A classic bass versus a modern masterpiece.

[jps]

I know a few guitarist this most certainly applies to.

[henry5]

Who plays the bass in your band......you? ....or some guys on the internet? If you spend your life worrying about what other people on the internet (at least half of whom are certifiable squirrels, present company excepted) think or say, you will be miserable. It's your music, play it on whatever you think it sounds best on. If somebody doesn't like it, they can start their own band and play whatever they want.

Yeah, and I get that. But over time all these similar comments make me wonder if I'm just fooling myself. I have to test these theories every so often--so I did, and luckily, came out the winner.

Me too. I've been through all sorts too; Fender, Wal, Warwick, Alembic, custom-built etc etc. I'm not saying the Rics are best for everything, but they seem to be best for most of the stuff I do, although I always try everything I can. The Alembics have been great too though!

I once went through a phase of using different basses (as in different makes of bass) in one of my old bands. Every few months I'd turn up with something different. After a couple of years I reinstated the '72 and the trumpet player turned to me and said "I don't know why you've bothered with any of those others, that one always sounds way better".

[woodyng]

#!,Shaun,---i like to try different makes of basses out,and i have a few non-ric basses that i like to switch around to for different sounds and/or feel,but most of the people i have played with always seem to like the rics the best,and i find i tend to play more fluidly on my rickies. i still like to inject my own opinion on some of the internet "talk" clubs,when things seem to be too one-sided sounding. i went towards a very modern bass years ago,a modulus BASSSTAR,and i liked it,used it for a few years,but after a while,decided it suffered from "stieinbergerism" (all that graphite and active pup made for a rather sterile sound IMO),and ended up once again looking for a ric. also tried a Kubicki x-factore,didn't care for the ergonomics,but it seemed like a really nice bass. there really isn't anything new out there that i am tempted by, although i certainly would try out anything in a music store given the opportunity. if anything,i am getting to the point of maybe wanting another ric bass,although the 2 i have pretty much have me covered. (admittedly i would love to have a bass with a neck toaster,so that's the main reason)

[Billsbro]

I think the singer still has some moral objection to the way the company is run, for whatever reason. He used to work in the industry (some kind of higher-up at Fernandes). I'm trying not to put words in his mouth, but he seems to think that RIC underpays their people and that the company in general is just "weird" the way they conduct themselves.

I find your singer's comment quite strange. We're located here near both Fender and G&L, which is to say there's a fairly competitive situation for hiring workers. There's a certain amount of migration but most people that leave us for one of the other companies end up back re-interviewing with us eventually. We actually have almost minuscule turnover and many people with 20+ years of service. If we weren't paying competitive market wages, I don't think these facts would be true.

If we're weird for not doing business the same old way the others do business in our industry . . . well, then we're weird. On the other hand, we're probably the only maker in our industry that's had two back-to-back record years in this down economy, as well as hiring a number of new workers, rather than laying them off. Maybe those outfits should try "weird" (aka original thinking) and see how well it works.

I LIKE your kind of "weird!"
It makes perfect sense to me.
Keep up the great work! (I love my 2010 Ric BTW!!!)