Are Ricks treble shy?

[Kink Rimson]

I feel ridiculous asking this question, everybody 'knows' Rickenbackers for their legendary clank. All the famous Yes, Rush et al show it off. But whenever I run a Rick 4003 through my rig, it's natural tone seems to be a dull, thick middy sound without much treble or clank. The results were the same the other night through a totally different rig. The controls on the bass were on maximum.

If I run my Fender Precision through the same rig, same settings, the tone is extremely bright and cutting.

For the record, my rig is an Ashdown ABM EVO500 and 8x10, the other rig we tried was an old Trace Elliot head through a Mesa Boogie 1516.

 

[Rock-Bassman]

No they arn't necissarily treble shy. I think they have a ton of treble, it's probably just the way you are EQing it. A p-bass and a ric are two different animals.

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

Any change when you turn the knobs? If not, suspect the pots.

 

[Vic Winters]

What kind of strings do you have on it?

 

[David Jayne]

Both pups together, right? What happens if you solo one?

 

[keb]

What year is your Rick? Ricks from the last couple decades or so have hotter pickups than earlier models, and thus have a muddier (or warmer, depending on your taste) sound. The original pickups on my '92 4003 were very hot and the tone was pretty muddy as a result... it still sounded like a Rick, but it was like someone laid a blanket over it. All my other basses had much more clarity. I ended up unwinding the pickups (don't do this if you don't know what you're doing!) down to a more '70s spec and the clarity I wanted appeared.

 

[Kink Rimson]

It's strung with Rotosound rounds, 45-105.
The example from the other night wasn't my bass, but it was being played with the bridge pickup only.

I used to play with a blend of the two pickups and had still had trouble finding the high end.

The EQ on my Ashdown is usually set with the bass and mid slightly past 12, and the treble at about the same.

 

[mobis.fr]

play with a pick - imo this will boost the treble more than on other basses.

you might also consider a push-pull mod, so you can add a capacitor to the bridge pu.

 

[Kink Rimson]

What year is your Rick? Ricks from the last couple decades or so have hotter pickups than earlier models, and thus have a muddier (or warmer, depending on your taste) sound. The original pickups on my '92 4003 were very hot and the tone was pretty muddy as a result... it still sounded like a Rick, but it was like someone laid a blanket over it. All my other basses had much more clarity. I ended up unwinding the pickups (don't do this if you don't know what you're doing!) down to a more '70s spec and the clarity I wanted appeared.

The 'blanket' comparison is pretty much spot on!

 

[Jaymi]

the newer pickups (from 2000 to now) are really hot and you lose a bunch of clarity because of it....there is a happy medium....they were made between the later 80's and early 90's///

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

It's strung with Rotosound rounds, 45-105.

I would suggest trying a set of light strings. I have a set of Rotosound .40 - .95 on one of my 4003s. They sound pretty good. I had GHS Boomers Medium and it was a horrid sound. Muddy, no top end, just terrible. So far the best sounding strings for me are the factory Ric strings. But they are double the money of any other set of strings here in Canada so I am trying the Rotosound lights.

 

[Greevus]

had the same experience in '95. hated that Ric. sound great in Yes and Rush. sounded bad compared to my P's....

 

[Thorsoundcore]

i wouldn't say i had a similar experience,but i played a brand new rick about 2 weeks ago,and it didn't seem nearly as trebly as i thought it would be. i play with a pick,with my treble boosted full on,and it seemed like i could only get that totally ricked out tone unless i plucked at mass force.
i forgot to try the "rickasound"(or whatever its called)input though..so i might have just had it in the wrong jack

 

[steamthief]

Maybe try a different tone cap with a lower value?

 

[Korladis]

Get lighter strings, D'Adderios work great, also, turn up mids. You can't assume a Ric will behave at all like a P-bass. They are extremely different.

 

[Snakeman1066]

I just snagged a 1980 4003 and i'm having just the opposite problem...I'm getting high's, high mids, treble and clank for days with NO bottom end with either pup or both pups combined...and i just love .....repeat love this bass distorted, but it takes a real effort to get a clean sound i can live with....there is just no ummppphhh

strung with D'Addarios nickel .50 to .105

 

[thedude77md]

Rics are definitely fickle beasts! I've had some that were all treble and some that were thumpers. The older, the more trebley in my experience. Usually you can go bridge p/u only and play really hard w/ your fingers (i.e. the Entwistle/Steve Harris hammer plucking) and it will accentuate the clank!