Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I like them on my Rick 360/12 C63. I won't know whether I like them on my six string Ricks for awhile, even with seven six string models, because I bought a ton of D'Addario sets at a deal that was too good to pass up. . .

I use Rickenbacker strings on Rickenbacker basses 4003 and Thomastic strings on Rickenbacker fretless bass 4003

ch willie wrote:I should duck and run after saying this: I use Fender bass strings, and I love them. They sound good, and they last. They're probably made in China, but they work.

I'm not going to chuck anything, since for years I used Fender 9050 Medium Lights on my 4001 and loved them. Nothing "medium" or "Light" about those, they are reminiscent of bridge cabling. Very stiff and high tension. The only reason why I stopped using them was the bow they induced in the neck - the action was really high above the 12th fret.

I couldn't stand the stock Rickenbacker strings on my 4003 and changed them out for D'addario's within days of getting it. The gauges on those Rick strings are really strange. Having a medium gauge for the E string along with a super light gauge for the D string just felt very wrong to me. I was happy to get them off the bass. Standard string sets feel like they have a more even tension and feel. Maybe I'm just picky.

I think the Rickenbacker nickel roundwound strings feel and sound great and I have used them on my '75 4001 in the past. The only downside is the price of them here in the UK. I use D'Addario XL (singles to get a fairly balance tension with 45, 60, 80, 105) and they sound great and last a long time too, but they are cheaper, so they are what I tend to buy as I am on a tight budget. I may try their new balanced tension set soon.

For bass. I only used the factory strings that came on my '68 4000 when it was new. Other than that no. I did use RIC compression wound strings on a couple of my 6 string guitars.

I take them off of my guitars as soon as I get them. The guitar roundwounds at least are rough feeling and uncomfortable, IMO.

I use Ric strings on all my Ric guitars..... but my 4003 has LaBella flats on it.

I use Rickenbacker strings on my vintage 12 strings because I am so used to the feel of them. I also believe they are a bit more "springy" in feel than flats, if that is even a word.

I have tried the POTR-style TI flatwound set and like them as well, though I find them a bit stiffer and less flexible for bending (yes, I do that on a 12).