Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just got home from the first gig out with my new 4001C64S. At the end of the night as we're thanking everyone for coming out... saying be safe... drive carefully, etc. etc., a young guy comes up to the edge of the stage directly in front of me and says, "Your bass is the most beautiful bass in town! What kind of bass is it? Oh... THAT'S a Rickenbacker?!?!? Wow, that is an awesome bass!"



I used to get those kinds of comments back when I had my original '77 4001, but I had forgotten that Ricks make people notice... I guess since it ain't your typical, average, everyday, run-of-the-mill bass guitar!

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this? If so, what's the most memorable comment you've heard?

Kelly,

Is that a Hiwatt 2 x 15 and 100 head? If so it is exactly the same as my rig back in '75. Cool... ( had a '74 4001, sounded the dogs')

bee's knees

I'm 52 and was playing back when they were all the rage during the 70's with Rotosound strings and people got real sick of that sound and associated that twangy dissonant Rot sound with Rickenbacker basses. The reason I say this is because I also play with a lot of musicians my age who still think of Rics as being only trebly clank machines ane are pleasantly surprised when they hear a nice warm tone with a lot of bottom coming out of them. So in that way I get compliments. The younger people just love them as they have no preconceived notions of what they are going to sound like. I'm not saying the clank sound is bad but after all these are basses and people like the fact that they are versatile and can play all the stuff they can throw at you especially at pickup gigs.
People especially like my SeaGreen when I bring it out, People are also surprised when I bring my 72 4001FL out, a fretless Ric??!! I never heard of one of those. I think they get more attention than any other bass especially from the audience.

Oh behave.......

Mine too!

I have yet to play a gig/reherse/walk into a music store without someones jaw dropping and complimenting my ric. People always want to paw all over it.

mind you... ric's are not common down my way.

Last night I went to rehearsal with a blues guitarist, really old school, he's a vintage Fender freak, he would frown at any bass player who brings anything other than an old Fender Precision strung with flats. So I brought the white '73 Ric (w/rounds), and he doesn't say a word, and I say nothing about it either. Then at the end when I unplug the bass I ask him, what did you think about the sound. And he says, "that's a refreshing change". Coming from him, that's a huge compliment.

I did a gig last night with a drummer whom I haven't seen for probably ten years when I was using capped 4001's and RW's. I took out my Seagreen with Pyramids on it and he said: "wow, that thing sounds great". I then used my 78 4001 with cap in bypassed position with RW's on it he didn't say anything but he liked that one too.
I play a lot of blues, everyone likes the bottom and the groove and palying somewhat behind the beat, they don't care if you have RW's, half rounds, flats, or square strings, as long as you can groove and play with bottom and don't solo all night. I did get some looks when I first started using them for blues though. Some of those old blues bass players used to use Silvertones and wierd japanese basses.

I remember when I was on the road. I had taken my Music Man Sting Ray out with me for that particular leg of the tour, because my V63 was in the shop having some much needed neck repairs done. On the next leg, I brought the 4003MB with me. When he saw it, our guitar player said to me that he was glad that I brought my other Ric. He said it cut through the mix and sounded better to him than the MM. I was happy he liked it.

Every gig, session or jam session at least one persons tells me how much they love the tone of my 4001 C64S with Pyramids. Most often it is in the form of "Now that's what a bass is supposed to sound like".

The 4003 Montezuma Brown gets the nod for the visual effect of its superb finish, while only elicting tone comments after we play a couple of tunes by The Who, "Behind Blue Eyes" & "Won't Get Fooled Again". Just gotta use Round Wounds for those.

I've owned all sorts of basses, many high end/custom jobs, and the only basses which ever get comments are the Ricks. Even non-musicians generally say, "wow, a Rickenbacker!". Almost every gig someone makes a favourable comment.

I remember one night a guy who'd seen me playing my 72 4001 many years ago in a different band came up to me and said "ah, saw the 2 Ricks on stage when I came in (my 4000 and my CS, neither of which he'd seen before) and figured it would be you" (I was in the back at the time) , which I found kind of wierd! The 8 string used to get loads of comments, nobody had ever seen an 8 string Rick before.

In three previous bands over the last 15 years I played my J-Bass out exclusively. I would get compliments on my tone quite often. I was even known by some local musicians as "65 Jazz bass". Now, I'm out with my V63, and the same people are freaking over the tone!
Two guys, that run sound for most of the local bands, said I have the best bass tone they had ever heard.
Suprisingly, only one person has said anything about how my Rick looks!?!

Oh, by the way, my Jazz turned 40 a week ago, so I was going to break it out for a set. I only got through three songs, and had to go back to the V!
I feel sorry for the old girl. She's going to get lonely!

I do a lot of blues and roots gigs and the eyebrows went up when I first started bringing out the Ric ( firglow '80 4001 cap bypassed and strung with TI flats)
" never heard a ric thump like that "was the first comment I got. The guys that I gig with in various lineups love the sound of my bass.
It also has a nice bite when I want it.
I have had people comment on its beauty at every gig that I have done. with it
A bass player from Calgary was sitting in at the jam last night and played my ric. He told me that he had had one way back when and now was wondering why he ever sold it.
He loved my bass. Several bassist friends have asked to be included in my will ...

I've often gigged among other bassist's who predominently play Fenders, Ibanez's, Warwick etc and every time without fail I get compliments on either its tone or how it looks.
There was a hardcore P-Bass collector at our last New years gig, he's a Blues man and extremely good and talented and he came up to me and said he'd had a hard time getting his tone to sound anywhere near as good as mine did in that venue!! Result!!
Steve