Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

So I decided to take on Mind Drive off of Keys and I found the little solo in the beginning goes up to high E on the G string. Um... my 4003 only goes up to D#. Doh! I didn't realise Chris's Ric has 21 frets until now. Luckily my G&L L-2000 does, so I'm using it instead. And I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about Rics. Not that big of a deal, I know. I just wanna play my Ric on this one.

You know the expression, "You learn something new everyday"? With me it's "I discovered yet another thing I didn't know everyday"

Didn't he play that on his green Moradian (sp?) bass - that has 21 frets. What about stretching to it on your Rick?

How bout tweaking that G string up a semitone?

johnallg wrote:Didn't he play that on his green Moradian (sp?) bass - that has 21 frets. What about stretching to it on your Rick?

You're probably right. I was suprised to see all the basses he uses on that little YouTube video . How many frets does his Ric have? C64s only have 20.

Yeah, I could change tuning, but it's easier to grab the G&L. I'm running D'Addario Half Wounds on it and it nails the sound pretty well. It's kinda percussive which is what always turned me on about CS's punchy sound on Mind Drive.

Frankly, I do very, very little playing that high up anywho.

3 words: bend, bend, bend.

Jeff, his RM1999 has 20 frets. Bend to it is the only way, short of having fretboard and another fret added!

I'm definitely not the knowledgeable guy when it comes to Chris Squire and Yes. I'm not familiar with the song discussed in this thread or when it was recorded. But I think I've heard that CS played a '70 or '71 21-fret 4001 for a short time.

Could he have played the 21-fret Rick on this recording?

Chris did have a 21 fret MG 4001, if I remember correctly, he is pictured with it inside The Yes Album sleeve and may have used it on TYA while the RM 1999 was being repaired. In concert, for "Mind Drive" he plays the Moraudian, at least on that "Tsongas" video from 2003.

I posted a question on another thread about these basses: Since Chris was actually endorsing them in the 1980's and since he owns and uses two models himself, does anyone know how many of these were produced and what happened to them? I heard that a Japanese company bought the rights. I'm not crazy about his green one, but the silver-blue Reality bass is sharp and sounds so clear, I'd snag one of those in a heartbeat if I knew where to get one!

Mr. Squire, if you ever read this post, please write a small book someday and answer some of these questions for us

just_bassics wrote:Chris did have a 21 fret MG 4001, if I remember correctly, he is pictured with it inside The Yes Album sleeve and may have used it on TYA while the RM 1999 was being repaired. In concert, for "Mind Drive" he plays the Moraudian, at least on that "Tsongas" video from 2003.

I've got the whole song worked out now, Actually my L-2000 does an awesome job. I solo the neck pickup, run it preamp on with full bass and treble and the parallel/serial switch to parallel. I use D'Addario XL half rounds on it and am very pleased with their presentation. Still, My '07 4003 with the toaster solo'd and the DR Lowriders nails the B's thump with the tiny bit of sizzle on top perfectly. I tried drop D tuning but didn't like the way open B sounded vs the fretted B in the E tuning. Plus it messes up the chords he plays in the beginning. I'm not good enough in my theory to work around that, yet.

It's obviously studio massaged but the sound he achives on that recording (Mind Drive Keystudio) gives me shivers, regardless of what he uses. It is the EXACT sound I strive for when play stuff I compose. Even though not nearly as complex as other Squire basslines, it's usually his simpler lines that shows his true brilliance. He and Alan White have some kind of USB cable connecting their heads together or something.

ustabawannab wrote:... He and Alan White have some kind of USB cable connecting their heads together or something.

After this many years together, they do seem to know exactly what the other is thinking and where they are going musically. Instantly and while free-styling.

Jeff, something to shoot for:

Actually all this guys videos are great - watch the 3 parts of And You And I and also The Revealing Science of God. Guy has a lot of good ideas mixed in with real talent.

It is possible to get that E on a Rick but it takes a little practice. If you press the string down on the end of the fingerboard just right it will make the E you are looking for.

rickfan60 wrote:It is possible to get that E on a Rick but it takes a little practice. If you press the string down on the end of the fingerboard just right it will make the E you are looking for.

As long as the 2 pickup buttons for the G string aren't too high.

I have not seen an unaltered one that sits up that high. Do you have one John? BTW Happy New Year.