Ric 70's strings

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 2:42 pm

I agree with Ted ... How can you tell flat wound strings are old? ... back when I used to use flats the only reason for changing them was if you broke one ... a new thud sounds like an old thud to me ...

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 3:24 pm

The Pyramids I use on my fretless 3000 definitely have bright edge to the sound even with the humbucker in it. It's definitely not a thud but a very distinct,good traditional '60's bass sound ala Carol King and "Duck"Dunn. I used it exclusively at one of our practice sessions and my guitar player thought it was the best sounding bass he ever heard.

nbvbn · Post by **nbvbn** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 3:33 pm

can anyone original 60's/70's rick flat wounds by the silk color

bigbajo60 · Post by **bigbajo60** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:21 pm

I remember being the proud owner of a new 4001 in 1977 and feeling as though I absolutely had to follow the instructions on that red cardboard box... so Rickenbacker "Electro" flats it was for the first 3 years...

"a new thud sounds like an old thud to me ..."

My recollection is a bit different concerning the "Electro"s... they were definitely much brighter the first week or two... almost "twangy"! But then they definitely would begin to "thud" like a good set of flats should! Not my particular cup of tea, but hey... at least I owned a 4001!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:10 pm

When I bought my 1968 4001 in 1973 it had the tape wound strings on it ... I always thought it came from the factory that way ... was this the case?

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:29 pm

Do you mean tape wound like the old Labella black nylon tape wound strings?

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:21 pm

I remember that red box well,my mom used to pick me up a set every christmas back in the 70s.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:51 am

my first ric had tape wound strings ... underneath the tape was a rusted round wound string ...

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:08 am

Yes, as I recall, the Labellas were rounds with a black nylon outer wrap that made them look and feel like flats.

squirebass · Post by **squirebass** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:03 pm

I thought the tapewound strings were offered only with the fretless models. That's my recollection of it, anyway...

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 1:13 pm

well i bought the ric used so I don't know if the strings were original equipment ...

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:49 pm

Thanks for all the info guys!

The seller has added this:

"I WAS CONTACTED BY RICKENBACKER AND INFORMED THAT THE EARLIEST DATE ON THESE STRINGS WOULD BE JUNE 1981."

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:56 am

I bought a new Ric in 77 and it had regular flats on it, not tapewounds. I promptly threw them away and put Rotos on it the second I got home.
If you can't tell the difference between new and old flats all I can say is it must have been a long time since you've used them. Some of the new flats are so bright out of the box you'd swear they were RW's.
I read an article in Bassplayer mag in which a pro from the 60's said they used to put their new flatwounds on an old bass with vasoline on them so they didn't rust and put them in a closet for about a year until they got properly thumped out.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:57 am

The new GHS flats remind me of the sound of the flats that were on original on the old 4001's, clanky and they stay that way.

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:55 am

I use Labella nylons on my fretless J. They sound and feel great.