i had one in the early 80's and sold it. for many years after that i played basses that were far more comfortable to play. in the the early 2000's i bought several to see if i would like them again and i just could not get into them. they look cool but the feel to me is terrible. it is not a user friendly design like a fender. there is a reason you and i and 99% of humanity prefer fenders/leo fender designs, whether it's a p bass or a jazz or a stingray or a g&l or a warmoth put-together or whatever; they just sound and feel right. ymmv.
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cant get used to my rick
- Thread starter Linas
- Start date
The action of my '07 4003 isn't that high, but I agree, the neck is a baseball bat.
I took the cover off my Ric and that helped finger style playing. Though, I still find myself moving my hand all over trying to find that "sweet" spot. To me, it seems like the Ric was designed for Pick playing over finger playing...
I had the same experience. Taking off the rear pickup cover does not help at all, because the inside is very jagged, and uncomfortable to use as a thumb rest. The pickguardian mod leaves no place for a thumb anchor.
You may as well take advantage of the ridiculous price Rics are going for now and get something that fits you better.
You may as well take advantage of the ridiculous price Rics are going for now and get something that fits you better.
I owned a Ric back in the early 90's it was a dream come true.I could not get used to it but felt it was a keeper.It sat for a year or 2,then I slowly got used to it.after a while I could not play anything else and was quite hooked(I think that Ric at first was better known than I was)I would be waling in the Mall or coffee shop or just out I would hear people once in a while yell Hey Rickenbacker,well I played that bass every night for almost 10 years then nothing felt right but my Ric.I developed Carpal tunnel because of that darn axe.My suggestion keep it get used to it but play others because it is a exceptional bass and was used on many of my recordings but take 6 inches of pipe insulation and place it where your right wrist rests and that will prevent carpal tunnel.I sold my Ric along with a Guild Starfire and a P bass to move with my girlfriend but she passed away shortly after I sold these basses luckily then I owned upwards of 2 dozen guitars and basses but now I use a Hofner a jazz and a LTD plus a couple others and I always wished I kept that Jet glo Rick so keep it you got a bargain
I used to plant my thumb on the rear pickup but now I play closer up to the neck. When I am playing on the E string, I plant my thumb on the edge of the pickguard and when I play the other strings, I plant it on the E string. I do pretty much the same thing on my P-bass.
I kinda agreed with that until I saw/heard Geddy Lee, and then it was HOLY SMOKES! That Rick sound is the best of the best and he's tearing it up without a pick. After that, I buckled down practiced and got used to playing my Rick either way. These days my old Rick is in dire need of new frets and I'm playing Spectors but I love the feel and sound of the Rick. I love the wide, thin feel of the neck, the low action, thin body, the look and the agressive SOUND of the Rick. With Ricks, it seems like the harder you play, the more Rick-like they sound.
The action of my '07 4003 isn't that high, but I agree, the neck is a baseball bat.
I took the cover off my Ric and that helped finger style playing. Though, I still find myself moving my hand all over trying to find that "sweet" spot. To me, it seems like the Ric was designed for Pick playing over finger playing...
Jaymi
Pink Bass Man
- Feb 11, 2008
- 6,813
- 490
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ampeg , Jaydee, Kalium
In my experience, most higher-end basses are pretty playable from an ergonomic stand point, especially with a good setup. However, Rics are instruments that I definitely put in the "Try Before You Buy" category when people ask me about them. They feel and play totally different than any other bass out there. Taking the metal cover off does open up a lot of possibilities with where to put your hand. However, horse shoes do change the tonal characteristics of a pickup. You may or may not prefer the sound with it off.
Setup aside, my philosophy has always been that an instrument should feel like an extension of your body and playing the moment you pick it up. If you just can't feel it with a couple of minutes of playing on it, then it's not the right instrument for you (or you have really, really bad technique
).
Setup aside, my philosophy has always been that an instrument should feel like an extension of your body and playing the moment you pick it up. If you just can't feel it with a couple of minutes of playing on it, then it's not the right instrument for you (or you have really, really bad technique
).
I was disappointed with mine as well. I had wanted one for a few years and then I got one, it was great at first then all the bad things of the bass started showing up. And the playability with Fingers wasnt very comfortable, also the sound was very very thin with a SVT-4PRO, I actually had to boost the bass on the Graphic EQ and then it still sounded like garbage.
IMO and IME the 4003 was incredibly limited to what it could do.
That bass was the biggest let down for me, and I even managed to cut my fingers several times from the bridge pickup ring.
IMO and IME the 4003 was incredibly limited to what it could do.
That bass was the biggest let down for me, and I even managed to cut my fingers several times from the bridge pickup ring.
The 2 bass disappointments in my life in regards to expectations and reality had to do with playing a Hofner Beatle bass and playing a Rickenbacker.Both are real pretty and have heaps of history but neither would be condusive to my playing styles. For different reasons, they just aren't me. Like everything else bass related: Try before you buy.
And to this poster
And to this poster
He rests his thumb all over 4 Fender Custom Shop Jazz basses.
You're definitely not alone, Linas. I had to have one in the mid 90's. Beautiful, but I felt much more at home with my P's & J's. Sold it within 6 months.
Then in '05, the GAS got to me again. "Maybe I didn't give it a fair chance", I convinced myself. So I got another one. The most beautiful bass I've ever owned (Montezuma Brown - MUCH nicer than it sounds!). Sold it within 5 months because I just felt so much more comfortable on my Fenders. Like everything, they're not for everybody. And that's not a put-down. I like them. I just don't like playing them...
Then in '05, the GAS got to me again. "Maybe I didn't give it a fair chance", I convinced myself. So I got another one. The most beautiful bass I've ever owned (Montezuma Brown - MUCH nicer than it sounds!). Sold it within 5 months because I just felt so much more comfortable on my Fenders. Like everything, they're not for everybody. And that's not a put-down. I like them. I just don't like playing them...
It took me a while to get used to the feel of my '80 4001. The neck seemed really shallow and wide after playing Ps and Gibsons.
But the longer I played it, the more comfortable it felt. Now it feels very comfortable. The neck feels really thin and fast.
As far as thumb anchor, the bridge pup ring feels very comfy. Or the top of the pickguard if ya wanna play back a little bit. You guys are nuts.
But the longer I played it, the more comfortable it felt. Now it feels very comfortable. The neck feels really thin and fast.
As far as thumb anchor, the bridge pup ring feels very comfy. Or the top of the pickguard if ya wanna play back a little bit. You guys are nuts.
As he did with the Ric, from the few photos I could find on the web. He seemed to like resting his thumb on the E string.
I use the pups as anchors, but I can move and play relatively comfortably anywhere. My technique is such that my thumb stays (usually) on the string above to the one I'm playing.
There was a time when I couldn't play without having my thumb on the pickup.
Try removing the pickup cover and pluck right over the bridge pickup. I rested my thumb on the E string back in the days when I played mine tho I've recently converted to the floating thumb technique...
I also dislike my 4003 but only because it's the fretted model. I never have been able to get a good sound out of it or indeed any fretted bass.
I still have really bad GAS for the 4003FL. But my fretted one is eventually going up for sale....
LS
I also dislike my 4003 but only because it's the fretted model. I never have been able to get a good sound out of it or indeed any fretted bass.
I still have really bad GAS for the 4003FL. But my fretted one is eventually going up for sale....
LS
Bit of a tip-
I played a Ric back in the day when I played w/ a pick only-
I started playing fingers only a few years later-Hated the Ric-
Gave it away-
Bought an '03 a couple of years ago-I could not get the right feel playing it w/ fingers, cover on or off-
Took some time w/ it, took the pickup cover off-
Took some very light sandpaper and sanded the sharp corners down on the pickup surround (Its very soft metal, and purists would not be able to tell of the "mod" after sanding, does not affect putting cover back on, if desired)-
It is now my fave, and I can switch back & forth between my
multiple styles of basses w/out a problem-
I played a Ric back in the day when I played w/ a pick only-
I started playing fingers only a few years later-Hated the Ric-
Gave it away-
Bought an '03 a couple of years ago-I could not get the right feel playing it w/ fingers, cover on or off-
Took some time w/ it, took the pickup cover off-
Took some very light sandpaper and sanded the sharp corners down on the pickup surround (Its very soft metal, and purists would not be able to tell of the "mod" after sanding, does not affect putting cover back on, if desired)-
It is now my fave, and I can switch back & forth between my
multiple styles of basses w/out a problem-
In my youth, as a dedicated road dog the Rick was always the bass I lusted after but could never afford.
Now that I'm all growed up I figured I had waited long enough so I ordered a 4003 in Midnight Blue and waited patiently for a LONG time until she finally arrived.
When I popped that case I saw one of the most beautiful instruments I've ever seen. But it got a lot uglier when I strapped it on.
The neck was big but very workable for me, but everything else just felt wrong. The deal breaker for me was the squared off body edges that cut into my forearm and made it downright painful to play for any length of time.
The reality test I always apply to new basses is "Can I hang this thing around my neck for 4 sets and feel good about it?"
No way, no how with the Rick. I gave it a week of constant playing and then sent it back.
Easily the most uncomfortable bass I've played. Too bad too...love the looks and sound.
Now that I'm all growed up I figured I had waited long enough so I ordered a 4003 in Midnight Blue and waited patiently for a LONG time until she finally arrived.
When I popped that case I saw one of the most beautiful instruments I've ever seen. But it got a lot uglier when I strapped it on.
The neck was big but very workable for me, but everything else just felt wrong. The deal breaker for me was the squared off body edges that cut into my forearm and made it downright painful to play for any length of time.
The reality test I always apply to new basses is "Can I hang this thing around my neck for 4 sets and feel good about it?"
No way, no how with the Rick. I gave it a week of constant playing and then sent it back.
Easily the most uncomfortable bass I've played. Too bad too...love the looks and sound.
I've had my Ric for 21 years. I LOVE playing it. Although the Spector that I bought in 2000 is somewhat smoother-feeling it outweighs my Ric by about 4 lbs. So I went back to my Ric and it has never failed me. I take it to every show. There isn't a thing I can't do with it.
It's a question of what you're used to. I've never had trouble with the squared-off edges. I've never thought the neck was hard to handle.
It's a question of what you're used to. I've never had trouble with the squared-off edges. I've never thought the neck was hard to handle.
