What's the deal with Rics?

[greggster59]

Originally Posted by Fishheadjoe

Neck stability for one... it seems from day to day, the neck moves... I went for a period of about 6 weeks without the truss rod cover on it as I found myself adjusting the rods at least once a day.
Couple that with the fret job I had to have done to make the first five frets playable...
As my band plays in Eb, I have to set up the bass to that tuning. Should I have to tune it in standard E tuning, it will require a truss rod adjustment. If I lean back in my chair while playing the bass, the slight weight of my hand while in that position will pull the neck enough to bottom out the strings.
So, in essence, I have a unstable neck that I am hoping will settle with age.
Fishheadjoe

Last year I mail ordered a 2011 Fireglo and when it arrived the action looked high and the intonation was off. So, I brought it to my tech's shop for a set up. He took a good look at it and informed me that it wasn't a set up issue but. He claims now and then you get a Ric with a bad neck. It can usually be corrected but that I should expect it to need a lot of attention and possibly get worse over time. I sent it back that day.

This summer I bought a 2012 4003 on sale from Pick of the Ricks and it spent the day in a hot UPS van and was still in perfect shape when I got it home. The neck is straight as an arrow and solid.

Perhaps you should take it to a tech with Ric experience and see what they think. I hope you can resolve this. A good Ric is hard to beat.

[Mr. Lovejoy]

Rics are like Tool: they are pretty decent but their fans are crazy.

[RSNG]

The neck on my 2004 4003 has been fine. But, it seldom leaves the house. I know two guys who had unbelievable neck problems with their 4001s. They both traded their Rics for Fenders.

I really need to get mine out and start playing it. It takes awhile to get used to it again. And, who ever designed that pickup cover should be shot. But, I'm determined to learn to play around it.

On a more positive note, it was almost new when I bought it. And, it looks like it's worth about twice what I paid for it; 7 years later.

[LowEndGroover]

Bought my NEW Mapleglo 4003 this year at Sam Ash in San Antonio and had it set up to my liking.

Played it for a few weeks and the more I played it, the more I realized it really wasn't the bass for me. I've come to realize that I love the sound but only when I hear other people play them. For me, it lacked the balls and punch that I look for.

Anyhow, brought it to the Sam Ash in NYC manager offered to set it up again and I politely declined. Ended up exchanging it for a used EBMM - BFR 4HH Redwood top/Mahogany neck and am much happier with it. IMHO it's a more versatile instrument than the Ric.

[Rickenbassist]

Originally Posted by Fishheadjoe

Neck stability for one... it seems from day to day, the neck moves... I went for a period of about 6 weeks without the truss rod cover on it as I found myself adjusting the rods at least once a day.
Couple that with the fret job I had to have done to make the first five frets playable...
As my band plays in Eb, I have to set up the bass to that tuning. Should I have to tune it in standard E tuning, it will require a truss rod adjustment. If I lean back in my chair while playing the bass, the slight weight of my hand while in that position will pull the neck enough to bottom out the strings.
So, in essence, I have a unstable neck that I am hoping will settle with age.
Fishheadjoe

Are the rods being adjusted the way Ric recommends it done? It sounds like a foolish question to ask, but to be perfectly honest with you, the last time I had to have the neck of either of my Rics adjusted was in 2009. They're straight as an arrow as they should be per factory spec. That seems a little odd that you're having so much trouble with yours. Also as you state about bottoming the strings out, that tells me that your action is a bit too low. Low strings and a poorly set up Ric can lead to a bunch of disasters especially if you don't know how to do it yourself.

[Fishheadjoe]

Thanks for the responses guys...
-warranty is no longer available as the bass was made in June of 2011 and it's one year time frame has passed.
-I believe that I am adjusting the rods on my RIC correctly... I have a nut driver with the correct socket and the rods move easily. I do my own set ups on my Roscoe, my Pedulla and my Yammies... I have the proper tools.
-the action on my RIC is what I would call medium... I tend to set all my basses up that way as I have a tendency to really dig in when playing live... none of my other basses "bottom out" from slight hand weight, while leaning back in my chair.

I really want to like playing this bass... truth be told, I would have already sold it, but dam it looks good hanging in my music room! I've made it my personal challenge to get this instrument into proper playing condition. Should my frustration continue, I guess I will eventually take it in to get set up by someone else... maybe it is just me!
Fishheadjoe

[254 stringer]

The one year warranty is just for the finish everything else is five.

[Fishheadjoe]

Originally Posted by 254 stringer

The one year warranty is just for the finish everything else is five.

Doh!!! I didn't know that... thank you!
Fishheadjoe

[dmusic148]

They're weird, but cool. Like David Bowie or Iggy Pop.

[Dakotah]

Once again I say I've never had a bass or other that hasn't benefitted from some set up/adjustments.The 4003 I just bought new needed a quarter turn on the truss nuts and height adjustments on the pick-ups.A change to D'Addario flats brought it to my liking.Now it's hard to put down.

[PMA]

I've been reviewing this thread and it's interesting given the varying opinions of Ric basses. I have a '74 4001 that was my ONLY bass for many years and always played well. Then, I got one of the few 4004 CII/5 models that Ric produced before taking them out of production due to pickup coverage issues they chose to never acknowledge. I eventually replaced the factory humbuckers with Bartolini's and the bass sounds great. I've learned from the Ric forum that most players there prefer only 4 strings and the 4001/4003 models. I don't play my Ric's anymore since moving to a NS/Stick and MTD 6 string.

[Darren Low]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

They're weird, but cool. Like David Bowie or Iggy Pop.

Not that weird :P

[john_martin_sai]

Originally Posted by Gaolee

The general consensus is that you have to get used to a Rickenbacker. What does that mean? Is it neck shape? Is it body shape? Is it some kind of odd proportion? .....especially since they have a reputation for being so polarizing. I have never seen any kind of explanation of what all this really means.

In ergonomic terms, why is this?

It all has to do with the fact that 95% of all bassists started out playing a P-Bass/Jazz or copies for many years before seriously trying out a Rick.

I've been playing the same 4001 for 34 years now - never had another bass other than a Hofner,....and P-Bass/Jazz basses feel completely wierd and uncomfortable to me.

[PMA]

Originally Posted by john_martin_sai

It all has to do with the fact that 95% of all bassists started out playing a P-Bass/Jazz or copies for many years before seriously trying out a Rick.

I've been playing the same 4001 for 34 years now - never had another bass other than a Hofner,....and P-Bass/Jazz basses feel completely wierd and uncomfortable to me.

Same here. Never liked Fender basses. Started on Gibson and then moved to Ric for MANY years.

[mike phillips]

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

Neck width and string spacing can take some getting use to, if you're used to a Jazz neck (like me)

you got that right brother

[Bassmunnky]

Like any instrument, you get used to it..and work with it.

Nobody bitches about the Upright, you accept it...Rics have there own thing...

That slightly shorter scale and cool tone with flats keep me from selling it...besides the Monty Brown color

[bassmachine2112]

Set the neck relief to as flat as you can get and go from there.
Total opposite to other basses and you,ll get there.
Check joeys bass notes on set up.
Pick up height is another key.They are single coils and amplify mistakes very well.
Apart from that you,ll get bashed to death from the Ricky hate mob

[Kopfjaeger]

Originally Posted by Coolhandjjl

The only thinner neck from a stock Ric would be to look for specific vintage models. There are reports of either the Blackstars or Shadows that had some of the most pencil-thin necks Ric ever made. Paul Boyer can advise on that one. And going back even further, into the early '70's & 60's, they had some super thin ones as well.

Shadows have some of the slimmest necks of recent 4003's. My Blackstar has a deeper, more C shaped neck, but not as "chunky" as my 73 4001. My 4002, now that has a race car fast slim neck!! About the only neck as slim in my collection is my Shadow. And it has more growl than many of my Rickenbackers.

Sepp

[Shawn Luckman]

Originally Posted by s4001

The 90's Rics had some real thin necks. Also the neck profile from 2009-2011 was very similar to the 60's neck profiles.

Mine is a '92 4003 & I love the neck on it.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by Gaolee

The general consensus is that you have to get used to a Rickenbacker. What does that mean? Is it neck shape? Is it body shape? Is it some kind of odd proportion? What is the deal with that? I have never touched a Ric, let alone played one, but I'm really curious about them, especially since they have a reputation for being so polarizing. I have never seen any kind of explanation of what all this really means.

In ergonomic terms, why is this?

It doesn't mean anything - "polarizing" is usually just buyers-remorse speak for "holy crap, this thing sucks! I played it all afternoon and my arms and ears are killing me, I though it'd be god!". The term "get used to a Rick..." is a euphemism for the mortal, evil, evil sin of fitting the player to the instrument, rather than the other way around, after all the bassist's money has been spent and there's no other option left except trying to gig with the thing.

The 4000 series is a very old design, long before we knew what we know now about bass ergonomics. It's main ergonomic problems are terrible balance and too high of an upper horn - this makes it a challenge to play on the strap when standing up (unless you're the size of a gorilla), especially long term (the fretting wrist will really take a beating over time). The thick neck of the 4003 is a problem for some also.

Then there's the sound, an entire chapter of woe all by itself.....

But in the end, there's nothing cosmic going on with the Rick. It's just a bass and it either fits you and what you want or it doesn't. Pay no attention to the folklore surrounding it; you're almost guaranteed to be disappointed (I sure was). Try it out and see if you like it, but don't expect any burning bushes.

The good points are the woodworking and finish. I've always found my ricks to have been really well made (the crappy hardware here and there are exceptions of course). The fretted versions intonate really well especially higher up on the neck, better than any other fretted bass I've owned. And of course, they're gorgeous - you can just sit there and stare at it on the stand and never get tired of looking at it.

Good luck with it,

LS