Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I used two of my Rics instead of my Mike Lulls last night - my 4003 AFG strung with DR Lo-Riders and my 4001C64 strung with TI flats. I was playing through my usual Thunderfunk TFB420 head and Epifani UL cabinets.

The C64 did really well a lot of the Southern Rock/blues material. A slight roll off of the tone pot on the bridge pickup and I was set. I think I have to lower the pickup since it seemed like I was clipping a bit with my attack.

One thing about the C64. With flats, it gets the low-mid bump associated with a P-Bass, but I think with more articulation. And I like the C64 neck much more than the P-Bass.

The 4003 killed on some the rock material!!!!!!! I used it with a pick on "Remedy" and "Kryptonite". The sound just jumped out of the amp. I played it fingerstyle for the rest of the stuff and it was even passable on some Southern Rock songs when set on the neck pickup with a sllght tone rolloff. It definitely added an edge to the mix.

One big problem was that I've played 5 string basses for so long that I had to readjust to a 4-string bass. I have a few songs that I like to play below the low "E" that took some redoing, but all in all, it was great night.

I had a two-Rick night myself last night! And a 10-Guinness night too... But, used the Squire and the '78 4001 Jetglo. The Squire, strung with Rotos, can be tamed enough for our Top-40 stuff, with a slight roll back of the toaster volume and a treble cut. The '78 actually was a bit weak in comparison, since I re-capped it just out of curiosity, and put rounds back on it. I'll re-bypass it, and put the flats back on this week. Just didn't have enough balls like this. That's my report, back to you Ron!

Well last night I had a one bass and 4 Guinness night.... (didn't think there could be another bass player who counted Guinness) and I hang my head in shame to say that it was my F***er Jazz. I have got more into playing my J recently as I have now sussed how to get the perfect J sound from it with my Ashdown kit.

My '72 4001 just sat on the subs bench for the whole night, this is a first. What I am not getting at the moment from the Ric is a really good mid punch. I really hope that the AFG that I have on order will bring that out. By all accounts the new 4003's have serious balls in the mid punching dept.

Usually if it's a one-bass nite, it's the CS or maybe a Jazz. Newcastle for me, though.

I had my newly-repotted 77 4001 out at a benefit last night. The pots that had been put in before I got it were causing it to sound too dark, must have been 250k, so I ordered a 4 control harness (330k) from Pick of the Ricks and last night was first time out with it.

She sounded awesome. Serious clank & much more useable bite, it even sounded great with the treble pup solo'd.
I'd love to try a C or V series bass.

C64 both fri and sat. two songs both nights on the jetglo 4003 . The C64 has a super smooth mid tone that just worked well with everything . The 4003 i used dropped D on two tunes . Tools Sober and Gretchen Wilsons Here for the party .Back to back . Hows that for variety ?!

2 Bands, 3 Rics, 5 Shiners.

OUCH!- Ric 4003LH
Eggmen 1st set -Hofner 500/1LH
Eggmen 2nd set -Ric 4001SLH, SX Jazz-LH
Eggmen 3rd set -Ric 4001CSLH, SX PJ-LH

No gigs this past weekend, but have one coming up Saturday.
The nod will go to the V63 for the whole night with the '72 4001 as back-up. The V handles all our songs perfectly.
Unfortunately, we tune 1/2 step down, and the 4001 isn't reacting well to that. I hate to change the set-up though.

Lubrication is covered with Labatt's Blue!

I tend to keep the lubrication to a minimum at gigs, so it was Corona for me. But I will say I liked the way the 4003 cut on the rock songs. I also did something out of the ordinary (for me anyway) and used a pick on a couple of songs. The "Ric and pick" setup killed on "Remedy".

I've concluded that I like my C64 over many P's I've played. The one exception is my Lull P/J5. That one does a nice job and is very comfortable to play.

I liken my 4003 to a J-Bass with more midrange to it and my C64 to a P-Bass with more growl. All in all, I have most of the tonal bases covered.

My MTD 535, however, is whole 'nother bass to itself. Nothing in my collection sounds like that beast. It has a B string to rattle the firmaments.

I played my only rick (at the moment)4003 fg at a gig Sat. nite....sounded awesome in the house and on stage....kinda had to drink a few "blue"...only because that was the extent of the selection....I prefer a nice Smithwicks when given a choice.

Quite a few bands that I have played with in the Bristol area have a 2 pint rule. No more than 2 just to be on the safe side.

Last Saturday was an exception, very friendly boozy venue and the band I was in for this gig did mostly Hendrix and blues stuff so 4 pints of Guinness was in order.

Saturday night I got to play Chris Pappas' Glenn Frey bass at my gig in Baltimore. What a glorious tone!!!

2 Rick basses - modded 4003 (rounds) and 4004C (chromes) - washed down with Redhook Winter Hooks and an Erie Brewing Railbender. Unfortunately it was me in the practice room....

For my last gig, I played my Stingray for all 4 sets (I had a hankering for it, and it fit a couple of new cover songs we were debuting). Loved the punch, not so much the higher notes on the G string (too thin). The Ric's are definitely better for that. Had a couple of BudLite longnecks and a shot of whatever Jessica's friends gave us for a birthday girl....

Bob, did you post about your J-Bass getting lost in the mix on another forum? I finally re-read this thread from the top and your story sounded familiar. I was the guy who mentioned the Ashdown "Shape" feature and how to bypass it.