Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Interesting discovery yesterday.

I was playing around with the 4003 DCM, and noticed on the higher notes I kept hearing overtones / deadspots.

Hmm.. naturally I started the usual thought process,,,OK.,, I'll tweak the rods a little.

Did that work? No.

Lower the pickups? No.

Strings? Well,, I did just put a new set of D'Addario's on her. Still no good...

At this point I was kind of freaking out a little bit, sat the bass down walked into the kitchen leaned against the counter and just glared at the bass for a while.,

Then I saw something I've never really noticed before. I was standing directly underneath a ceiling fan!

Sure enough, I turn off the fan,,the problem goes away! Turn it on, and there it is again! For whatever reason, the bass was picking up the occillation of the fan, causing some kind of "pseudo freqency cancellation thing"!

Curious thing is that I've never noticed it before. Its where I always stand and play in my practice room. The only thing I can figure is the new hi-gains that they are putting in the 4003's are just a little bit more "sensitive".?

I am a tall guy 6'4, but I've never encountered it before.

Kind of silly,,,I feel like an amatuer,,but I just thought I'd share the experience.

If you are really bored point a TV remote at the pickups a few inches away and play with the buttons.

Scott: Thanks for this clearing the air with this post.

Hah! Cool. Never really been quite that bored though...

Anytime Peter!

I can totally understand this. Sometimes I'll practice songs I'm supposed to come with parts for by sitting on the couch and listening to a CD of the guitar part. I'll have the remote next to me, and as Brian points out, it makes sounds through the bass. I think sometimes I might be able to go dowsing with the thing!
But I love those hot pickups! I get such a great sound from those when I dial it in right on the amp.

I take it, Brian, that you have been really bored at least once in your life, then?

Brian, I'm glad you didn't suggest pointing the garage door opener at the pickups!!

I'm extremely sensitive to the ceiling fan thing. I can't stand to hear any instrument being played under one.

I'm not a fan of this style of playing either.

Here is another strange story to report.

It hasn't happened to my RIC's, but I've had
my CELL phone come through my AMP whenever I use my Alembic!

It's happened to 3 different Alembics and two different amps. The "ringing" of the cell phone makes a series of CLICKS through the amp just BEFORE it actually rings.

It's especially funny in church when at the beginning of the service, everyone is asked to turn off their cell phones. I silenced mine, but when the ring comes through the PA, I just make believe it isn't me and I look around indignantly!

Tony, I've noticed that with Nextel phones and desktop computer speakers. Kind of a clickety-clicking.

John,

BINGO, I have that too. My Nextel does the exact same thing. I get those CLICKS, and THEN the ring comes through my amp.

I just know there will come a time when one of my non-church going friends key up the Nextel and say something "colorful" over the speaker on the cell phone as well as the church PA system! ...... Sorry, I mean .....

I inquired over at Alembic and it seems to be a common problem. Alembic's make great cell phone receivers! SOME of them even pull in RADIO signals. They now sell a filter for about $130.00 to stop that little bonus feature!

Sell? I think Mica should personally come to your home and install it for that price!

What can I say Jeff?

Alembics are expensive, and it's an old bass. What I can say is that Mica went ABOVE AND BEYOND to help with a problem I had with a 25 year old bass.

She even had her dad come up with an UPGRADE to the design of the wiring and then e-mailed me INSTRUCTIONS & PHOTO's for my luthier to make the changes to increase output! That BLEW me away, and they didn't make a dime for doing that.

THIS is why I'll ONLY buy RIC's and Alembics. Besides the obvious quality, their willingness to help customers has made me a fiercely loyal owner.