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Another Rickenbcker thread

#21
John Paul Jones played a Rickenbacker 4005 I believe, which were hollowbody basses that Ric produced in the 60s, 70s, and early 80s in limited numbers. They sound less growly and more "uprighty" apparently. They're quite rare and go for a heck of a lot of money these days.

The new Rics have THE HOTTEST passive pickups I know of in existence. Like, with the basic output on these things, you'd think they were active, but then again, the sound is more dynamic than active pickups, less "boosted"-feeling.

I love them, but they're definitely love/hate basses. Play one to find out. Also, remember, the sound of them is COMPLETELY different depending on the strings you're using. Flats sound even more different from rounds on a Ric than on any other bass, I feel. You can vary the sound completely by just a change of strings.

But seriously, just try one out. You might like it. I know I did.
 
#22
I don't own a Ric but I'm totaly infatuated with them. Have been for years. I don't know why I don't own one. I guess because they aren't that versatle but I want one anyway.

After my active Jazz 24 gets in that will be next thing.

I borrow a friends 4001 every now and then and I love that thing to death. He has a new Stingray, an Ibanez SR3005e and a '72 P-Bass in his arsenal and I grab that old 4001 everytime I'm at his house.

Rics just have a special magic to them. I can't imagine anyone hating them.
 
#26
I allways wanted a Ric after seeing Cliff Burton using one. I have had sevreral basses, fender, musicman, warwick. when I got my first ric 4001 74 model (jetglow)I was shocked how good it was.Thin neck, in the beging I thought it was allmost too thin. but after playing it, yeah man! after every show I do, people run to me and yells " man what a great bass sound you have, it`s a killer bass you play"...well I know;) but it is not so good on slap and thing like that, but I have become more of a rockbassist rather then a slapper, haven`t slapped since 98, hehe it`s 8 years ago. I prefer to have BALLS ;)

Some years later I came over a red(burgundyglow) 4001 from 1977.. ricky and ruby I call them..the oldest one have a bit more bass sound I think..What differs the one sound from the other is maybe the possition of the neck pickup. every ric is handmade so you can see difference on them all..my 77 have very bright rosewood frets.
There is no bass like a Rickenbacker!!!! :bassist:
 
#27
Galdal said:
I allways wanted a Ric after seeing Cliff Burton using one. I have had sevreral basses, fender, musicman, warwick. when I got my first ric 4001 74 model (jetglow)I was shocked how good it was.Thin neck, in the beging I thought it was allmost too thin. but after playing it, yeah man! after every show I do, people run to me and yells " man what a great bass sound you have, it`s a killer bass you play"...well I know;) but it is not so good on slap and thing like that, but I have become more of a rockbassist rather then a slapper, haven`t slapped since 98, hehe it`s 8 years ago. I prefer to have BALLS ;)
Click to expand...

I've actually found the Rickenbacker quite nice to slap with! I can't really describe the sound but I really like it!
 
#28
I have a 1974 4001 a 1978 3001 and a 2003 4003. All are unique basses. The 4001 did sound thin, it actually needed a "light restoration" as I bought it pretty beat up back when I was 16 (almost 20 years ago). I yanked that .0047 cap & had to have the bridge p/u rewound by Lindy Fralin - what a difference! It's like having a new bass! The old style neck is very comfortable.

The 3001 is it's own thing entirely. Bolt on, single pick up HEAVY bass. Very cool nonetheless. Kinda like a really growly P bass. Really unsung, but starting to get some recognition & eBay prices are starting to rise. A sleeper for sure.

Ahhhh, my 2003 4003 in Montezuma Brown. New thicker neck - doesn't really bother me, seems less fragile than older Ricks. New more powerful pickups - anybody that's still dragging around that old "Ricks have no low end" argument needs to spend 5 seconds with this bass & it'll shut your mouth. Plus that gorgeous Color Of The Year finish.

Somebody mentioned how beautiful Ricks were already right?
 
#29
Asolutley love them. Although when I got my first 4003 I found the edge of the body uncomfortable under my arm. After finding out about the 4001/3'S' models I knew they were for me.

What I hate is the way that the 'S' models and the 'C' models have become so expensive, the prices being driven up by scarcity and speculative collectors alike.

Rics are the only bass I can think of were the stripped down non-deluxe standard model without binding and fretboard inlays will cost you twice as much... As for the 'C' series, other than a fetishization of the now mythical 'horseshoe' pickup it is beyond me why they are so much more expensive to build.

Yeah, okay, I admit it I'm bitter I don't yet own a 4001c64.;)
 
#30
I love the way they look. And the neck is just right for my hands. I find them to be totally comfortable.

I bought one about 20 years ago and could not for the life of me get a good sound from it. I had a rather complex modular amp rig with an Ashly pre-amp with parametric and a 250 watt Yamaha power amp. Nothing I found worked with the band. So I sold it.

Last year I started playing in an R+B oldies band and the B.C. Rich Eagle I had just wasn't getting it. EMG pups and all, it was just too harsh. Then, for reasons I still don't understand I bought another Rickenbacker 4001. This one had the .0047 cap removal mod and my word what a wonderful sound. I was very surprised to find that single coil passive pups could be so powerful and clear. That changed my mind about the active/passive thing. And I've never had a problem with hums, even playing under flourensent lights.

Recently I got an Eden Time Traveler 330 and that's that last part of the puzzle. I have to roll OFF low end from the Rick. I get lots of punch and low end. It's really is speaking well. The guys in the band like it too.
 
#31
I had one for two years. I liked the look, feel and playability of it, but frankly, I couldn't get all the sound shapes out of it that I would've liked. Then I moved on to 5-strings anyway and bought a Bongo. Sold the Ric. A great guitar for some styles, but its passive pickups underwhelmed me.
 
#32
alansan said:
What I hate is the way that the 'S' models and the 'C' models have become so expensive, the prices being driven up by scarcity and speculative collectors alike.

Rics are the only bass I can think of were the stripped down non-deluxe standard model without binding and fretboard inlays will cost you twice as much... As for the 'C' series, other than a fetishization of the now mythical 'horseshoe' pickup it is beyond me why they are so much more expensive to build.

Yeah, okay, I admit it I'm bitter I don't yet own a 4001c64.;)
Click to expand...

Where were you in the 80s? Shops could give the "S"s away, no one wanted them. I won't tell you what I got my '82 4001S for back then, or even my '91 4001CS in '92.
newleftygroup_003.jpg
 
#38
For example there's a roughed-up 4001 S on the Bay right now for around $1500. From what I can see the 4001 S also had a set neck too. For me part of the Ric tone comes from the through-body neck.

At this rate it would be cheaper to get 4001 C64 look-alike made by a skilled luthier. Or I suppose I could get a 4003 sanded down to a 4003S profile and get a new fretboard without inlays installed, after all I could live without the vintage pick-ups.
 
#40
alansan said:
For example there's a roughed-up 4001 S on the Bay right now for around $1500. From what I can see the 4001 S also had a set neck too. For me part of the Ric tone comes from the through-body neck.

At this rate it would be cheaper to get 4001 C64 look-alike made by a skilled luthier. Or I suppose I could get a 4003 sanded down to a 4003S profile and get a new fretboard without inlays installed, after all I could live without the vintage pick-ups.
Click to expand...

It would cost you more to do either of those things than to buy a new C64. You can get a new one for $1890 or so new if you look around (that price is from North Shore Music). You can find all the Rick dealers AND what instruments they will be recieveing on the Rick web site. Actually, if you go to the C64 page you can actually check to see which dealers will be recieving that model.

You would have a VERY hard time finding a Luthier who would make a full Rick copy. Unlike Fender and Gibson, Rickenbacker not only secured the righs to their headstock shapes, but also to thier body shapes and the shape of the trussrod cover. That's why there are tons of Fender and Gibson knock-offs on the market, but no (currently made) Rick knock-offs. To make a Rick Copy would be inviting trouble from Rickenbacker.

Yeah, the C64 is more expensive, but it's not just a 4003 with different apointments. It was designed from the floor up to be a more acurate reproduction of a 1964 4001S, well Paul McCartney's 4001S (his was left handed , hence the reversed headstock). A big selling point of the C64 is also the thinner neck as compared to to 4003. I also read, on the Rick board, that a large part of the cost was to cover the reseach and development.

~Paul :)
 

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