Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

... especially with brand new Rotosounds on it!

Just got done playing my first real rockin' gig after a few years of playing some mellower country-ish stuff. During sound check, I dialed in the (non-Rick) fretless first, then the 4001. I had played about three notes on the Rick and the sound man came on the talkback and said "I like the sound of that!"

I'll try to get some pix and maybe audio posted soon....

Bill... congratulations & welcome to the club. I've had similar responses from sound guys. The Ric basses have a real kicka@@ sound live!! If you really want to see if the sound guys have real metal - do the ROS live. Some have no idea what it is about and to others it's like a brand new toy they are bitting at the bit to get to. Would love to see the pics and listen to clips when you get them.

I'd agree with the sound man!

Not surprising, is it?

I love a great sounding 4001 through a good bass rig set to stun!

I think one of the best compliments I ever got on my 4001 was from my guitarist... not sure it's just the amount of years he has heard mine but we were at a jam party one Saturday using the house amps - you know different combos of folks would get up and play - all day type thing. A lot of really good musicians. Anyhow after a while, when I had finished playing woth some other folks, he said 'man, Tom, you know... those other basses just don't sound as good as yours.'

-you just gotta love the 4001.

winston wrote:I love a great sounding 4001 through a good bass rig set to stun!

And Ric-O-Sound mode through separate amps makes it "set to kill"

ram wrote:If you really want to see if the sound guys have real metal - do the ROS live. Some have no idea what it is about and to others it's like a brand new toy they are bitting at the bit to get to.

As I described elsewhere on the forum (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=395493&start=45#p627514), my 4001 is not wired exactly like it came from the factory so I don't have Rick-O-Sound right now.

But you've got me thinking of putting back something approximating the original electronics, including ROS (I still have all the original parts).

Then I'd need a way to actually use it. Can anyone recommend a good 1U rack mount tube preamp? Something with distortion characteristics similar to a Marshall, perhaps? I've been holding a space open in my rack....

ram wrote:I think one of the best compliments I ever got on my 4001 was from my guitarist... not sure it's just the amount of years he has heard mine but we were at a jam party one Saturday using the house amps - you know different combos of folks would get up and play - all day type thing. A lot of really good musicians. Anyhow after a while, when I had finished playing woth some other folks, he said 'man, Tom, you know... those other basses just don't sound as good as yours.'

-you just gotta love the 4001.

Tom, a lot of it is also in the hands.

I agree! I haven't played a 4001 model in years,really enjoyed playing dan's,joey's, and harry's at the barc. (especially dan's-Joey has it set up real nice,and it has a sweet neck...)

johnallg wrote: Tom, a lot of it is also in the hands.

well John, if my hands were the only ones touching it that day........ but thanks!

but let' sface it - the 4001 is a monster at cutting throught the mix... and in my mind quite capable of huge tonal variations. With that in mind, how could you go wrong with it?

ram wrote:but let' sface it - the 4001 is a monster at cutting throught the mix... and in my mind quite capable of huge tonal variations. With that in mind, how could you go wrong with it?

"how could you go wrong with it?" Quote Of The Day.

Enjoying my 4001:
Sorry this is a little blurry, it's clipped out of a cell phone snapshot from a ways back in the crowd.

There are some nice professional photos of the show at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 4432443967. Jerry and Lois are very good, but I may have a gentle word with them about including the instruments in their music photos. I think my bass looks better than my face, if you know what I mean....

A 4001S might be quite as good as a 4001
I have only 1 bass left, my 4001. Why would I even WANT another one, it does everything I want it too.
Chuck Norris doensn't use a gun when he can roundhouse kick, doesn't he?

wim wrote: I have only 1 bass left, my 4001. Why would I even WANT another one, it does everything I want it too.

On any amp? My 4003's generally sound good on any amp. My 4001's do not allways sound good on any amp.

They do sound lovely though on the right amp.