What do you polish your Rickenbacker bass with??

[Elnjaybass]

HA! it's a trick- Guitar polish I'm sure. Go ahead if you have any trade secrets, but I drew you in here to say...well actually I hadda post something
'Cause I just dug into my 4003, and how can I put this, besides it sounded good, bla bla bal-

I found...a "space" rather a spacing, more of a placement or position, primarily using my index and middle finger, and I dunno-
Humbly..as I can be...

I TORE THAT *(&*^%%$$ UP!
I mean , I was ALL over that neck, playing the most fluid solid pocket lines ever. ever for me.
This is Valid!

See for me it has to do with a new experience on this particular instrument of course, and Rickenbackers are different in appearance, build, shape, no on else has that honky bridge and pup cover, etc, etc.

So seeing as I have never played one before recently-
Yes I've been lovin' it for this last week and getting into it, but just right now-
I FOUND IT- I mean you can laugh, you can smirk, you can hate, do whatever, make a joke, post a pic, think I should shaddup, or even ignore...
But-
Had you heard, youda agreed,
I found this position (I guess it's tied into the string spacing and the skinny little slim neck, very comfortable and fast, etc.

But I got a position, which lead to a pocket with just the amoount of bite in the attack, etc, and the eq was I swear, actually growling...'Course I have very good amps-
But seriously-
I was superman on that bass, all by myself for tonight, and just killing.
I know I heard, I aint' dreaming or exaggerating, that's enough that I know, true.
Has that ever happened to you? I hope so...
It was cool.

Ok, done mouthing off.

Hadda do it, felt like it, and BTW, I use Martin Guitar Polish myself.

Thank You!

[rickfan60]

The standard answer to that question is ...

[Elnjaybass]

Why, thank you, Ted.
I DO have quite a bit of fingerprints and schweat to remove, if I say so myself!

[kiramdear]

That would be Scratch-X and Zymol, Larry. Search those terms here and you will find no end of testimony about the wonders of these two products in combination when mixed with some elbow grease and your grimy, hazy bass. Use a clean cotton diaper in a perfect world. I cheat and use an old punk rock T-shirt.

[ricaddic]

I used to use Zymol but have went back to Gerlitz guitar wax,I found I get the best results with all my basses and not just the Rics, my axes look like glass when im done, plus found that the Zymol is a major dust magnet, and the Gelitz guitar wax isint.

[Elnjaybass]

Scratch-X and Zymol, wow. A true sub-culture existing around these "Rick-en-Backer" Bass Guitar instruments.

10,000 years from now, when ancient ruins are uncovered and excavated, and they begin to piece together details of our culture, I have no doubt some will find evidence of a relatively small group of artists that held this "Rick-en-Backer"
4-string-ed instrument, which captured a pleasing sonic frequency of between 5hz and 1600Khz in a pleasing manner; said to be either (sp) "Funky" or (sp) "In-the-pocket; with good groove"

Fortunately I don't need Scratch-X just yet, and hope I never do- I'm very careful about buckle rash, etc. but stuff happens.
Some idiot photographer once NEEDED to take pics at a gig w/ very small stage (not of me, of the Vocalist) and as I turned to comply and get my Supermodel mug outta the shot, I got a nick on the back of the neck of my NEW at the time Sterling.
Still bugs me even tho I'd have to point it out...
IF anything-anything happened to 4003 or 4004- I, I just don't know. I might have to end it all.

I wrote this thread because I had just laid into my 03 in manner of which I had not yet achieved. I should say I've been in stages:
1) Getting used to this instrument--- Now let me be one of those people from the future and tell YOU, the wise and experienced, about a anthropological view of a 4003 (my first):

What kind of bass guitar is this?? What the He*** is that bridge?? I thought my G&L bridge was a mountain...this??!

And what the *(*%^ kinda pups are they? I can't even see one, and the other looks kinda anemic...

It's not active?? Where do I put the (2) 9-volts?? Gotta be active!

What? "V-V-T-T? Huh?
A pickguard which looks like the state of Texas???
Binding? On neck and body??
Nahhh, I want a Fender or a clone or a coffee-table bass, not one that's been made the same way with no exterior changes for many years...Yeh, yeah, I know there have been...

WRONG! to the above.

Same old story-
This instrument does a fair job of beating down and kicking a lot of other bass guitars.
So before you chastise me for my wondrement, understand
I did not know this.
I never played a Rickenbacker bass. I didn't hink there was any reason to.

But last night, all by my lonesome, short story I was IN THE ZONE.
But more than that, 'cause that happens to us musically, no matter what our level- on/off stage, in the shower, etc-

More than that it was as if I harnessed everything a Rickenbacker Bass, the 4003 could do for me.
Now I kinda felt that way from the very beginning with my Laredo, because that is simple-
The best bass guitar in the world, sorta...

But then this hokey-looking FireGlo 4003 comes, and I have to take some time to absorb what it's about.
As George ("the Country-Ruiner") Bush once said:

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"

Well, if I need to give 'er a good cleaning-
Got it!

Thanks!

[cjj]

Hmm, I've never tried my bass in the shower...

Oh, just wait until you start using the Zymol, the smell of that stuff. No, no, not bad, it's wonderful! Brings back memories of some sort of surfboard wax I used to use in my surfer beach bum youth...

[Elnjaybass]

Hmm, I've never tried my bass in the shower...

Well, I always thought of it as an expeditious matter to clean schweat off both bass and bod...

And I can get some of my cleanest sounds using this method.....



Sorry, really, I shouldn't have!

[weemac]

What do I polish my bass with?

My forearm on the body, and my hand on the neck.....(whilst playing it)

Eden.

[Elnjaybass]

What do I polish my bass with?

My forearm on the body, and my hand on the neck.....(whilst playing it)

Eden.

That sounds sorta....
Sensual, actually!

Have a Happy Ending!

[rickenbrother]

found that the Zymol is a major dust magnet

Maybe the Philly area dust loves the smell of the Zymol. Makes it feel like it's at the beach. You guys could use some of that at this time of year!!

[Elnjaybass]

Makes it feel like it's at the beach.

Hey...the Beach!
Great idea, Joey!
Seeing as it's gonna be about 80 Degrees here today, I think I may just head on down to the 'BU!

[rickfan60]

Scratch X is OK to use even if you don't have any scratches. New Ricks tend to have a lot of swirls left over from the factory polish. Scratch X takes them out quite nicely and leaves the surface looking like glass. Use it first to clean the surface, then apply the Zymöl in small areas. There is a detailed procedure somewhere here on the forum. Paul W. worked this out and the results are amazing. He has many years of automotive finish experience and knows what he is talking about. I was a bit skeptical until I tried it. Apparently Zymöl can be applied to build up layers that will protect the CV. It is a good idea if you want to keep your Ricks looking sharp.

[Elnjaybass]

Well, I better look into all this, because these Basses (4004L; 4003) are going to get a LOT of playing time.....

[rickenbrother]

When I got this 4003, it looked like someone took coarse sandpaper to most of it. Scratch X and quite a bit of arm strength got it to look like glass again. I haven't yet heard of Paul W suggestion of 3M's Perfect It. That polishing compound might have made the job a little easier since the finish was so rough. I didn't want to use just any compound since some of them are too rough on the CV.