Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

OK, I've been a huge Black Sabbath fan since I was a kid'. My sister actually got me into them way back in the early 70's. I've always enjoyed Geezer Bultler's bass playing on his tracks and I really felt no one filled his shoes quite the same.

I've been obsessing over Sabbath's latest single, "God is Dead?" and I initially commented that Butler's should be using a Rickenbacker since that is exactly the sound he would get out of the box. It makes me shake me head when artists feel the need to use copious amounts of effects to get the sound of an "out of the box" vintage Rickenbacker 4001.

Well today I was watching the official video for the song and they have video clips of vintage Sabbath playing in the background of the video. Severla times images os of a Rickenbacker bass can be seen played.

So, here is the question, when did Butler use a Rickenbacker and why on earth did he stop? I mean the bass on thsi song screams vintage 4001. Does anyone agree??

Sepp

Geezer has used a 4001 on and off since the late 1970s. He got it from Roger Glover. It's made multiple live appearances with Black Sabbath. His axe of choice seems to be various flavors of P Bass though, and I can respect that.

Frankly I'm not of the opinion that sludgy sound is decidedly Ric territory, but I agree that they do it well.

EDIT: Some Sabbath-influenced bassists have embraced Rics, such as Scott Reeder and Al Cisneros.

Joshua,

Have you heard "God is Dead?" yet. To my ears, it certainly sounds vintage 4001 rickish. I know Geezer has a signature bass now but i forget what the pup arraignment is. I'm thinking more along the lines of a jazz since that bass can compete with a RIC for the similar sound. Just ask Geddy.

Sepp

Looks like he's using a hybrid P from Lakeland with a Jazz treble pup.

Sepp

Kopfjaeger wrote:Looks like he's using a hybrid P from Lakeland with a Jazz treble pup.

Sepp

So, would that make it a Joe Glaub or a Bob Osborn?

Haven't heard the new stuff yet but Megan insists we must have it, so pretty soon I'll have listened to it.

Kopfjaeger wrote:I'm thinking more along the lines of a jazz since that bass can compete with a RIC for the similar sound. Just ask Geddy.

I strongly disagree here... I think a Jazz often sounds more like what people say a Ric sounds like than a Ric does (usually someone who wants "the tone" but doesn't own one yet to know they're a lot more bass-y than folk wisdom would suggest). So much treble... When I'm at GC and noodling away on the Fenders from time to time I feel more at home on the Ps. Anyway, I believe Geezer uses some sort of Lakland Precision most of the time.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=405750&hilit=geezer

geezer plays the laklands mostly these days

War Pigs and a 4001

Enjoy

The last jazz bass i'll ever own (which was itself a frankenstein amalgamation) sounded very RIC-like,in that it had a very clanky trebly ,and full bassy tone to it. I returned it to separate components,and sold the parts....but kept the neck as a piece of wall art. (The neck was not right,a factor in every single jazz or Fender bass i've ever owned. No wait,the '68 Tele bass neck was fine even if it was too much of a baseball bat for me...but i digress....)

I loves me some vintage 70's Sabbath,but never really picked out a distinctive RIC tone from the recordings.....at what point did Geezer start using one?

woodyng wrote:I loves me some vintage 70's Sabbath,but never really picked out a distinctive RIC tone from the recordings.....at what point did Geezer start using one?

At least as soon as they were doing US tours in support of Paranoid. I have seen no evidence to suggest the Ric bass is on any of the original Sabbath recordings though.

Well that could be why,then. the only 2 albums i've listened to completely are the debut and sophomore efforts....and i've never seen them in concert,either.....

Duh, I should have just embedded the video here so everyone could look and listen.


Sepp

Wow,that was great! The bass sounded like it easily COULD have been a RIC,but who knows? (Other than Geezer...)
Enjoyed that music and the video,thanks for posting,Sepp!

woodyng wrote:Wow,that was great! The bass sounded like it easily COULD have been a RIC,but who knows? (Other than Geezer...)
Enjoyed that music and the video,thanks for posting,Sepp!

Woody, Not a problem. I'm glad you agree with me on the bass in the song sounding like a Rickenbacker. I thought I was going to be the only one who thought that way!!

Sepp

I bought a '72 4001 from Jo Burt who played with Black Sabbath in 1987...don't know if he played it with them, I've not found any pics.

From Sabbath's FB page last fall. The caption said Geezer was in studio that day to lay down some tracks for the new album.

That's his old P that he doesn't tour. Not certain of the others, but I don't see any RICs.