Rick-o-Sound, or alternatives to "the grey box"

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 12:29 pm

Jim,
Actually, my 20ft long stereo-to-dual-mono cable made of Canare (L2T2S 803 Red and 903 blue) cables and Neutrik right angle 1/4" jacks only cost me the equivalant of $15 or 20 because the studio I work for had bought them in large quantities. The one who did the soldering for me was our equipment maintenance tech who does all the wiring of the studio and who did a beautiful, professional soldering job for me. Mine is a special case (that's why I haven't felt the need to buy the cool looking ROS box yet) and didn't count for the general cost of a good Y cable.

Try also running your treble pickup through chorus, phaser, or flange while keeping the bass pickup clean and you'll have great fun!

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 12:51 pm

Hi Paul,
Wish we'd hooked up Forum wise early last year, I was in Tiapei several times for work and it would have been great to meet up.

I was erring on the upside, sounds like your cable is as nice as mine, I'll take some pics tomorrow at rehearsal and post them. My mono ends are Red and Blue as well.

The ROS box makes sense for two seperate heads and is a neater/safer alternate.

I'd say I'm in the same boat as you and my application is also a special case, having a true twin channel amp is the key for me.

I'll look into your suggestions, my drummer wants me to try some Moog bass pedal he recently heard. BTW I love the photo gallery of your "girls" .... very very nice !

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:25 pm

Ha! I wish you were a member here since last year! We'd have definitely met up and I'd have given you a tour of my 5-room studio and treat you too all the good local foods. What were you doing in Taipei? Anything to do with THX?

My stereo end is the blue and mono ends the red. Cable labelling tabs on the mono ends saying "bass" and 'treble", couldn't be more obvious!

Hey, the girls say "Thank you!"

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:40 pm

I'd love to work for THX, but no. I was there working on a design for a large Wide Area network for the Highway Authority.

The THX in my id is my "incept" date 1955 !!!! taken from the movie THX1138.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:09 am

Ah, I see.
"Wide Area network for the Highway Authority"?
Hmm, I hope it's not the speed radars which I hate! They rob me of my "RIC money" haha!

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:19 am

Hi Paul, no, not speed radar traps.
Video and traffic flow data is what we were doing, plus some large capacity backbones using fiber optic transmission ...

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:27 am

Pretty soon you won't have a choice. The sale of ROS kits is limited to what we have on hand and then the item will be discontinued. Fortunately there's plenty of alternatives, including making your own, as noted.

henny · Post by **henny** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:42 am

I've got one for novelty value, however - considering I have no Ricks which feature the ROS jack, I have no use for it!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:54 am

Hmm, gotta get my order in.

cygnusbwa · Post by **cygnusbwa** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 8:24 am

Ok, Jeff told me about the stereo to 2 mono output cable last week. I had one made up at a local music store the next day. It cost me 36.00 and change. I gave them the split length that I needed to run 2 heads. I tried it out and it sounds awsome. The bass pickup is going to a preamp (with a little distortion) and 2-15" jbl's. The treble is going to a compressor, a preamp (with distortion also) and a cab with 10" speakers and a horn tweeter. It's the closest I've come to that "Geddy Lee tone". I love it. I know that on Geddy stated in a few interviews that he ran stereo using 2 heads. He never stated weather he used the ROS box or a split cord. I would imagine it was the ROS box, but whatever it was, it sounded awsome. By the way, thanks Jeff for the help and info. It woke up that real Rickenbacker tone.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 8:32 am

And gentlemen, THAT is why we are so lucky to have JH on this forum. I'm about to order a backup Ric-o-Sound kit. I use mine for jamming & recording....keep the lows low & the highs distorted!

cygnusbwa · Post by **cygnusbwa** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 8:40 am

GRINDING DISTORTION-GOOD
DULL THUD-BAD

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:10 am

Chris have you played out with it yet around lights?
Dull thud: great (for selected things) grinding distortion: great (for selected things)

cygnusbwa · Post by **cygnusbwa** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:54 am

Not yet Bob. I can't wait to try it. We'll see if I get any noise. I'll keep you posted. I used to play in a jazz band. I still didn't tone it down. Grindy and distorted. Needless to say, I didn't last long. Only about a month. Now I'm back playing heavy rock.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 2:54 pm

haha! I play a little jazz with Rics but use flatwounds, I think they would sound good for jazz with roundwounds if you used a mellow tone.
Didn't Ron Carter or someone like that use a Ric FL with a different pickup in it years ago?