My Ric 4003 doesn't sound I like a Ric

[mccartneyman]

Geddy = Rotosounds and play hard as hell with your fingers.
Squire = Rotosounds and play with a pick.
McCartney = flats and play mostly with a pick, and use the mute sometimes. And maybe even use only the neck pickup sometimes.

You'll still have to tweak your amp EQ, I imagine.

I had a 1972 4001 strung with Rotos and nailed the Squire sound easily. It had the high gain PUPs. I now have a 4001C64 with the horseshoe and toaster pickups and, to my ears, sounds a bit punchier than my old 4001. But I don't have that bass anymore to side-by-side them.

Incidentally, I heard Yes two years ago and Squire's Rose Morris sounded awful -- all clank and mushy low end. He also used a newer Rick that sounded much better on some songs.

[bill reed]

Originally Posted by mccartneyman

McCartney = flats and play mostly with a pick, and use the mute sometimes. And maybe even use only the neck pickup sometimes.

I use a pick and foam under the bridge to get that McCartney sound. have roto 88s on my Rockenbatter but do think that Flats would give you even more of that McCartney sound.

[Meddle]

The isolated bass track for a live version of 2112 is out there on Youtube... that IS Rick tone.

I think in some regards the classic Squire/Lee tone is all about fret buzz. Having a pickup rammed right down at the 24th fret position and at the 3rd fret (equiv) position really helps smooth out the same sort of fret buzz that can get overpowering on a Fender bass.

What struck me about the first few times I played a 4003 is how low the output is. I was expecting that brash in-yer-face Geddy/Squire tone (like I got from half the sub £500 MIC metal basses in the same store) but instead I got a Fender P level of output without the bold mid-range.

[kcole4001]

In addition to the new strings and setup you desperately need, you will have to bump your amp's pre up to just below clipping and boost your mids compared to other basses to get a good Geddy tone.

As has already been said: it's in there, you just have to go get it.
You'll also never be able to say the 4003 is a one trick pony.
You have the thumpy tone already, others are just a few adjustments away.

Your bass is capable of much more tonal variety than many people give it credit for.

[armybass]

I highly recommend the Rotosound Swing Bass66's and a good setup.... you will be amazed at the difference that strings and a setup can accomplish for a Ric.

[woodyng]

Nobody's asked what the OP is playing this bass through.....? My Ric's sound merely pretty good through my markbass equipment,but really shine when i preamp them with either my VT pedal or Alembic f1x preamp. I mean for all we know he's playing through a 30 watt Peavey.(not that there's anything wrong with that)

[thiocyclist]

He said right from the beginning old strings and high action, is there really ANY other thing to address before that? I'm not sure I would have paid for the instrument ($1400 is practically a new Ric) in this condition.

[NYCbassist]

Congrats on the new Ricky!!! As stated above you need to dig in with your right hand. And right about where the cover is over the Bridge Pup. Or maybe rest your thumb on the edge of the fingerboard at the body line. It's way easier to get the Lee/Squire sound on my Fender Jaguar than my RIC but what fun is that. I just got done Jamming to "yours is no disgrace" On my 2012 4003 with the Pot "Pushed" down. What a freaking blast. Lower the Bridge until the Strings buzz with light playing. Then raise it back up about 1 turn of the allen screw on each side. If you have Pre-Gain, turn it up to overdrive your amp a bit. Of Course Roto sounds will be the finishing touch.

Good luck.

[WokenDeer]

Steel rotosounds. Set up. Crank your mids. And be generous with gain. Does the trick for me.

[sloppy_phil]

dude, Geddy sound is easy on a Ric provided you can hit the strings really hard. It's been said already, but that new set of Rotos need to get on your bass pronto! A heavy right hand technique and fresh stainless steels (Geddy uses the Rotos) is what it takes. The Ric-O-Sound output is pretty awesome as well (especially for this purpose), but not necessary if the other criterion are covered. Amp certainly matters, but not as much as the rest, I think

[jmattbassplaya]

I had that same issue with a StingRay I owned. Didn't matter how the setup was or if the strings were new or dead - it just didn't sound like a Ray. I eventually sold it off.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by rushmaniac15

I didn't change the strings when I got it but I can't imagine that making too much of a difference.

Originally Posted by PatQ

What? That makes an enormous difference!

Yep. String type and condition makes more difference to the sound of your bass than any other single thing.

To put it another way, two totally different basses that both have, say, new steel roundwounds on will sound much more similar to each other than two near-identical basses, one with new rounds and one with flats. If you want to cop a particular tone, strings are the very first thing you should consider.