Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Mike - That was a great read! Maybe this is the answer we needed to hear in this forum.

Ilan, I think every Fender Jazz bass I've tried didn't have enough low end. I could never easily get a tone I liked out of those basses. I never liked that extremely tapered neck either.

Here are a couple photos of his 4001/4080

Couldnt get multi photos in one post.

I played a Jazz Bass over my Ricks for several years because of the Fender's more solid bottom end. RIC addressed this problem with better pickups through the 80's and 90's. It was so easy to get the sound I wanted out of the Fender. It was similar to my 70's Ricks but with more balls. I wonder if Geddy has tried a modern 4003?

Yesterday my band was doing some recording and I used my Fender AV '62 Jazz Bass with TI Flats on it playing through the preamp section of an Ampeg PB250, running from the line out to the input on the Korg D1600Mk II recorder. The only EQ used was the Ultra Lo, and it sounded glorious! Nice full meaty tone with a great growl, more akin to broken-in roundwounds. Just a perfect tone. Not a Rickenbacker tone but it did sound excellent. I haven't tried any of the RICs yet, this was the first test of the recorder with the band.

Joey - I agree with you -- I've never like those jazz necks. Played a '62 in the early 70's and it worked for a short while. Always prefered the Precision over the jazz. A '57 precision had the best neck profile for me until I got a '66 4005, which fits like a glove and keeps calling me back!

Ted - Good question for Geddy! I'll ask him. Jeff has already addressed he try a 4003 or 4004 and we already know that he prefers the jazz because of the bottom end he rigs.

Mike, when you see Geddy, tell him all of us here at the Forum say 'hey' and why not pass along the URL of the site to him...I think it would be great even if he lurked around the site. At least he'd know we're here....

The fender Geddy Lee signature bass is a poor knock off of a 1972 american made fender jazz ... it is lesser quality than the made in Mexico bass and quite a bit less than the american made jazz basses ... there are a lot of fender jazz basses and copies of jazz basses ... different body wood, different fretboard wood, and different pickups ... but every single Geddy Lee signature Fender jazz bass that I have played is substandard ... they do not sound like the one Geddy plays ... Fender does not operate like Rickenbacker ... all Rics are the best quality ... most Fenders are medium or low quality and a few of them are good to great ... that's why I don't buy fender basses ... I build my own ... I get parts from Warmoth, Allparts, Mighty Mite, Seymour Duncan, and Schaller ... even then the basses don't measure up to my 4003 ric basses ...

Most Jazz basses have hotter pickups than the 70's Ric basses ... but the 4003 pickups have a full range modern sound ...

You know what would be nice? How does this sound; Rickenbacker 4001GL, only 2112 will be made. Of course in Jetglo only. I can only dream...

Cole

Although my favourite basses are Rick and Alembic,I like all sorts of basses, and use whatever is necessary for a particular style/ sound. I would never want to limit myself, and have been through dozens of makes trying to find things that suit my (various) style(s).Wals are good, as are Sei,Pedulla and many others. My V63 just went to buy a Warwick Dolphin, which is more useful to me at the moment seeing as I have 3 Ricks already and have relatively limited resources.

In terms of why a particular guy plays a particular bass, be it Rick, Jazz or whatever it's usually (hopefully!) because the bass provides a sound/feel he likes; any truly creative musician keeps moving forward trying to achieve the sound he hears in his head. I guess in this case, the sound we like best isn't necessarily what Geddy likes best. Same with Roger Glover, Glenn Hughes and Bruce Foxton. Unfortunately I guess us wanting Geddy to go back to Ricks is like my dad complaining about Miles Davis going electric...although I still wish he would (Geddy that is)!

"...only 2112 will be made..."

And it certainly wouldn't be made by some Fly By Night operation!

I agree with Jeff about Fender, which is why the only one I have is an American Vintage model. These and the Custom Shop instruments, IMHO, are the only ones worthy of the Fender legacy.

[ "...only 2112 will be made..."

And it certainly wouldn't be made by some Fly By Night operation!]


Sadly, by the time that happens, I *will* Be Going Bald! :-0