Fingerstyle Ric?

[johnk_10]

Noone has mentioned Paul McCartney during Wings era played a Rick sans pick I think ".... silly lovesongs"

nope. i saw him live back then and he always used a pick on it.

 

[theevilplankton]

I always used to play with a pick on my old Rics...pup cover left on!

Had a break from them, playing a few Fenders in between. Changed my style to a mix of pick and fingerstyle.

Late last year, got another Ric...took pup cover off....instantly more playable than any other others I've had!

Basically, it's a dream to play fingerstyle on....more so than a P to my hands. Sounds massive too!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Here is a sample of my March '73 4001 fingerstyle through a LA-610Mk II into Protools; this is the basic, unprocessed track.

The Karma Kings - At the Lava Room Recording Studio - YouTube

 

[prd004]

Thanks all, and especially Cassius987 and Jeff Scott for the samples!

 

[john_g]

I primarily use my fingers with my Ric. There are a few songs where I do use a pick too, and I even slap a song. Ric's are alot more versatile than people give them credit for.

 

[prd004]

Oh, one more thing..........

I hear a lot of "this one has a thin neck"
Is it a year to year thing, or just individual instrument to instrument?

 

[WilemT97]

Early Cliff Burton used a Ric and his fingers were amazing!

 

[electracoyote]

I think it's yet another "Ric myth" that they only sound good/right with a pick.

 

[iamthebassman]

Noone has mentioned Paul McCartney during Wings era played a Rick sans pick I think ".... silly lovesongs"

There's a good reason no one's mentioned it.

 

[Tom Howland]

70% fingers 30% pick.

TI-344F strings- sounds great either way.

 

[Hamlet7768]

Early Cliff Burton used a Ric and his fingers were amazing!

Technically everything by Cliff is "early," given how short and relatively long ago his career was...

However, he did use his Ric on Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning, that I know for sure. Not so sure about Master of Puppets.

His Ric had some custom stuff in it, though. He asked a local guitar shop owner to "do something cool" to it to try and get the sound he wanted. The guy took out the foam mute under the bridge and put in a Seymour Duncan Strat Pickup, hidden under that spot. He also replaced the regular pickups with a Mudbucker (which may account for the dark growling tone on Master of Puppets) and a Seymour Duncan "J" pickup.

And that is how you get the Burton sound. That, and a Big Muff and Morley Power Wah.

Anyway...

 

[mwig]

I always play fingerstyle as well. Its a little harder at first on a ric as there's no natural or truly comfortable place to anchor your thumb. I float around as well and took off the neck pickup cover. I would definitely play one first before dropping down $1800... I love the tone, but it took some time to get used to.

 

[woodyng]

i play finger style 95% of the time on all my basses,and especially like the way my 3 ricks sound going that way. i tend to play close to the bridge about 85% of the time,too. I tend to go for a smoother sound,even on my roundwound-equipped basses. i love the way a picked bass can sound,and will break out a pick for certain songs,but i seem to get my best sound using my fingers. i do not anchor my thumb,and i've kept the cover on the bridge pickup for my 4000.

 

[lasteffect]

I've owned a Ric 4003 since 2007, I mostly play fingerstyle. For the last year, I had a 3 band Bartolini preamp and Bartolini Ric pickups put into them. Still sounds like a Ric, and I just love the bass. I use Rotos Swing 66 strings. I mostly use the Brigde pup or pan more towards the bridge.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Oh, one more thing..........

I hear a lot of "this one has a thin neck"
Is it a year to year thing, or just individual instrument to instrument?

Neck thickness generally varies by year/era.