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Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2003 2:12 pm
by dminer
Paul, You knew I'd have to weigh in on this thread sometime. Perphaps Rickenbacker should offer Oasis bassist Andy Bell a 3300 or 3600 signature model. This would be a great opportunity to bring in a lot of younger players and Andy Bell appears to really favor his Fireglow 4005 bass as seen here:
http://home.no.net/stianj85/oasis/pictures/3.jpg
Yes, I know that Rickenbacker doesn't need to introduce another model and that they have a nine month waiting list (maybe they should hire some more people) I do agree with Chris and Eddie that the semi-hollows might be making a strong comeback. I've seen plenty of pros playing the Jack Cassidy Epi and it seems to be pretty hard to find the Danelectro Longhorn Pro in stock at any of the major online music stores, Reverend seems to be doing fine among pros and regular players with their line of hollowbody basses.
A Rick custom shop? I'd like to see that, but where would they find the people or space to do that if they are too busy just meeting their current demand? Maybe they are just a little cautious because when they tried to introduce a lot of new lower end models back in the 70's they didn't fair too well. But, Rick is a private company and we can't really expect them to go out on a limb just because we say we would buy a new model 3300 or a reissue 4005. I do own 2 Rick basses and love them both, and, if I really want that semi-hollow thump I'll use my EB2, Hofner 5000/1 or Reverend Rumblefish...but this thread is titled 4005 Dreams.
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2003 8:09 pm
by jal
Has anyone seen any players using a 4005 lately?, does Andy Bell use his live? , aside from Steppenwolf & Will Lee at one of those R & R Hall Jams I can't think of anyone else,
Cheers, Jaime
I shot these of mine the other day, hard to get a good photo that really shows the wood off just the way it looks ,
http://a2.cpimg.com/image/BA/92/15590842-149e-02000183-.jpg
http://a0.cpimg.com/image/B8/92/15590840-3ff8-02000184-.jpg
http://a9.cpimg.com/image/B7/92/15590839-6600-02000185-.jpg
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2003 10:46 pm
by paul_yan
Jaime, that's a very nice 4005FG of yours. I especially like the photo of the back of it.
David, I was hoping you would chime in. With your hands-on experience with your 3300 project(how's it going, by the way), your opinion is always welcomed.I think it's quite right of Mr. Hall not to take a risk like this. After all, I don't really think there would be that "many" people willing to shell out big bucks for a semi-hollow RIC bass. Dreams are dreams...
Thank you for the Oasis photo. Andy Bell seems to play mostly his Black Burns Bison bass on stage, but maybe a lot more in the studio. It would be nice to see(hear) him play that 4005FG more live. You have a strong point about more exposure of a RIC hollow body bass with Andy Bell. Young bass players would want one for sure (as long as the price is affordable for them).
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2003 5:25 am
by wormdiet
The first time I saw a 4005 was in the liner notes of the first Stone Roses album. Say what you want about the music, that bass (*IF* it's the same one he used in the studio) has a killer tone. Very "boomy", but focused. I was attracted to the sound at first; the fact that it looks cool was gravy.
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2003 6:08 am
by chrispbass
Marcus knows a lot more about The Stone Roses, but I know that Gary 'Mani' Mounfield did most of his recordings with a Rickenbacker 3000.
Maybe Marcus can tell us more about the Stone Roses recordings.
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2003 9:39 am
by marcus
I think he used an 3000 on second coming and on the primal scream stuff (his current band)
The first roses album was the custom paint 4005 I think. I am sure he used other basses for recording as well though.
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2003 10:32 am
by paul_yan
I happen to have the June 2001 issue of the japanese "Bass Magazine" which is a Rickenbacker special issue with a '72 4001FG on the cover, in which there's a 2x3' color photo of Mani with his 3000(kind of light fireglo) sporting a Bartolini pickup. 2 smaller B+W pics showing the aforementioned bass and another one in white(or maybe mapleglo) with black pickguard and TRC. Both basses were pictured with his live rig. The article also mentions his use of a 4005 in the studio.
Mani is one of the bassists that I admire.
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2003 11:51 am
by jwr2
Didn't John Entwhistle use a 4005 on "Tommy" ... I think the song was "Tommy can you see me" ... He is using it for that song on the "Kids are alright" Video ...
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 4:55 am
by chrispbass
On this video you see a recording for German television of Tommy Can You Hear Me. John Entwistle is using a 4005 indeed, but he didn't use it for recordings.
He always used rare basses in video's like his Lightshow. He had a large collection of guitars and basses.
For recording John used various Precisions and some non-reversed Thunderbirds with Fender necks. They called them Fenderbirds. Non-reversed t-birds have set necks, instead of through necks (the normal T-bird), so it was easier to install those Fender necks. He also used an Explorer bass with a fender neck.
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 8:00 am
by jal
The one Player listed as a 4005 player/owner I've always wondered about is Bill Wyman because I've
never seen any photo's or heard him talk about ever using any Ric Basses, I own & have played some of the same kinds of Basses he used, like the Framus, Dan Armstrong Etc. & the thought of him even holding a 4005 is amazing to me because even though it's very comfortable it's still very big, that said he's still full of surprises, I just found out he's used a WAL MK II in the studio for the Steel Wheels LP but not it seems Live, I can understand this as a WAL owner myself as they can be rather heavy, there is one odd & old photo I wish I could find of the Stones playing very early on that has Wyman playing what looks like of
all things is a Ric 325!, I mean it was not the best photo but me & my friends (who all owned & still do a own # of old Rics) could think of nothing else it be other then a 325 or some unknown Ric-like copy,
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 12:54 pm
by aceonbass
I read an interview with Bill Wyman several years ago in which he brought up the fact that he has fairly short arms and small hands and that what he really wanted were quality short scale basses. At the time I think he had a Travis Bean short scale which made his point and which he liked very much. So I'm not surprised that he wouldn't be seen with one of the longest basses of all time, the 4005!
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 1:48 pm
by jwilli
I recently saw a Rolling Stone book with a picture of Wyman playing a RIC or a bass that looked like a RIC. My memory is a little hazy but Brian Jones was also in the pic and it seemed like the pic was from a TV show. I almost bought that book just for the pic. I'll do more research to find out what he was playing.
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 3:22 pm
by jal
Ok , well I took a look though a mess of old Stones Books trying to find that odd photo & still have not found it , but I did find an a photo from about 1968 in a French book on the Stones that Bill playing what looks like a Ric Bass in a live setting in Europe you can see the flag on the HS & what kind of looks to be a 2 piece PG (hard to tell), so I talked with an old friend about Wyman's Ric Bass & he told me were to look & also emailed a shot of the Stones on David Frost & Bill does look to have some kind of Rickenbacker Bass, my friend thinks it's some kind mod to a 330 , it seems to have dots on the FB instead of flag inlays & a 4005 like sound hole but also it has sharp cutaways & looks unbound, so, what is it?, any ideas?
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 3:35 pm
by rick12dr
When I was out in Ca. in '72, Mark Arnquist had just been to see the Stones tour a week or so before I arrived. He had a tour program, and I recall a small pic in it of Wyman with what appeared to be an early 3000 type bass.
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2003 4:33 pm
by jal
