and hotter pups. Still not sure what niche this one fills.

I bought a 1989 Made in Korea Squier II P-Bass in the early 90's. It has a slab body and a really good maple neck. I hated it for years, but recently put in a Fender original '62 pup and swapped out the pots and cap for P-bass values. Put a set of Rotosounds on it and I get that Live at Leeds sound! I love it and until I get my Blackstar back, this is my main bass.

I recently bought a MIM Fender Classic 60's Jazz Bass. Super bass. The neck taper doesn't bother me, but the period-specific fretboard radius is hard to adjust to. Unlike the 70's J-basses where the bridge pickup was moved back a bit (think Geddy Lee), this one will never get a Rick sound. I use it when I'm feeling more like JPJ.

Hard to compare Ricks and Fenders. Like others have pointed out, strings, technique and equipment all come into play. If you're looking for that Chris Squire tone, he is a big Entwistle fan and the Ox played P-basses with Rotosounds back when Chris was searching for his sound.

Get all of them, and have some fun!

[jps]

If you're looking for that Chris Squire tone, he is a big Entwistle fan and the Ox played P-basses with Rotosounds back when Chris was searching for his sound.

Chris sounds like himself when he plays his Lakland Bob Glaub (with Joe Osborn neck) bass.