Rics in big band jazz.

cavie8284 · Post by **cavie8284** » Fri Jun 22, 2001 4:40 pm

I know a lot of people use uprights and fender basses alot. anyone ever use a ric?

L._4001 · Post by **L._4001** » Sat Jun 23, 2001 3:55 pm

Yes..I did some in High School Jazz band in the late 80's. I had a beat up '76 4001. It sounded good for big band jazz and modern jazz. (when I did the songs I knew the best.) It didn't have the punch of a fender, although my bass still had that .0047mf capacitor too. We had a real ****** PA system for a bass amp. It would have done better with out it, due to having no bass amp, extra punch would help some.(but, yes I used a Precision with the frets ripped out too.) A new modern 4003 or V63 would do even better. Ricks do real good with R&B too.. If you lay off the classic trebly clancky sound a little...thats the trick for Jazz or blues..not so trebly...unless you want to get experimental...

whitfordstholmes · Post by **whitfordstholmes** » Sat Jun 23, 2001 4:22 pm

When I was in High School the bass player in Concert and Stage Band used a Rick. Just last year I played with a seven piece band for our school musical, and I used my 4003S. Received some nice compliments from the 'serious' musicians! If you roll the tone off the bridge pickup you lose some of the 'clank' but still get definition and a wonderful round tone.

Cavie8284 · Post by **Cavie8284** » Mon Jun 25, 2001 4:22 pm

thanks I thought I was the only one. I'm in high school right now and am going to be a senior next year. I got my 4003 fireglow the thanksgiving of my sophomore year and have been playing it exclusively since. have played in the regular jazz band at my school; a few jazz combos; the jazz arts foundation youth ensemble in Lexington, Ky (I live about 20 minutes away); some classic rock bands; and now I am the official jazz bassist for the governors school for the arts of Kentucky. I have gotten countless complements on my bass and people remember the bass which has helped me get gigs. For jazz I have been stringing with flatwounds and turning on the string mutes to get a real nice thuddy upright sound. I usually play over the neck pickup with the bridge on 100% and the neck on 75%. Both tone knobs are on 50%. I play through a 100 watt Ampeg 15" combo. When I play rock I simply turn of the mutes and play closer to the bridge. I broke a string recently (I hadn't changed them in a year and a half) and I restrung with nickel-plated Rotosounds. WWWWHHHHEEEEEWWWW! The sonic possibilities are endless. thanks for your comments.

Cavie8284 · Post by **Cavie8284** » Mon Jun 25, 2001 4:24 pm

Oh yeah I forgot I played the upright bass part in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN for our school musical.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Tue Jun 26, 2001 2:52 am

When I was in high school I switched between my 4001 and the school's Fender Jazz, through a Fender Bassman 135 and matching 2X15 cabinet. I thought the Rick did just fine with anything from "Tuxedo Junction" to "Birdland"...I don't think it was so much of the instrument as it was using a different approach to playing between Big Band and Fusion..but the Rick got it done nonetheless.