Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Arrived at a gig last night to set up all the PA and equipment and then to realise when finally setting up my own, I had only brought the spare Precision bass, the Rick was at home in the Hall !
I only carry a budget precision as a back up to limit the theft value on the spare bass and the Rick has never failed anyway.

So I convinced myself, precision it is, a few sound checks with the precision smoothing it's way where there should be clank ! and a terrible feeling over came me.

I had Rickenbacker emptiness syndrome, I could play no more in comfort.

Armed with my stop watch I dashed the 15 miles round trip and grabbed the Rick, like a expecting father dashing to the birth room.
Arriving back seconds before stage call, I had made it !

The empty feeling turned to confidence as the Rick fired up i to full on clank and growl mode, I heard the PA bass bins fire up the missing low end, my worst fear was over, Rickenbacker Emptiness was to suck my confidence away no more, this was my stage again now.

Who else suffers Rickenbacker Emptiness ? Even at a jam night, bass in for set up ?
Do you suffer the withdrawal of Rickenbacker Emptiness ?

What is it that magnetises the Rick back in to your hands ?
Ever sold one only to be struck down ?

I've had this as well!

Had a few months away from Ric ownership this year - played a good few gigs (also with a USA P, which I do still have and love), but never bonded 100%.

Played my first gig last night with my new 2013 FG 4003. Not only did it sound amazing, but just feels so totally weighted just right in my hands.....Fender's always feel way too light at the headstock end.

Great to 'back on the horse' as they say!

Hmm, that sounds horrible!! I've never experienced this phenomenon. About the closest I've come to this is fretting about which Rickenbacker bass I'm going to bring as a backup to my primary Rickenbacker Bass!

That's not a boast in any way. It's just a fact!!

Sepp

Kopfjaeger wrote:Hmm, that sounds horrible!! I've never experienced this phenomenon. About the closest I've come to this is fretting about which Rickenbacker bass I'm going to bring as a backup to my primary Rickenbacker Bass!

That's not a boast in any way. It's just a fact!!

Sepp

I experienced that last night.... ended up with the 4002 and the new fretless 4001

Ash

When you want that snarl, nuthin' else will do. However, I don't keep any basses that I don't gel with live. Even backups. Nothing drives me bonkers more than playing a gig with a bass that doesn't deliver the groove on a wide flatbed.

I had the worst case of it there is.... I had 4 4003's from April 2012 through June 2013 and I foolishly let all of them slip through my hands. They had become the staple of my sound in the two bands that I play in regularly. I truly felt lost at sea shifting from bass to bass trying to find my groove and every time I saw a Ric in a photo I would quickly turn away. I purchased Paul's book and when it came in September I did not have a Ric and just through the book on the bookshelf with out even opening it up. AND.... I steered clear of this website for sure. It was like trying to avoid an ex-girlfriend.... emptiness in my gut that was heart breaking...

But lo and behold in the glorious month of November 2013 I acquired a 1977 4001, a 2000 4003 and a 2012 4003. I truly understand Rickenbacker Emptiness Syndrome and vow to not let that happen again. When you find an instrument that you identify so much with and feel so strongly about... it is a good thing.

As much as I try to play (and connect) with my two G&L's (JB and ASAT Tele) or '72 Framus Jazz copy, Rickenbacker is where it's at for me.

I've been getting my "Rick O Sound" on of late... lots of fun!

I think it's because you get really used to how a certain kind of bass feels, particularly the neck... I will play a non-Ric now and then and generally it only lasts for a few songs before I get tired of it. I even get to where I only want to play my own Rics when I gig.

Stuff from the Leo Fender family of instruments is generally very tolerable because there's usually a familiar "C" shape to the neck. But one of the worst experiences when I stepped away from a Ric (as well as my other bass then, a USA Fender Jazz) was when I subbed for a guy using his own Warwick Corvette. It was a jazz gig and my hand kept cramping around the 8th and 9th frets due to the weird, pronounced "V" shape neck.

Apparently Steinbergers aren't that different in neck feel, or not enough to bother me. I started playing fretless officially when I was the house bassist for a blues band and a visiting bassist dared me that I wouldn't sound nearly as good on his fretless Steinberger. So I took him up on the offer and loved the experience of playing fretless... I got a fretless Mexi Jazz later, then the 4003FL, then the 4001FL...

The only non-Rick bass I play is my acoustic... And that's only because I couldn't get a Rickenbacker acoustic bass...

I am settled in with a trio of fretted Ricks,and been through a lot of other makes that i like for awhile,and then decide they are not 100% for me. My 2 non-Rick basses at the moment are for "niche" sounds (fretless and 8 string).

Whew - glad to hear that I'm not the only one. Several years ago I showed up at a gig with everything, EXCEPT MY BASS. I seriously considered driving to a nearby shop and buying a $150.00 Mexican P-Bass, just to get me through the gig - but I ended up making the 25-minute drive back home to get my old 4080. It was one of those times when I was truly grateful that I have a tendency to show up at gigs way too early . . . just in case something goes wrong!

vax2002 wrote:Who else suffers Rickenbacker Emptiness ?

I feel it every night as I look in the warehouse.

I too have turned up to a gig without (any) bass at all! I only did it the once and it was quite a few years ago but I can still remember the horror of realisation, the cold sweat and panic. Luckily the gig was only 3 or 4 miles away from home and I was able to go and get it.

I have done something similar to vax2002 in that I accidentally brought the wrong bass because it hadn't been put back in its own bass bag, have done that a couple of times!

johnhall wrote:

vax2002 wrote:Who else suffers Rickenbacker Emptiness ?

I feel it every night as I look in the warehouse.

But that kind of Rickenbacker Emptiness must fill you with joy!

Fortunately, my other basses are all up to the job, or I wouldn't keep them.
I do go some nights without a Ric on stage (say if I decide to take out some active basses) and I've never missed the Ric yet (not to the point of a panic attack!). Always nice to take one or two out, as they are comfortable to play and the sound is great. And they get a reaction from the musos out there.



(Intruder at each end - 1976 John Birch SCDR bass and Retrovibe RV5).