Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just thought I'd share a good Ric experience. Friday night we were playing at our usual watering hole. After we wrap up Funk 49 from the back of the crowd I hear, "That Ric Rocks Brother!" After our set this guy comes up and goes on and on about the great sound I'm getting with my 4003 and my Ampeg combo. Turns out he is a drummer. After the whole show he then offers me a spot in his band. Apparently they're really booked, but they don't have a bass player. Go figure.

The power of the Ric....irresistable!

I've gone to open Jams and sat waiting to get on stage while holding a Ric bass and had offers to join a band before they even heard me play ...

Truth to the pulpit. My Ric does the first 30% of the audition just by coming out of the gigbag.

So true so true. Usually people don't notice that it is a Rickenbacker. They will sometimes ask what type a bass it is. This was the first time someone actually knew what it was. I guess his ex bass player played an Ibanez or something like that through a Hartke amp.

I usually show up with 2 Rics and an Ampeg and 4 x 10s and a bass pod ... then I plug in the sound is awesome ... these days I usually win the audition and turn down the band because I want something better ...

I had to respectfully decline this guy as well. First of all, he was very drunk - not too sure if he was serious or not. Second, how can you be really booked yet not have a bass player? Made me think that he was wanting to get rid of his current bassist and I didn't want to step in the middle of that. Lastly - I have a pretty good thing going right now and couldn't really stretch myself between 2 bands and work. But it was still nice to be appreciated when it is usually the guitarist and/or singer getting all the attention. Or our sit-in harmonica player. (silly rant time) - I swear - he only plays on 4 songs out of 40 or so and the crowd just eats that stuff up.

My all-time favorite trick is to walk into a GC with The Red Baron. Everyone looks at it and says stuff like "Wow! I haven't seen one them in a long time" or "Do they still make those?" or "That sounds great! When did you get that?". I smile and tell them how new it is and some of the young kids are surprised.

I do shows down here you'll occasionally get the guy that says (in your best southern drawl): "Rickenbacker! Hell yeah..RUSH dude!"

If you look like me it always helps to have a pretty bass.

My favorite GC trick is to take my Rick in there to try out amps & when somebody asks me if I bought it there I sneer "They don't sell these here."

I love it.