Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm not much of an effects user. Usually just the Ric---->tuner pedal------->SVT....the occasional flanger/chorus. We are now adding a few jazz tunes to the set list and I'd like to be able to get a better approximation of a doublebass or fretless sound than I can get with "knob tweaking". I don't really want to use different strings to the detriment of the rest of the tunes....I suppose I could just buy a fretless Ric (but I want to stay married). Anyone know of an effects pedal that might help?

Hi Mark,

Forget pedals - the best way to get an uprightesque sound on a 4001/3 is as follows:

- Apply the mute - adjust it to the point where you are getting just "enough" dampening for you taste. This is subjective and "touchy-feely" so feel free to experiment.
- Set the pickup switch to bridge only.
- Roll the bridge pup tone knob all the way closed.

You will get a great percussive bassy tone with some faint trebly overtones - it's not quite right but it is a great approximation, and you can go back to Squire-esque clank in about 11 seconds! 10.9 to lower the mute and 0.1 to flick the tone knob all the way open!

You would think that the neck pup would be better, but I find it sounds too boomy and "electric". The bridge pup has just enough treble to sound right to my ears.

Evan,

Excellent!! I didn't even think of the mute. I have played around with it, but never used it in the real world, just sort of put it out of mind (I just palm mute when needed). I already was using just the bridge pup with tone down.

Thanks for the input.

Mark

When I switched over from playing a lot of electric blues gigs to playing a lot of swing and big band, I still decided to pack my 4003 in favor of my Jazz Bass (which I have since sold). I got some funny looks from a few of the horn players but the tone was convincing. What I found best for a good walking bass tone was just to use the NECK pickup soloed with treble totally rolled off. I let an upright player borrow that bass for a similar gig once and he loved it--and he was quite a traditionalist.

I did not use the mute even once, but I wish I had so I could say I knew how well it fit in with that gig. To be honest I rarely use the mute live because I find it hard to play with a lot of dynamics with it. But if you are in a VERY traditional big band setting it might be just what the doctor ordered.

You do get a nice rich silky tone from that soloed neck pup, but I find it to be actually a bit too bassy and "boomy" to sound like an upright (that might reflect the fact that my Ricks, have 1/2" neck pup spacing when they have neck pups). An upright has, by virtue of the combination of its very long scale, strings and anatomy, a percussive tone when plucked that is bass-heavy and mid-poor but has some strong treble overtones and exhibits quick decay. I find the combination of using the mute and the treble pickup with the tone pot turned down seems to get most of these qualities - you still get some nice treble overtones even with the pot turned down. To my ear the soloed neck pup just doesn't get those overtones.