Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'll have what YOU are smoking!!!!!!!

Lefty4003S8 wrote:

iamthebassman wrote:Just sayin'..

Ronn......How much do you want for it?????

I can't count that high!

FWIW I bought it new for $999.

I last saw the RM in show in 2008,at the Ryman in Nashville. He played it on about 75% of the songs. He switched over to the infamous modern-day FOOW bass for "machine messiah". While it still sounded very good,it did NOT sound like his RM. So,there's about the closest comparo you could ask for....

They did a great job on Machine Messiah on that tour. (The Live at Lyons CD captures that well.)

Lefty4003S8 wrote:I'll have what YOU are smoking!!!!!!!

Be sure to bring enough for everyone!

iamthebassman wrote:

Lefty4003S8 wrote:

iamthebassman wrote:Just sayin'..

Ronn......How much do you want for it?????

I can't count that high!

FWIW I bought it new for $999.

That was a deal, even back then.

My old LH CS, out there somewhere, was bought new for $1200 from Jim Rhoads. Picked it up in April 1992.

So John...WHY did you get rid of it???

Lefty4003S8 wrote:So John...WHY did you get rid of it???

Yes, I thought the same question.
(There will be NO smoking until you explain!)

Greg,

I've owned both a V63 and the CS for years and have compared them side by side many times.

I still have the CS.

I had both guitars setup by the same lutiher, same Rotosound Swingbass 45-105 Strings, as close to the same action as two guitars could get, same USA Hartke Amp, same cable, and NUMEROUS other (more talented and experienced than I) musicians present on many different occasions.

My V63 was a 1988, with a very slim neck, and my CS is a 1995 with a very comfy neck, but not as thin as the V63.. I actually bought the V63 to retire the CS thinking it would be virtually the same guitar.

In my case, they were two totally TONALLY different basses. I KNOW they were basically both V63's, but there was a very noticeable difference in the tone.
I always attributed it to wood grain, age of the wood, different model years, anything I could think of, even the Vermilion neck & ears. Even when someone else plays my CS, I'm blown away by its PIANO like tone, hence it isn't just my playing style, the bass has that sound, it is just the basses voice. Clear as a bell and sustains forever. Piano like is the best way for me to describe it.

The V63 was a fantastic bass in its own right, but it had a much more aggressive or ballsy tone if you will, it had THE GRIND. I played it for YEARS and always loved the FEEL of the bass. Its was more comfy to play then the CS because I love thin necks, but the CS had tone superiority IMHO. I eventually let the V63 go BECAUSE it wasn't enough like my CS in tone and the single coil noise for some reason was horrible in the V63. So much so, even after having it shielded, the sound guys would kill the volume and highs trying to muffle the 60 cycle hum. I just preferred the CS in the long run.

Now, I'm not a technical guy, I just play. I couldn't tell you WHY there was a difference if my life depended on it. But also having had the opinion of quite a number of other musicians, some on this forum who have made the same observation, I'm pretty comfortable in my humble opinion.

"That's my story and I'm stickin' to it."

Wow!
Thank you, Tony! Fascinating stuff.

THANK YOU Tony!!!!!!! That was MOST enlightening. Your observations make sense, and give me the answer(s) I was looking for.

NOW....I guess I must continue my search for a Lefty CS

Ronn????? Sell me your bass!!!

I've owned 2 x CSs and 1 x V63, but have played a few V63s. Obviously every bass will sound different but both my CSs sounded remarkably similar, which to my ears was a little hard and not airy enough. The V63s also sounded similar to each other, but less hard and somewhat more detailed, gritty and complex than the CSs. I also found the CSs needed a kick in the mids; they were very piano-y. It was difficult to stop them sounding either mid-shy or, ironically, too honky. In the end, neither did it for me. Of course this was with me playing them; YMMV. I've preferred the V63s I've played (although have preferred the C -Series to them), but I think everyone will tell you neither are much like the real thing.

Billsbro wrote:And I'll beat the other members to the punch: hugely important is WHO is playing it. When you hear Chris Squire play a different Rick or his Fender he still sounds like Chris. More than most players, his technique is so important. (Miguel Falcao is another example of this concept.)

But of course the bass DOES matter. I do understand the subtle differences you are referring to and am not trying to underplay the significance of gear. After all, as my friend lovingly/jokingly says: "It is ALL about the gear.".

.

I agree, the player is 90% of the sound.