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Ex Rickenbacker players

#24
Stupid Jerk said:
You mean the finish is weird, or there's too much flex? Because I want a 4004 real bad.

Also, is neck dive a common problem with Ricks?
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I never experienced neck dive with my RICs. About the neck "made of rubber", what is true is that RIC necks are sensitive to temperature changes. If you have to move it from places which are very different in temperature, you should let your RIC in its case at least 12 hours, so that it gets "acclimated" progressively.

I used to own four RICs through the years. Sold them all.

First one : '77 4001, jetglo : switched to StingRay (80)
Second one : '79 4001, fireglo : switched to Ibanez Blazer Bass (yeah, ridiculous, I know)
Third one : '99 4003, white w/black trim : switched to StingRay 5
Fourth one : '03 4003, jetglo : switched to MIA Jazz Bass

The fourth one was a true killer. I kept it for one year and half, sounded HUGE, and never had to adjust it even a little bit. Never should have sold it.

Now there are changes in my musical life. I am about to stop to play music as a job. I can now go back to the bass I love the most, and yes there's a 4003 (or maybe 4001 if I find one in mint condition) in my near future.

Cheers,
Jay
 
#25
I have come full circle with Ric's..When I graduated h.s(in '85) my dad bought me my first Ric,a beautiful 4008(gloss walnut\autumglo)that I totaly regret selling in '89(the only bass I regret selling).:crying:
in '87 I bought(with my own my hard earned cash) my 4001(gloss walnut\autumglo),which I still own today and was my main bass for many years but,is in need of a fret job so it's in retirement.
in '88 I bought a 4001fretless(jetglo),did'nt like it enough to keep it,sold it after two years and got a Fender jazz special fretless which was my main bass from about '92 to '99. from there I moved to a Modulus Genisis5.
funny thing is,the time that I was'nt using a Ric,there was always something missing for me tonewise and in '04,when I got my 4003,I realized it was the Ric tone.it's like home to me.:bassist:
today my current line up is a 4003,EBMM Sterling and a Fender 51r.i p-bass that are in a regular(gig) rotation.as much as I love the other basses,I can not survive without a Ric.
 
#27
I moved back in 81 when I purchased a Vantage VA900B to replace my Rick 4001. The Vantage was simply a more diverse bass and had a LOT more sonic character than the Rick 4001. Also, the neck on my 4001 twisted in spite of the fact that I have always taken care of my instruments. I have never had another bass, even my lower quality ones, do that!

Although I'm now playing a Cort Curbow 5 as my primary instrument, I still use the Vantage on occasion and would never think of getting rid of it. The Rick, while it was a really cool looking bass and had a very unique tone, was not versatile enough for the various styles of music I was playing. I do, however, still think the Ricks are one of the classiest looking mass-produced basses on the market.
 
#28
Folmeister said:
I played Rics from the time I was 15 until just three years ago. I had a 1980 mapleglow 4003 and a midnight blue mid-80s 4003. I stopped playing them because I gave up playing the type of music that was best served by the Ric sound. I had an epiphany when I started playing with some friends and they wanted to play lots of Pat Metheney and other jazzy stuff. The Ric sound just did not work for that. I never went back.
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what type of music are rickenbackers meant for, rock?
 
#29
Greetings from the North,

During the 70's I went thru 3 4001's. 1st Fireglo, 2nd Mapleglo, and the last one a White with Black binding. The White one I had played with Black nylon Roto's and had modified the neck pickup. Ahhh...that sound. I thought I was gonna keep that one forever. Then when I was in undergrad I got into partying a bit too hard and I let it go for some party supplies one weekend. DUMB! That following Monday I woke up and realized that I had become addicted. So I went thru the misery of going cold turkey and tried to buy the Ric back but the guy I sold it to had moved to Florida.

I still have a couple of faded polaroids of that White 4001 and they've served as a reminder that the Creator did not intend for me to ingest "party supplies" thru my nose.:scowl: As Grand Master Flash once said,"Don't Do It!" I miss that Ric and have never touched that stuff again. One day I might grab another one with a dotted neck or a 4005 even though they are goin thru the roof price wise.

Rezdog
 
#30
I have a '74 Fireglo 4001 in great shape. Love the thing at home and even at practice, but for some reason, it's not working for me in the mix live. Might be this particular band or EQing, etc?? I may have to mess with my EQ more next gig to see if I can get the old girl to work for me. Neck is quite awesome. Super low action (buzz free) and man, the growl on the bridge pup is truly intoxicating! Still, because of the live thing, she may have to leave my stable. Decisions, decisions....
 
#31
I have a '76 4001 Black Ric. I used it for about 8 months in the R+B band I play with. It was OK for that. One night, for a little variety I took my Wishbass out. The band and the sound guy loved the Wishbass sound for R+B and asked that I not use the Ric. So... its still sitting on a stand in my living room, I love the look of it. Someday I may put flats on it and have another go with R+B band.
 
#33
Relic said:
I've been on-again off-again with Rics for the past 20+ years. It's crazy. I fall in love with the tone for a while, then end up getting frustrated with it. I'll always love Rics but will never understand why I flip-flop that.
Click to expand...

This is how I am with my 4003. One day I'll plug it in and the sound is perfect. Then after awhile I'll get sick of it and adjust some settings. Then I get pissed and stop playing. Wake up the next day and play it and I'll be frustrated again etc...Then I try it again and I love it. Its a ****ing bi-polar bass.
 
#34
Mine played and sounded great. It was a bit on the heavy side, but that bound body with it's sharp edge was just to uncomfortable to play on long gigs. I have other basses that play and sound better and are lighter and more comfortable to play so Bye-Bye ric. Never even looked for another, but never say never.
 
#35
I had a black 4001... can't remember the year but I think it was an early 80's.

I had bought it for $100 from a friend who had thought it would be fun to convert it to a fretless and ripped out the top 6 frets before he realized that he was tearing up the finish as well.

So, I had it re-fretted and re-finished. Great bass. I also added a Hipshot D-Tuner since I was always tuning down to D.

Now, all this was in college... and the saddest, dumbest, most unfortunate day arrived when I had to sell it for rent money. I got $500 for it.

Of all the basses I've sold, that's the one I want back.:bawl: Because I certainly couldn't replace it for what I bought (or sold) it for.

Life finally turned around when I bought a brand new Music Man SR5 a year later.
 
#36
I started GASing for a Ric way back in '69, but couldn't afford one. I played them anytime I could and finally "took the plunge" in the early 70s (73 I think). I have never looked back. Now, I play a variety of basses, but I ALWAYS have a Ric handy....

As to the issue of neck dive - where is that coming from? I always thought that the Ric had the least neck dive of most any other bass out there.....
 
#37
I have a question and instead of starting a new thread im just going to put it here. How come newer rickenbackers are cheaper, shouldn't they be better?... Or is it because old ones are vintage and more rare? Is there really a big difference between new and old ones?
 

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