Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My Nana said she'd get me a new Rick when I get back to the states sometime next year.. so the 4003 would be 'my' bass. I'd customize it with a few new things.. but nothing major. Black guards... new bridge, tuners.. stuff like that.

When I do that to my 4003 my 4001 is getting turned into a Geddy tribute bass. Sure, the traditionalists on this forum will scream "NOOOO!", but it's my bass and it's my first.. and I've wanted to do these mods to it since I got it. It's only a '76.. nothing too special. I heard Geddy's "Hemispheres" bass was a '77.. so I'll be close.

My 'Geddy' project will require a new white pick guard.. easily obtained. And a white TRC.. I'll trade in my painted one. But I could go either way with the project.. Ged's first Rick.. or the "Hemispheres" bass. My '76 has a hole big enough for both pickup spacings.

The badass bridge surround also comes into play.. Ged's earlier bass with the 1/2" pickup spacing had a big white surround on it.. Ged's "Spheres" bass, with the 1" spacing, had just the bridge.. I think. I can't tell if he had it just naked.. or had a half black surround. I see screws around the bass.. but I can't tell if he just filled in holes, or had a black surround screwed in.

Any pics would help a lot...

This Geddy bass will put the Fender bass to shame.

Plus, if I retire this bass in the future, it'll be cool wall art.. along with the Geddy Fender. Yeah, I'll buy one that's playable, and put it on the wall when I'm done.

I prefer the bass sound on the Hemispheres / Permanent Waves-era recordings, might be due to good production by Terry Brown as well. Does anyone else feel that their "Sound" changed dramatically once he stopped producing them? I loved his warm production, and not just with Rush, but other bands like Max Webster.

Nate, I feel a lot of Geddy's signature sound is not in the headstock signature or the year of the bass he used, but is in his hands. Technique is more responsible than anything else to a signature sound.

Well I studied Ged's playing and modeled mine after his.
Like primary right hand placement and shape.





I now play in a spot that I normally wouldn't play in because there is no thumb rest. But moving around like Geddy does and placing my thumb on a string (A string when playing the D or G strings, D string when primarily on the G) and not needing a thumb rest has helped me a lot.

I use steel rounds and smash the strings really hard. I smashed the strings before I knew he hit them that hard, and I use steel rounds because they're cheaper and brighter sounding.

The only reason I'm asking about the year and the spacing is because I want to model my 4001 after the bass he used most. A bass that I could show to a Rush fanatic (like myself) and they'd know what era it was from.

My style is really like Ged's.. but I want to get into other bassists work and move on.. but I still want a Geddy bass because he is and always will be my favorite. And I prefer Rickenbacker to Fender.. that's why I'm bothering to do this.

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I agree with you about Broon's production.. I'm used to his work with Rush, but I have listened to "Battlescar". That's about it. Yes, Rush's sound changes a ton after 'Signals'.. Ged retired the Rick and Al started with Strats. Geddy sang lower, there were more keys and less guitar solos. Neil started using electric drums. It seemed like the entire band changed. But it was a good change. One of my favorite Rush tunes is on GUP or P/G. And they seemed to mellow out, til Geddy brought back the Jazz, Al's guitar went to the front and the keys went to the back when "Counterparts" came out. "Counterparts" is in my top three Rush albums. And that was produced by the boys and Peter Collins.

I hear you on wanting a "Geddy Model"...I get what that's all about! Too bad you have to slap a Bada$$ on it, though...

I have to credit Jeff Thomas with this pic.


I think those are Schaller M4S tuners. They need a bigger hole in the headstock.. that's annoying. And the routs for the Badass are annoying too.. but I'll get the correct result. It'll be worth it for me. If the badass does increase the sustain, like they say, it'll be worth the extra holes for me. And the Schallers will be worth it... I like tuners with a triangular shape.. not the clovers.

So.. what year should I go with? Pre '77? Or '77+.. the "Hemipheres" bass? I think the "Spheres" bass would help me out, because I'm used to the 1" spacing, but sometimes I play over the fretboard. I'd still like some input.

I have a 77 Rickenbacker and i really like the tone on Hemisphere. Which modification did Geddy to his ' 77 Ric?

If you must put a Badass on her, (its your bass, I respect that), do it. As far as the plate to cover the original bridge location, I'd give Tony at www.pickguardian.com a shot at making you an exact duplicate of Geddys mod. If he had the dimensions or a template of sorts, he could make you something that would look as good as Ged's.

Nate,
I am a huge Rush/Geddy Lee fan as well. As far as I know the bridge surround was painted/finished after the Farewell to Kings tour. I have a bunch of pics where it is white.During the Hemispheres tour I believe it is black and blends in. But you can still see the screw holes.It may have been as late as the Permanent Waves tour though. I have a Guitar Player interview with Geddy from 1980 where he stated that his Ricks were repaired often due to their grueling tour schedules. Hope this helps.
Brent

PS Don't forget, the Double R30 DVD/CD package comes out today.There is supposed to be a bunch of studio footage from the 70's.

Brent - thanks for the heads-up on the R30 thing! I had no idea!

Nate - you gotta get over this Geddy obsession! Leave that thing alone!

Not that this R30 thing will help - info at the official Rush website

(I'm just teasing Nate)

If you get a stock 4001 from '74 to '79 you already have a bass that is 90% a Geddy bass do a few mods and you have the rest ...

as per getting the Geddy sound not everyone achieves it ... distortion, mids, growl, ampeg, low action, and technique ...

there is a good Rush tribute CD out there called Working Man ... it has a lot of really good players ... the bass players are very good but none of them nail the Geddy sound 100% some are not even close

It's very hard in the initial stages of learning anything, not to try and mimic someone else, who one admires and respects.

Playing the same bass is fine, but personally Nate, I would try and develop your own style of playing. By all means use influences and inspiration, but instead of imitation create your own craft...

When I was Nate's age, I was a bit fixated on becoming Chris Squire...then one day I realized the position had already been filled.

Have fun with your youth, Nate...but 'your time is gonna come', and all of us old f*rts will raise an eyebrow and exclaim, "Aha, so that's who Nate is"...I gotta feeling Ged better watch out...

Dane: LOL! You're so right. At those times we all envisioned being up there like the bass gods, then you go 'what happened'?? HA

I'd argue that my own '79 4001 has had as much Rush music played on it as Geddy's in 26 years, man I just ate that stuff up...couldn't wait for the next album to come out. I still break it out, did so at a gig last weekend.

Is that an old Shaftesbury or Dallas combo behind you in the above pic, Nate? I've seen on of those before, but can't quite remember the name.. single-ended dealy, if memory serves.. there's a good way to get a little Rick-o-sound action! That and another (bassier) combo ought to sound great!

Not trying to turn into Geddy.. I mentioned I want to move on... but I want something to mark where I was at this time.. it's my tribute.

Harry... hahah good reference!

Jeff, I love the Geddy sound.. it's my dream sound.. as it is for many. But I doubt I'll be able to achive it any time soon.. having the tribute bass will make it a little easier on my mind, but I don't know what'll happen to the sound.

Dane... thanks fer the compliment.