It's really hard to like Rickenbackers...

[comeontrain]

So no one is up for the dropping a P pickup in a Rick then

Jps, I've actually told people before things like 'you don't want that, you want a rickenbacker' haha, I was very young but maybe it's a case of what goes around comes around! In my defence though, no one took any notice of me! So perhaps like some suggest I should stick to my guns!! Thanks for posting the song, great tone. If nothing else playing the P allowed me to put my Rick back to a state where it sounds akin to that!

Keef, Captain Bob, Squirebass, wints - you actually all touch upon a point that I haven't thought of in any great depth until now. I in no way see myself as a musician, I mean I can't read music and any originals band I've been in have achieved errm the square root of sod all lol way back when I just listened to my dads old Who lp's and knew I wanted to have a go makeing a sound like John Entwistle. Still not achieved that btw, but I digress lol These guys DO make money at this, and I AM being paid..."this is what I play, and if you don't like it that's tuff!" I was soooooo close to saying that. I'm really in the wrong here aren't I? They've given me a shot at actually being paid a bit of cash for something I'd do for free. The look is important, that's part of what the clients pay for. Omg. Clients. Money. I really haven't thought this through.

Rickenbastard, I'll have to dig out one of the play along clips I initially sent...that's what I did, with a hint if bridge pickup. Mutes there but not over done...which took some fiddling I'm not keen on repeating too often. I completely changed my finger style position from behind the horseshoe to the neck to get closer to the sound - and it was imo really damn close - but the more I talk about this the more I realise it IS image, the look and as I really don't look like a funk brother (more a weatherman my girlfriend says lol) I guess I've got to move towards them with the gear.

Lewis90, Kopfjaeger, coolingitdown - you guys are want I wanted to hear, if the others hadn't brought me down to Earth with a bump you'd have made me ever-so happy! I was going to put on flats for the audition but the rounds I had on really did nail the tone coupled with the steps mentioned above. On the plus side I saved a £30 quid set of strings for another time...probably on a P But it's still not going to be my current P, I really really do not get on with it

Being true to myself has always been a value I hold dear, right up there in strength with the love for my Rick actually! But that value has on more than one occasion got me into trouble and maybe this time it's just going to get me thrown out of an opportunity that I really don't want to miss out on if I don't give a bit. Seems heading towards the advice sloop_john_b and start searching for the right one.

I feel like I've cluttered up your Bass guitar discussion board with a need for life coaching rather than a Rick! You guys are good at it!

But can I just thank you all for taking the time to reply to my initial post, I'm not sure I could be quite as tactful in some cases, helpful in some and encouraging in others as you have been in reply to my essay So, thank you.

[comeontrain]

(I'd stay away from the foam mute... sooner go with a sponge under the strings if you want something like that.)

Now THAT I wish I'd paid attention too a couple of weeks ago. Im not a big one for swearing but that had me sounding like a football hooligan

It's true the sound is more than there in the bass, it's just some listen with their eyes I guess...and I'm going to bow to them

[sloop_john_b]

Seems heading towards the advice sloop_john_b and start searching for the right one.

"The right one" for me was a Road Worn. It's the best bass I've ever owned. I gush all about it here:

http://www.johnbiscuti.net/#/fender-road-worn-pbass/

[jps]

...it's just some listen with their eyes I guess...

+1

I have a nice 3TSB Stingray with an old set of Chromes on it if push came to shove.

[Keef]

Thanks Bob! I appreciate hearing that!
Danny, I wouldn't go so far as to say you're in the wrong.... in fact I wouldn't say that at all. I know you love your Ric, and I know why! Since you asked for opinions I thought I'd share how I think in these types of situations. Just something to think about... or not. And since I'm talking… personally, I don't think it's about looks only… and I could be wrong, but I don't think you can EQ a Ric to sound like a P bass. ANYWAY, The great thing is you're being asked to play, and that is something fantastic and not to be taken for granted. Best of luck with it all.

[chefothefuture]

Take a drink from a different fountain-
Try a Starcaster.( No not the cheap P-Bass thing, but the off-set hollow body ....)
Sure they weigh a ton(10#s give or take), but they are huge sounding and their necks aren't as large as a P-Bass.
Short scale, but strung with the right strings, they are fun to play.
Gee, I ended up with two ! LOL!

[Keef]

Now you're talking John! Short scale and hollow! My main electric bass has been a Jerry Jones Longhorn which is short and semi hollow. That thing gets just about every tone I'll ever need… plus it's weird looking to boot! I resisted P basses forever because they were EVERYWHERE, but when I was offered a gig in a rock band I felt I needed to give it a try. The band had a long history with 2 previous bass players and each of them had played a P bass. My Jerry Jones could have done about 90%, but there were some tunes that needed a longer scale bass with more growl and bite, so I put together a P bass with a Lollar pickup. Man! I found out fast what all the fuss was about. It was perfect… well, just about. It came to me that my Jerry Jones was like a sports car, and the P bass was a muscle car, and that band needed the muscle.
When I got my SnoGlo 4003, I started using it on sessions with the band, and it sounded GREAT.

[chefothefuture]

LOL!
Yep, I hear ya Keef. I played Dano longhorns as well. I think the JJ's have stronger pickups though.
The Starcaster's monster wide range pups are pretty destructive. Not as bad as a Gibson sidewinder, but close.
The Starcaster's center block is so massive that it's really only a hollow body in theory.....

[RickyBubba]

Hate to hear all this, I can only guess how I would feel.

If you have to go the P-bass route, one of the best kept secrets are the early '80s Yamaha BB basses. I have two of the "low" end BB300s, and you would be amazed how well they were made then. The finish on the necks rivals $500-$800 basses you can buy now. Just amazing wood can be found in some of those necks too. One of them has a fair amount of birds eyes in there too. And…with some luck you can pick them up for around $100 on e-bay with a little searching. Even at $200 they can be great buys if all is well with them. They are P-basses, but I added a bridge pickup to one with a selector switch to make it P-J. Amazing bass. If I were to add a coil tap, then it would really be something.

[sloop_john_b]

Hate to hear all this, I can only guess how I would feel.

If you have to go the P-bass route, one of the best kept secrets are the early '80s Yamaha BB basses. I have two of the "low" end BB300s, and you would be amazed how well they were made then. The finish on the necks rivals $500-$800 basses you can buy now. Just amazing wood can be found in some of those necks too. One of them has a fair amount of birds eyes in there too. And…with some luck you can pick them up for around $100 on e-bay with a little searching. Even at $200 they can be great buys if all is well with them. They are P-basses, but I added a bridge pickup to one with a selector switch to make it P-J. Amazing bass. If I were to add a coil tap, then it would really be something.

My $.02 on this: I lusted after a vintage MIJ BB bass and eventually found a 1981 BB2000 (PJ configuration). '

My tonal preference is totally in the Motown/Stax wheelhouse.

I could not get anything resembling a usable tone (for me) from my BB. And yes, I know how to play, adjust my EQ, set up a bass, etc.

[sloop_john_b]

Danny - come n' get it!

https://reverb.com/item/498512-fender-r ... 4-sunburst

[Captain Bob]

[quote="comeontrain"]So no one is up for the dropping a P pickup in a Rick then

Here you go.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C291esMLGps

Moreover, in 1978 I took a 4000, and placed DiMarzio P bass pups and a Jazz bass pup into it. Guess what, it still sounded like a Rick! Here's a pic of it.

Cheers,
Bob

[jps]

So no one is up for the dropping a P pickup in a Rick then

Here you go.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C291esMLGps

Moreover, in 1978 I took a 4000, and placed DiMarzio P bass pups and a Jazz bass pup into it. Guess what, it still sounded like a Rick! Here's a pic of it.

rsz on_stage_buffalo.jpg

Cheers,
Bob

[rickenbastard]

Here, I made a video for you of how I achieve a P-Bass sound from a Ric with no changes to my EQ but then push it even further by changing my EQ too. More details about the settings in the description.
I decided to use the brightest sounding Ric in my arsenal to truly demonstrate how it's in the fingers. My 4003W is real easy to get the sound with because the walnut is much warmer and there's no finish over the wood. Hope you like!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOyUUB_aO1Q

[Captain Bob]

I thought about that clip, Jeff.
But Linus is using an OD or Fuzz. I was trying to find something without a noticeable pedal. Good call though, its a great clip.