Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Yes the main advantage of modern Rics is mid punch ...

And yes I wish I had a mapleglo 4003s5 ...

I will have to get a 4004CII5 as well and I have plans to convert a 4003 to a 5 string and convert a 4004CII to a 5 string ... and convert a 4003 or 4004 to an 8 string ... gee that will keep me busy for a while ...

Jeff-what about a 4004Cii/15?

That would be interesting...

I like the way you think ...

Who be that hombre with the 15 string Ric?...Oh he's the Cheyenne Kid...don't mess with him!

If you tweak an late 70's 4001 you can get it to sound just like a new 4003, and it will compete with any other bass out there, will out Fender a Fender, etc. It's all in the strings, set up, touch, settings etc. I'm using a 78 4001 right now for 50's oldies and it sounds just as punchy as an old P bass, because I wanted it too, no need for an arsenal of different make basses, just a few Rics set up differently, I wouldn't trade any of my Rics for two jazz basses. (well maybe, then I could sell them and get another Ric and make a few bucks in the process. Open your minds and learn all the capabilties of these great basses. I have two of my basses here in Lima a 78 4001, and a 79 4001, the 78 has flats on it, and is punchy as hell, it is definitely not "a cross between a bass and a rhythm guitar" It will blow the walls out with bottom if I want it to and very clearly unlike other basses, my other has Ric round wounds on it and sounds like Squires bass. It's all in the set up. There is a big misconception among many players that Rics only have "that twangy trebly" sound, you get that if you want it. Try flats, and you'll get an entirely different animal. I used to play bass in a rock a billy band and many people told me it sounded just like an upright. I've used them for blues and those guys are the fussiest people, if your bass doesn't sound exactly right you'll know it in about one song they want a BASS not a bass guitar, they liked my sound.

Well, I do like my Fenders. That may not be a well-liked thing here, but to each their own. I want ANY instrument to be unique. My Jazz can't do my Precision can't do my Steiny can't do my (still waiting) Ric.

Each is maximized unto itself. Any instrument that doesn't have a unique character isn't something I would purchase.

Oddly enough, I played a recent recording to some musician friends and one asked when I started using Rics(!). Well, I got close to the sound but I want to get closer, and only a Ric can do a Ric. I believe the same with Fender and Steinberger. I've had them for 20 years and I hear a difference (and I like that!).

Amen.

Paul. I see you are in Prague. I've been in the market for a quality upright bass for years. I heard Prague is the place to get one. Can you recommend an upright maker? Do you know how I could contact them?

Rick, he's in Seattle.

Yea sorry, Rick! I use Prague because 1)I'm probably a goof and 2) because I love what is now called Progressive Rock" which is also called "Prog". I don't like any of those names, but WTF can I do?

So, like Boston, Kansas, Berlin, what else, Black Oak Arkansas, I decided to make Prague famous. Maybe there's a band called Hoboken, I don't know.

See, no joke is funny when you have to explain it.

My thoughts exactly.

My brother has a mid-80's American Deluxe P-bass that is just a joy both to play and to look at. It is an exceptional bass. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Fenders. Even the MIMs are pretty good for the price. I sure love my new '03 4003FG, though.

I like Fender basses, old ones, 60's and earlier, I've had three new American Jazz deluxes, one fretless and two fretted and one American Precision Deluxe in the past few years with active electronics, and they were junk compared to their old basses. The pickups were not aligned correctly, would not move up and down smoothly, I had to actually cut one of the pickup holes so I could adjust one of the pickups on one of the Jazzes. The straplock screws stripped out (all of them) within 6 months of having bought them (all brand new) the finishes were terrible, you could scratch them with your finger nails, and on and on, and these were in the same price range as new Rickenbacker 4003's. I do not dislike Fenders, I just think that their quality control is severely lacking compared to their old ones when they were a privately held company, before they started cranking out ten thousand a day, and I'm not going to spend double or triple to get a custom shop good quality bass, when I can spend half or a third of the money and get a great quality Ric bass which are made as good if not better than they were in the old days. One of the reasons I like the Rics, especially the new 4003's is that they are a very versatile instrument, A P bass sounds pretty much like well ..... a P bass, which is by no means a bad sound, but gets old after a while to me, With a Ric you are pretty much only limited by your imagination.

I've never been big on active electronics. The Fender P's I've seen are very nice instruments. I'm not saying they are better than Rics - of course not.. but they are not toilet bowls.

My Alembic bass sounds great (active). the Clapton Strat sounds great (active) Hendrix, Gilmore all use(d) active. some active good, some active bad