8-String Basses

Bassman_4080 · Post by **Bassman_4080** » Mon Jan 29, 2001 11:13 pm

Anybody out there currently own/play with any consistency a Rick (or, gasp, 'other') 8-string bass? (NOT the Hamer 12-strings, mind you- 8-strings) I've been considering one for quite a while now, and am just looking for a little insight into them. They MUST sell if RIC continues to produce them....perhaps there's one out there in 'Web-land' somewhere sitting in a closet (or under a bed) collecting dust that might be up for sale?......Mark, what's YOUR experience with them?.......Anyone?.......Anyone?.....Bueller?......

Bassman_4080 · Post by **Bassman_4080** » Wed Jan 31, 2001 9:44 pm

Well, apparently the lack of responses means I must be having a conversation with myself (again).

Nww, I've played them many times before, and thought they were kinda nifty and all, but......don't really know if it's really worth the price tag, y'know? Come on, is there NO ONE out there with one who can attest to their longevity?? ANYONE?? (sheesh)

RAT · Post by **RAT** » Fri Feb 02, 2001 1:13 pm

BASSMAN..
the silence here.....
I feel bad for you so heres some kind of responce...
I had a 12 string Hamer Les paul Jr style, I got all into Cheap Trick and Nick Lowe, thought I had to have one, I still love them, but I sold the bass...
it was a train.. what a roar! and a monster to play and hold up.. the weight!.....I should have got an 8 instead, really Nick Lowe had the right idea, stay with 8, Tom Peterson was trying to scare people with the 12....I like the Hamers better than the Ricks...sorry, I think they have more experience at building a multi string bass....Rick people dont get mad...hey, maybe we will get some hate mail now, Bassman.....
Ive seen 8 string Ricks on Ebay for 800.00....

I do love the look of a White 4001-8 with black guards/binding and chrome HW...
but I've never played one.

Good Luck & Keep looking....

ohnonothimagain!!!!
RAT

Bassman_4080 · Post by **Bassman_4080** » Fri Feb 02, 2001 8:44 pm

Yea, thanks, Rat- It was gettin kinda lonely in this part of town.....Yea, I was a big Cheap Trick fan as well, but just can't seem to ever think of a time when a 12-string bass would be a necessity....thanks for the Ebay tip.....I guess I'll just keep wunderin.....and lookin'.....and playin my 4001's (!!)...never owned a Hamer anything- maybe I'll look into one....Kings X's bass player also uses one....I guess it's just one of those novelty type things.....

JMP · Post by **JMP** » Thu Feb 08, 2001 5:07 pm

Hi Bassman! Yeah, I've got a nice 1988 White Ric 8-String and I love it! Well, it USED to be beautifully white. Rics are notorious for white not staying white, it's now a cream yellow, but still beautiful, just different.

I had to do some work on it though. It came from the factory set up with the string pairs oriented the opposite from the way I like them, that is, on a picked downstroke, you'd hit the lower octave string before you hit the higher octave string. This drove me up a wall, so for clarity and a nice chimy sound I reversed them so I'd hit the higher octave first and get a nice attack, defining the note really well. Since I use a pick this makes sense. The old way I would often overshoot the higher octave string altogether after hitting the fatter lower octave string. Now it just slides nicely onto the fatter lower octave string and I'm pretty happy.

JMP · Post by **JMP** » Thu Feb 08, 2001 5:08 pm

This made it a whole brand new bass and I immediately enjoyed it ten times more than I did when I was fighting it, it really was a bit of a bear to play when I first got it.

Getting strings for it is a pain though. I found some D'Addarios (I think) that are pretty good, not too expensive, a complete set. At first I wanted Ric to just sell me the higher octave string set alone, then I could just use the Rotosounds I like for the lower octave strings and add the higher octave Ric strings. No go. Ric wouldn't do it, wouldn't break up a set, even though I told the guy I'd be buying a large number of sets. I mean, the lower octave strings are just the same as one of their standard 4 string sets, they could have just made a regular string set out of them and sold me the higher ones. Oh well, I tried.

JMP · Post by **JMP** » Thu Feb 08, 2001 5:09 pm

Man, this posting limitation kinda stinks, don't it?

What else? Well, it comes wired in mono. I plan to convert it to stereo at some point, but I played it mono recently through a nice old Fender tube Bassman 100w amp and it sounded heavenly, so I may just leave it as is, or make it do both via a special cable. That mono/stereo switching jack on Ric 4001s is a horrible setup, so I'd rather just leave that stupid thing out of the equation.

At any rate I love this bass. Feel free to email me or continue this conversation here. I found this topic through a search and I'm still not sure where this forum actually is so if you don't see me right away, be patient. I'll find the topic again somehow.

badroad · Post by **badroad** » Tue Feb 20, 2001 2:00 am

I play a '99 4003s/8 on a regular basis with a non-prog rock group and it covers LOTS of sonic ground. It looks great, and sounds great (the bridge pickup was upgraded to a re-issue horseshoe pickup). It is the same mapleglo that is pictured on Bjorn Eriksson's site (I purchased it from Bill C). The downside of it is its weight, which is easily over 11 lbs; and you need a VERY strong left hand to get a deeper tone. The guitar player in the group I play with is not very strong, so it helps make up for a second guitarist/keyboard player. I use the 8-string for only half of our set (sets are usually 45 min. long) before switching over to a '91 4001v63. I had the octave strings reversed also, and now it is much easier to play and the octave strings sound much clearer. Rickenbacker should make this stringing standard, so all of us 8-stringer-slingers won't have to go to luthiers before our first gigs or rehearsals.

JMP · Post by **JMP** » Wed Feb 21, 2001 7:44 am

I think they string them that what to accomodate players who play with their fingers, it seems to make sense that way. But it would be great to have the option of ordering it the other way if you wish. Great instrument though, isn't it?

Brian_Rycyk · Post by **Brian_Rycyk** » Thu Mar 29, 2001 10:42 pm

Just bought a lovely used 8 string in turquoise! I don't have the bass yet but was told that the bass only has four strings on it. Does anyone have any suggestions on the type and gauge of strings to use? I primarily use nickel roundwound Rotosounds on my 2-4001CS's and 4004 Cheyenne.

Jeff_U · Post by **Jeff_U** » Mon Apr 02, 2001 8:09 am

Ahh, so you won that auction! I have a Fireglow on order. I agree about the string order, as I also play with a pick. I was kind of surprised there wasn't an 8 saddle bridge. How do you intonate these things?

JMP · Post by **JMP** » Fri Apr 06, 2001 8:12 am

Intonate? Well, you don't really. But they're not too far out.

Brian - Strings, here's some info on the strings I came up with for it. I like them as much as the Ric strings that came with it. And I use Rotosounds on both my 4001 4 string basses, so that's the sound I'm used to.

D'Addario 8 String XL8 Electric Bass Strings

Set XL860

Nickel Round Wound Regular gauge

Note Inch mm
G .045 1.14
G .018 0.46
D .065 1.65
D .028 0.71
A .080 2.03
A .040 1.02
E .100 2.54
E .050 1.27

All the strings are wound except the highest G string.

JMP · Post by **JMP** » Fri Apr 06, 2001 8:18 am

Having said that about the intonation though, I'd still like to see some concessions made to an 8 saddle design. That was one factor in me buying an Ovation solid body 12-string over a Ric 12 string. The Ovation has 6 main saddle pieces like the Ric, but each main saddle has two string saddles which offset each string from its mate so that the higher octave string has a slightly shorter scale than the lower octave string. This guitar has excellent intonation all the way up and down the neck. I've toyed with the idea of having something like this done on my Ric 8-string.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Apr 06, 2001 10:17 am

JMP: I am interested in why you didn't purchase a 12 string bridge from Rickenbacker.

Jeff_U · Post by **Jeff_U** » Fri Apr 06, 2001 11:06 am

I agree that 8 saddles would be much better, I mean, these are supposed to be professional instruments, and professionals should play in tune. Since changing the string order voids the warranty, I'll probably look into having a new bridge fabricated with split saddles since it won't matter for warranty sake.
I wouldn't think of buying a 12 without individual saddles, which limits which Ricks I could get stock.