Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Here's a new picture of the basses I use during the Beatle portion of our show. Yes, I've added a new SX Jazz Bass for our new "Side Two of Abbey Road" section. Just thought y'all might wanna see.

Very cool Ron!
Thanks for sharing!

Ronn, i'd like to know which bass you use for which songs.

John, I'm not as fanatical about which bass on which song as one would think but it's basically like this: I use the Hofner for the 1st set('62-'66)and the Ric for the 2nd set('67-'70). That of course means I play it on songs Paul used the Hofner(like "Get Back")but it's important to keep the show moving and guitar swaps slow things down. We have enuff already just with the rythym player swapping between electric, acoustic, and keys, and while that's going on I'm usually the one who's chatting with the audience. And also, I don't care much for the Hofner and I really like the Ric!
We've just added a "special" 2nd set in which the last half is "Side Two of Abbey Road". And on that part I use the SX Jazz, it looks just like Paul's except it lacks neck binding and block inlays. But it is sunburst and has the chrome covers, sounds right on.
Check out my "halo" in the picture, it's an air vent which, on our encore "My Generation" I wacked my hand on, creating a really impressive bloody streak on my Jerry Jones Longhorn Bass.

Ronn: This is off-topic, but I wanted to thank you for putting me in touch with Jack Charles at Phantom Guitarworks. He says my Teardrop 9-string (black with vibrato) will be ready to ship today. He has also agreed to build me a special variation on his Brian Jones Teardrop 6-string. I want his standard Phantom bridge with a stop tailpiece under a chrome clamshell cover (because I don't like the look of the BJ bridge/tailpiece, and I like to mute with my palm on the bridge. He says, "No problem". He offered to install his new Phantone piezo bridge pick-up (as used by Will Sargent from The Bunnymen), but I declined. I have recently picked-up a Teardrop 6-string (tri-burst with vibrato) and a Teardrop 12-string (red). I really like his guitars, and he's a great guy to deal with.

RZ you are quite welcome. I love my Phantoms and have dusted off my Teardrop Hollowbody Bass as my 3rd set bass this season. As stated above I "have" to use certain basses for the 1st and 2nd sets, but the 3rd set, the "British Invasion" set(even tho' we do Monkees, PR&Raiders, Byrds, etc. too)I usually pick one of my "other" basses at the beginning of the season(now)as my 3rd set bass that year, plus the JJ Longhorn for the encore.

Yesterday I sent Jack a list of Vox guitars, basses, and amps that I plan to sell on Ebay soon. I like his guitars so much better than the vintage originals I own, that I'm getting rid of them. He says he might want to trade some guitars with me because he collects.

That's awesome, same thing happened to me. I had a 60's Vox Mark IV(Italian)in perfect condition w/OHSC and sold it to a collector 'cause I was using my Phantoms more.

Some people collect stuff like this-

Hehe, yeah, I used to have a Vox Apollo IV bass with the built-in effects/tuner like your guitar shown('cept it was violin shaped), sounded really good but ate batteries like crazy. With the bass and treble boosts and the fuzz, it sounded awesome.
How tuff is that palm wah to use?

Ronn: That palm-operated wahwah was scratchin' long before hip-hop ever came along! BTW this guitar also has the built-in repeat percussion effect that makes every song tune sound like 'Crimson And Clover'.

Ronn, how's the SX bass? Do you play it stock or what?

Swapped the strings and nut around and reintonated it, a couple quarter turns on the truss rod and it was ready to go. Played it at rehearsal last night, we were working on side 2 of Abbey Road, and it sounded good. It will nail that Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight tone when I put flats on it. I am VERY impressed, my wife gave me a MIM Fender Jazz for Christmas(which I would've used for The Eggmen but it's white, which I like, but it's not Beatle-correct)and I think the SX is a bit better quality, for one it has an alder body where the MIM Fender...well, who knows? Other than changing to flats I don't see/hear anything I would change/mod.
I ordered it last Tuesday and it arrived Saturday, I'm loving it, it's quite heavy, and the finish is NICE.
$165 delivered.

Nice price indeed! Cool collection.

Hey Ronn...

...here's the ideal candidate for an "upside-down, Band On The Run" bass:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7402936462&fromMakeTrack=true