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Can YOU slap a ric?

T

thebass905

Jun 7, 2011
123
1
#1
As my first bass was a rickenbacker, I learned all the fundamentals of finger style, pick, and slap playing on it.... While not the greatest bass for funk, I can get a decent slap tone out of my bass with some bright strings and the highs/lows boosted and the mids cut. (I use a markbass head, so I use the VPF knob for that). But what about you all? Do you dare slap your ric? What gear do you use if any to change the sound or dare I say "improve" it for slap playing? Ever done it for a show? (I only mess around at home with mine, it's not my main bass). But please, share your thoughts!
 
#3
Yeah, I slap my Ric when I feel like it. I prefer to slap my Fenders but I can get a decent slap tone with the Rickenbacker if I need to; both pickups and tone on full, run through a compressor with the highs boosted on my amp; BRING THE THUNDER.
 
#4
thebass905 said:
As my first bass was a rickenbacker, I learned all the fundamentals of finger style, pick, and slap playing on it.... While not the greatest bass for funk, I can get a decent slap tone out of my bass with some bright strings and the highs/lows boosted and the mids cut. (I use a markbass head, so I use the VPF knob for that). But what about you all? Do you dare slap your ric? What gear do you use if any to change the sound or dare I say "improve" it for slap playing? Ever done it for a show? (I only mess around at home with mine, it's not my main bass). But please, share your thoughts!
Click to expand...

I do slap my Ric, and like you, I have a Markbass LMII head. I too use the VPF filter to "help" the slap tone a bit (for those that dont know the VPF filter scoops the mids a bit and IMO adds some high end sizzle). I sometimes use some compression too.

I do use two basses at all my gigs (the Ric and a G&L L2500 fiver) so occasionally I will use the G&L for those songs I need to slap with but its 50/50.
 
#6
You can slap anything brother. You can slap your mamma, your BFF, your red-headed step child, yourself, or even a Ric. Granted, it might not be appropriate to just going around slapping things wilily-nilly. But if the situation calls for it, I say go for it.

On a serious note, I think "slap" has to do more with your basses action, your right hand, strings, and amplifier more than it does a brand of bass. If you have poor right hand technique, forget it. If your action is too high, have fun cause it's going to be work out if not damn near impossible. If you're using round wounds or some 3year old dead as nails round wounds, you're not going to get that "tone" many associate with the slap sound. I don't recommend scooping miss for slap, I say leave it flat...maybe a treble boost or bass boost. One or the other, not both. If you boost treble and bass together, your essentially cutting mids and inducing the smiley face EQ. Aside from eq settings, if your amp/cab aren't quite voiced right for that deep, smooth, hi-fi, clean sound slap players look for; your results may not be to your liking. See where I'm going with this?? The bass is the last part of the equation....heck I wouldn't even put the bass in the equation as long as it has steel rounds and good low action (if it was a slap bass).
 
#12
DiabolusInMusic said:
Your first bass was a ric??!!!! I had to start on a "Regal" 3/4 scale.... bet you've never even heard of them... I've been playing 10 years and I still don't think I am worth a a bass that expensive.

lucky fudge.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was lucky enough to get it on permanent loan from my dads friend! It had been sitting in his attic since the seventies! I didn't realize my luck for over a year, but once I did some research...... I was thrilled!
 
#16
While I agree you can use any bass for any style, I admit that the general tone I get from slapping my 4003 is not my fav. The VPF filter and compression helps alot. But, unless I want to take 3 basses to a gig, which I dont, the Ric will get smacked like it owes me money!
 
#17
lol at some of the responses,let me just say this-
I can't slap anything! but i do the occasional forefinger tap and/or snapping on the g string which is as close as i get to that technique. i even did it on a danelectro hodad,probably a worse bass for that than a RIC.
 

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