Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

wim wrote:...Why would I even WANT another one, it does everything I want it too..

while I would tend to agree - sometimes this: just doesn't do what this does or maybe you might just need what this does...

wim wrote:A 4001S might be quite as good as a 4001
I have only 1 bass left, my 4001. Why would I even WANT another one, it does everything I want it too.

Oh, I hope everyone understands that was a figure-of-speech "nothing quite like", not a literal one!

If I were rich, I'm sure I'd have a variety of 4000-series basses. Maybe some day... meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the one I have.

berth wrote: My 4001's do not allways sound good on any amp.
They do sound lovely though on the right amp.

Just curious - what is "the right amp" for you? And what is your "lovely"?

I'm getting really pleasing results with an Ampeg SVT-3PRO and Genz Benz 410 XB2. But I'm always curious how other people get the sound they like.

songdog wrote:Just curious - what is "the right amp" for you? And what is your "lovely"?

here is an mp3 with 3 bassounds (from 2 bassplayers) I like very much. The right amp for me has 6L6 or 5881 power tubes. I used to play Fender Bassman's. (Still have my '63 as practice amp at home) Now I have a 2 x 100 watt Marshall 9200 poweramp (5881 tubes) and a Fender TBP-1 preamp (and 2 mesa 15" diesel cabinets).

songdog wrote:...Oh, I hope everyone understands that was a figure-of-speech "nothing quite like", not a literal one!....

yeah understood, and my statement probably should have had a smile face afterwards.... believe me, I love the 4001 - that is why mine has been with me since Aug of 1974 and my exclusive bass during that period! And I too understand the 'rich' statement... it took me that long to get 3 of 'em... they are expensive but worth it in my mind. But the 4001 kicks some serious bottom... and will continue to be my primary bass.

berth wrote: here is an mp3 with 3 bassounds (from 2 bassplayers) I like very much. The right amp for me has 6L6 or 5881 power tubes. I used to play Fender Bassman's. (Still have my '63 as practice amp at home) Now I have a 2 x 100 watt Marshall 9200 poweramp (5881 tubes) and a Fender TBP-1 preamp (and 2 mesa 15" diesel cabinets).

Oh, man, the second of those three sounds is roxious! Love it! Great playing, too!

The TBP-1 looks like a nice preamp... but dang, it costs about as much as I paid for my SVT-3PRO! For that price, I'd just add another of what I've got, another few hundred watts would do no harm.

One of the sweetest amps I've ever used is an old Heathkit monaural hi-fi preamp/amp setup (WA-P2 and W5M). Pair of 5881s in the power amp. I'd plug the bass into the microphone input, trim the gain for some distortion in the preamp, and turn up the volume until it started to saturate the power amp. At 25 W, it was perfect for coffeehouse gigs, but the drummer I'm playing with gets more sound than that out of one floor tom

songdog wrote: Oh, man, the second of those three sounds is roxious! Love it! Great playing, too!

That is Alan Davey with one of his Fender Bassman 70's (and a Seymour Duncan in neck position). Alan was bassplayer in Hawkwind for a very long time and is now on his own with several projects and with Gunslinger.

The TBP-1 looks like a nice preamp... but dang, it costs about as much as I paid for my SVT-3PRO! For that price, I'd just add another of what I've got, another few hundred watts would do no harm.

I buy second hand mostly. But still the TBP-1 is the most expensive part of my amp setup.

songdog,

I enjoy using an Alembic F2-B tube preamp with ROS. It has two channels and a separate output for each channel. If you use a stereo power amp and two cabinets, you have the best of all possible worlds for ROS.

Gale

My '72 4001 is my favourite of all the basses I've ever owned or played (he said for the 1000th time ). I've owned all sorts of basses; Fenders, Warwicks, Alembics, Wals, Statii, custom built stuff, and nothing sounds as good in the mix to me as my old Ric. Often I've bought something that I've thought sounds amazing, but found as soon as I get it in the band it just doesn't work the same, regardless of eq.

Rig-wise I'm currently using an old Ashdown ABM500 through a Barefaced Compact lightweight cab. Unfortunately I have back problems so can't go with the old Trace cabs I love, but the Barefaced is extremely good and only weighs 32lbs. Amp/instrument matching is something I find very interesting; when I had my old Trace Twin Valve it made my CS come alive, and yet all my other Rics sounded worse through it. My old 4000, which sounded immense through the Ashdown, sounded awful through the Twin Valve. My favourite amp that I've ever owned was an original mark 1 Trace AH150; I stupidly sold it several years ago and have never found another.

gbarchus wrote:songdog,

I enjoy using an Alembic F2-B tube preamp with ROS. It has two channels and a separate output for each channel. If you use a stereo power amp and two cabinets, you have the best of all possible worlds for ROS.

Gale

Another option is a stereo Walter Woods Electaucoutic amp, these are true stereo amps with two identical channels and separate power amps.

jps wrote:Another option is a .........

And yet another option is using a Rickenbacker B-115 amplifier which has a stereo input. No hassle with ros units, just use a straight stereo cable.....

When I first opened up my son's 4003, the sound team remarked on how much better it sounded than my other bass (a copy of a popular Japanese bass). Then when I got my 4001C64, they again raved about the fullness of the sound.

I play at a rockin church with a full out Squire sound. Blows the roof off.

jps wrote:

gbarchus wrote:songdog,

I enjoy using an Alembic F2-B tube preamp with ROS. It has two channels and a separate output for each channel. If you use a stereo power amp and two cabinets, you have the best of all possible worlds for ROS.

Gale

Another option is a stereo Walter Woods Electaucoutic amp, these are true stereo amps with two identical channels and separate power amps.

Jeffrey, ever try an SVT? 4001's sound great through them.

Bob, I wouldn't know about how a 4001 sounds through an SVT but will this do?

jps wrote:Bob, I wouldn't know about how a 4001 sounds through an SVT but will this do?

haha! Didn't you get rid of those about 8 years ago?