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could a jazz bass with a harder/heavier wood body get a rickenbacker sound?

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by bon viesta, Dec 16, 2020.


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  1. Dec 16, 2020 #1
    bon viesta

    bon viesta

    Dec 10, 2020
    main components that make rickenbacker basses sound like rickenbacker basses: hard maple body AND neck, neck thru construction, and two single coil pickups.
    now, normally a jazz bass would only check off one of these categories, but if you use a harder wood (waaaaaalnut anyone??) or denser and heavier wood than alder or ash, could you get into rickenbacker type ‘treble-ville’? i think rickenbackers are the only mainstream bass i’ve ever seen to use maple bodies, and not even counting mainstream stuff i don’t think i’ve EVER seen a maple body bass. well, i’ve seen 1-4 at most. like, on the webs. and that’s obviously for ergonomic purposes. but anyways, skimping out on the neck thru aspect do you think that a harder wood body with a two single coil pickup configuration could find a sound similar to ricks?
     
  5. Dec 16, 2020 #2
    bholder

    bholder Affable Sociopath Gold Supporting Member Supporting Member

    Sep 2, 2001
    Vestal, NY
    Received a gift from Sire* (see sig)
    Nope. A J pickup ain't a Rick pickup.
     
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  9. Dec 16, 2020 #3
    jd56hawk

    jd56hawk

    Sep 12, 2011
    The Garden State
    Why not just go this route?
     
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  13. Dec 16, 2020 #4
    elgranluis

    elgranluis

    Feb 14, 2003
    Vail, CO
    Yeah.. just put rick pickups on anything , it will sound like a ric 99.87567%.
     
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  18. Dec 16, 2020 #5
    GTHintz

    GTHintz

    Jan 9, 2018
    California
    Honestly with the right set up and gear you'll sound like a ric. Naturally they are similar yet different sounding but I'd really have you listen to the Moving Pictures album from Rush if you're not familiar already. They used a Ric 4001 and a Jazz to record it. You can tell some subtle difference in each track where the Rickyness shines through moreso but they really sound similar and both sound awesome especially played by the legend himself. Geddy Lee.
     
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  22. Dec 17, 2020 #6
    bigtone23

    bigtone23

    Dec 10, 2014
    Denver, CO
    If you put the J pickups in the Ric spots, it will take on more of that deeper, fundamental Ric tone. Same with putting Ric pickups in the J spots--you get more J burp. Of course this is an oversimplification, but pickup type and location go a long way. The settings on the amp take it further.
    I have a Peavey Patriot with an added neck pickup. They pickups are agressive single coils located in the 24th and 36th "frets." This bass sounds like a Ric, despite having an alder or poplar body.
    My Foundation with the same pickups in the J spots sounds more like a Jazz bass. This one must have a maple body, it's really dense and heavy.
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  26. Dec 17, 2020 #7
    GretschWretch

    GretschWretch Supporting Member

    Dec 27, 2013
    East Central Alabama
    I believe the Gibson "big bottom girls"-- Ripper, Grabber, G-3 -- all had maple bodies.
     
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