Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What is the fasination with P Bass PU's in Ricks????

I think it was how music stores would drum up sales in the '80s when kids weren't buying enough guitars. I had friends that would get persuaded by their music teacher/shop employee that they could "improve" their sound by installing aftermarket pickups. The reality was that they needed more lessons and practice.

I'm glad I never had any extra cash back then!

Oh, and speaking of OUCH!!
http://ouchthetribute.freespaces.com/
Shameless self-promotion.

If you want a pbass buy a pbass ,people do stupid things..

They used to do a lot of strange things to Pbasses too. It seemed that just about everyone dropped in a badass,dimarzios and a brass nut. Now all the older ones for sale are stock and " all original"

HA !

Probably a lot of the ones that were butchered by careless owners were subsequently destroyed by their careless owners!

What they did to that 3001 is atrocious...

...but that's a real purty color on that bass!

A new pickguard and a toaster... that's what's called for!

Back then it was the style to get new pickups like Dimarzios and run tri amps for your bass, all sorts of after market parts back then to ruin nice basses and guitars. Many after market raw speakers etc.

And now this.

I can't tell by the pic. but is there a set of split Peas on that?
Bill

"Any questions just ask."
Here is one.
Why the hell did you do that?

Bill: the Fireglo 3000 has a P pickup, the white 4001 has a P and a J.

Nate: a lot of people mistakingly think that the key ingredient in bass sound is the pickups. All the aftermarket pickup hype of the 80's (especially guitar pickups) contributed to this. Given the popularity of Fender basses and the good looks of the Ric, it's understandable that some people wanted the Fender sound and the Ric shape. They were wrong in assuming that replacing the pickups will do that, but I'm sure that this was the logic behind some of those mods.

I will mention again the 4002 with the Jazz Bass pickup positions - even RIC experimented with incorporating Fender features into the Ric design.

Thanks llan,
My question was about the 4001.
I call them Split Peas because that's what I call 'em.
Thanks,
Bill

Why get the Fender sound in a Ric body? I understand what you are saying Ilan but the Ric sound beats the hell out of the Fender sound. Although, I do have to say Geddy Lee's bass sounds pretty cool. Can't beat the Ric sound though. As Ken said, "If you want a pbass buy a pbass ". That's what I'm gonna do. Not destroy a Ric to do it.

I couldn't see the P and J pickups in the White Ric before... bad lighting.