Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I want to bash no manufacturer but, no matter how many dollars Fender spend for advertising, their basses will always stay "just Fenders". I mean that when you buy a Fender, you reach almost everybody's tone. Which means, finally, nobody's tone. Or a very common tone, which was perfect for me when I played in a Motown-Stax cover band.

The Fender I own is a Japanese P-Bass, a new one (purchased in December 02). It's a reissue of the Standard 70's bass, and it has the US pickup. This is probably one of the best Fenders I ever played. And it cost me half the price of a brand new American one. Just think... But it's far, very far, from having as much "temper" as any Rick I owned.

All the best,
JL

BTW, and forgive me if I'm a bit off topic, here's a pic me of me playing live with that P-Bass... Enjoy.



All the best,
JL

nice p bass Jean, ps, did you check out that string mail order company i told you about?

Not yet Owen, not yet. I had a busy week, but I'll call them early next week. I'll keep you informed.
All the best,
JL

Owen, I went back to stringsdirect.co.uk and noticed they have changed their online mail order process. Now I know that shipment charges are £ 5 for any EU country other than UK.
I just ordered a set of RS66 from them.
Thanks again for this precious information,
All the best,
JL

Great Jean! they are god guys to order from, hopefully you saved some money too

good guys,,,,almost god guys hahaha

At church, it's just:

Rick -> SABDDI -> FOH, period.

But, my favorite bass tones come thusly:

C64 -> Evidence Audio Lyric cable -> Selmer Treble-n-Bass 50 Mk II, channels jumpered, guitar channel about 25% higher than the bass channel -> Evidence Audio Siren Cable -> Eden D-400T bottom, horn on.

Garry

I use whatever gets the best tone for the songs I'm hired to play, if it's Fender, Ric, custom made 5-string with Bart actives, Carvin 6-string fretless, that's what I will pick.
My guitars and amps are just tools of my expression. I'm the player, I try to let the tool inspire me to look in another direction, not control my ideas. I love my music and what I play but I don't want to be controlled by a brand.

I see too many musicians that get too hung up on the brand or technique not the expression itself. A name doesn't make you, your soul does.

When you find the right combination of basses and amps it becomes real simple.
For me it's the 4003's and ampegs, that's all I need and all I want for all kinds of music.
I do love a lot of the old basses and amps though, I am a collector at heart, but for me the 4003 does it all.
I also see many musicians seeking that elusive sound by buying all the latest amps, basses and gadgets, etc. sooner or later they will realize that it is from within. When a bass player has played long enough they will sound good on just about anything, some things make it a lot easier though, that is why I like the Ric 4003's they are very versatile, I play everything with these and I do a lot of pickup gigs, anything from weddings to punk music and everything in between (I like the in between better).
But the reason I stick with the Rics is that I think they have a charactor that no other bass has, even the $5000.00 boutique basses. they are unique in a world of Fender clones.(which I am sure I have read here elswhere) I have surprised a lot of people who have preconceived notions of what a Rickenbacker sounds like, I get hired back too. I always get the sound that is needed for the gig.
I just got asked into a funky bluesy jazzy type band over several Fender guys, and these guys are good too (the band), the guitar player plays for Solomon Burke when he is in New York which is a 4 hour drive from here. I would be replacing a Fender guy as a matter of fact (78 P fretless with jazz pickup in the bridge) I can't take it because I am leaving the country again in three weeks, which breaks my heart, but I can play just about anything with my 4003's and Ampegs. In fact I think the 4003 could easily take the P bass's place as the bass standard in the music industry, in fact I think that it should.

I agree Bob, Ricks just have this sound that no matter what you do, is always there.