Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm an ric owner (Midnight Blue 4003) and I'm looking to sell my Jazz bass and get another Ric - damn I've got the bug! I mainly want it as a back up for when I'm playing live etc.. I'm thinking I may get a good one off ebay like the one below. Anyone got any advice, what to look out for and be aware of etc.. should I check serial numbers before hand etc?

Thanks

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3717505893&category=4713

Welcome to the forum. Good luck with adding Ricknebackers to your collection. I just hope you don't play a style of music that would have your basses end up like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=3718111868&rd=1

you can check the ser# on the RIC website-but there are a few fakes out there. different scratchplates, colours, options are a good place to sniff out the rats. A "lost" TRC is a lot of rubbish, these things don't lose themselves.

If it looks too good to be true-it sometimes is!

Good luck!

Hi Marc, no way would I ever do that to something as nice as a Ric!!! That is a disgrace! And our music isn't that heavy so I don't think I'd rock out that much!

Cheers Jared! As many people have said on here before we're all looking for a bargain Ric in the UK as prices are so high, but then if you're duped by someone on Ebay the cost is even higher hey! Some record labels have been in touch with my band recently, now all I need is for that to come off and I can get that 4005 I've always dreamed of! Mr Hall, please reissue this bass, the tone is just awesome!!!

Ronan, I'm not being sarcastic at all, but have you really heard one? They're pretty few and far between so I haven't heard one live since the 1960's and the eight stringer that Chris Squire used on "Fish Out of Water" is the only recorded example I can think of.

I'm not saying the sound is good or bad, but rather how many people have really heard one?

It,s all down to individual taste as ever, but I played a 68 4005 with flats a couple of months ago that had a lovely warm tone. I,m not in the flats camp by a long way. It surprised me, and I took to it far more than I thought I would. Then there was that neck profile, that apart from the 64 I have, was quite simply the best I,ve ever played. An absolute keeper...

The Stone Roses bass player used a 4005 on their first album. At least, the album promo photography prominently features a 4005. To me, that record's bass tone sounds very much like McCartney - a cross between Paperback Writer and the Sgt. Pepper's bass tones. In fact, I suspected it was a rick even before I saw the photos - this was over twelve years ago when I didn;t realize it was a different model entirely. Maybe the Stone Roses player was using flatwounds. I'm sure Jerry Juden can give us a bit more info on 4005 tones since he has one.

Andy Bell, the guy from Oasis, uses a 4005. Not sure if it is on their albums though.

And FWIW the 4005 has got to be the coolest looking bass of all time, bar none. IMO in the "coolness" category a 4005 crushes a 4003 like a ripe grape .

I used mine live and on a few low budget recordings in the '80's...very throaty sound, yet bright, good Macca sounds, has that hollow sound, but even does a slap well...it's been a while...don't want to offend, but you can even get a Hofner like tone...but in tune and intonated! Too cool looking! We have an important gig later this summer, I will try talking my bassist into using it for that (don't ask).

This is not much help but I remember a band from the early nineties, (can't remember their name) who had a few big hits (one song was something about a freight train I think, not one of my favorite bands) and on one of their videos the bass player used a mapleglo 4005, I don't know if that was what was on the record, it sounded like a warm sounding Ric though, very trebly but pretty at the same time. If Ric ever reissues the 4005 I'll be first in line to order one. I love semihollow body basses, and especially the 4005, even though I actually can't say that I know what they sound like, but the owners who have them love them.

I know in the video for Oasis' "Go Let It Out" showed a 4005. Not sure about the actual recording though. It sounds like it could be. With some fuzz though. Very deep tone. Great sounding.

I love the sound of my '67 4005WB!

"... and the eight stringer that Chris Squire used on 'Fish Out of Water'"

Mystery solved... Thanks.

Hi guys, yeah you're right Gary Mounfield 'Mani' from the Stone Roses used a 4005. I'm sure it was a Mapleglo as he used it a few times live (Garage Flower Sessions) before John Squire (the guitarist) got his hands on it and did a Jackson Pollack-esque paint job on it. This was his main bass live and in the studio and that tone is just to die for. So yeah, yeah it from him, altho he's the only bassist I've heard play it. He can also been seen playing it at the 'Live at Blackpool' video which is awesome.

Noel Gallagher and Andy Bell both also use a 4005 but I can't remember hearing/seeing them play it just read about it.

Mani now plays bass for Primal Scream and uses a 3000 series I think.

Yeah and IMHO aswell the best looking bass that was ever made!

Some links where the bass can be seen.....I met him in a bar recently and should have asked him if he still had the bass!

http://www.stoneroses.net/gallery/ianhac.jpg
http://www.stoneroses.net/gallery/londonica89.jpg

BTW JPS beautiful bass. How does it play? Anyone seen any 4005's come up for sale, the only one I can find on the net is in Japan and going for around £3700 ish.