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How Exactly Has Rick Quality Went Down

More evidence right here on TB that all the Ric-Hater Propagandists (including the ones who love Rics like me)

You've been reasonable on this topic in the several threads that have appeared recently. You're not the problem nor would I consider you a hater.

Unfortunately, the level of discourse on the subject of Rickenbacker mostly doesn't rise to the quality of your posts. It is mostly in the form of, and I'm paraphrasing, hurr durr Rickenbacker suck and John Hall is an *******.

I also wanted to reference something you mentioned earlier about using a power tool to screw the bridges in. I can say with absolute confidence that they do this with the pickup pole pieces. On my new 4003s, I absolutely could not get the pole pieces to budge with the supplied wrench.
 
Tom
Nice to hear another voice of reason. Anybody who occupies the middle of the road on this subject seems to aggravate everybody equally. The minor nature of the current production flaws is what makes them so vexing, just stupid stuff caused by a last minute rush out the door, easily fixed, and more easily not allowed to happen in the first place. When they get it right, they are such gorgeous instruments.

I've heard other people mention the pickup poles being frozen in place. I wonder if they are putting them in with loctite to discourage adjustment? I have a set of OEM pickups for eventual installation in my 4001 tribute build, I'll take a look and see if they are movable on mine.
 
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Sure Jeff

Not really interested in re-kindling an old worn out topic, a search on TB or the web will reveal resource after resource, commentary upon commentary. But since it has been brought up.....

And of course, you deserve the opportunity to provide your obligatory defense, which I am sure you will. I have this pet peeve - long scale players love to talk about how ALL basses have dead spots, and it simply isn't true. It's definitely true on many long scale basses, I owned one with horrible dead spots. I am talking about noticeable, audible dead spots - the kind where you can't even get a nice four count sustain at a ballad tempo from a note. It's a myth that is perpetuated in these threads time after time.

So please, when you are in New York, come on over and play my medium scalers. I have 20 with three more on the way, 11 of them Fenders. If you happen to be one of the few willing to admit that it matters to you - you will be delighted and amazed at the lack of dead spots and wolf tones on mine. They are clean as a whistle. i will be happy go put the coffee on.

From a Fender Tech article:

"Bolt-on 34" scale electric basses seem to be the most prone to dead spots. Dead spots are caused when a standing wave is created in the neck at a certain resonant frequency. This issue is usually blamed on the instrument having a bolt-on wooden neck but the issue has also shown up in neck through basses and on graphite necks. They are far from being exclusively a Fender issue as it happens in all brands and in all price ranges. It seems to almost never happen on a short scale bass. As was mentioned, you will often find a dead spot living around the fifth fret of the first string on a 34" scale electric bass, but they can happen anywhere in playing range. It depends on the resonant frequency of the neck."

More on my site here: Primer on Deadspots...
I agree with you, I didn't say ALL basses have dead spots. Please re-read what I wrote, thanks. :cool: I have owned 2 32" scale basses (both were Alembics) and 2 shorties (Höfner 500/1V63, and mid '90s CIJ Fender Mustang Bass); I don't remember about the Alembics or the Mustang Bass whether they had DSs or not (doesn't matter anyway as I have long ago sold them) but the Höfner did have a very pronounced dead spot at the 17th fret on the G string! :woot:
 
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I have a 2015 4003s that I am converting from a 4 string to a 5 string bass. It is a really excellent well made bass.

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Don't believe the Ric haters propaganda. There is a small minority of talkbass members who have declared a jihad on all things Rickenbacker. Take their opinions with a grain of salt. The weakest frets in history??? that is a false statement. The Rick haters are infuriated by the fact that Rickenbacker sells basses faster than they can make them and there is a backlog.

I had a 1968 4001 as my main bass for 35 years, then I got a 1973 and I liked it better, then I got a 1989 4003s5 and I liked it better, then I got a 1990 4003s5 and I liked it better. etc ...

The newer Ricks are well made basses. My complaint is the 4001/4003 design with mechanical mutes and pickup covers. So I own and play 3 4004 basses.
Indeed. Mine is old, but the next Rickenbacker I buy probably won't be.
 
A Mapleglo is on my bucket list. I've been buying Ibanez for 35 years. I've been very fortunate that all economy and higher end models were very well made. Kind of like McDonalds. Consistent from burger to burger. Now I'm wanting a new Ibby with Nordstrand pickups. That makes one Ibanez and one Rickenbacker Maplego on my list!

On Rickenbackers-- regardless of the discussion of QC and whether declining or always been, Rickenbacker is an important part of our American and pop music history. Tom Petty with a PRS? No way!!!! Roger McGuinn on an Ibanez George Benson?? You get the picture.

I think Ric's are like Harley-Davidsons. They are very uniquely American, and when a Harley is headed your way you know it before you see it. And yes, like Harley's, you need to maintain a Ric. So if you buy one, know what you're buying and learn to benefit what you learn maintaining it.

I hope that Rickenbacker keeps their QC at a reasonable level, and I hope through my life they will always be. I can't imagine a world without Ric's -- or Harley's!

On that note, a quick lesson on how Harleys get their unique sound:

So why does the Harley-Davidson V-Twin have such a unique rhythm?

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Engine noise is produced by the compressed gases exiting the cylinders though the exhaust valves and then through the exhaust system where they are either muffled or amplified depending on your exhaust system and muffler setup. In a typical two cylinder motor the crankshaft has two separate pins for the pistons' connecting rods and the spark plugs are positioned 180° from each other. Each piston fires on every other rotation of the crankshaft and with the sparks plugs at 180° from each other; this provides a smooth, even rhythm sound.

However Harley-Davidson two cylinder v-twin engine is designed differently. The H-D v-twin has a single pin connecting the pistons, which was originally done to reduce manufacturing cost. To make this unique configuration work the spark plugs were positioned in a 45° arc. So after the first cylinder fires there is 315° of rotation before the second cylinder fires and then 405° until the first fires again, and so on, and so on, giving the non-symmetrical distinct potato-potato-potato sound.
 
Actually I was probably using the maintenance perspective as a segue into my Harly story! LOL :laugh:

Yours is probably one of many many success stories.
Well, sort of. It was a restoration. At some point, a previous owner had cracked its neck badly in three or four places.

When I bought it, it had been stripped of all hardware and paint. Had it restored by a dude in SF. And given a custom finish, of course.
 
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I've never had any more problems with a Rickenbacker than I've had with any other bass. They are different, not like a Fender, but if you know what your doing and can do your own setups, you can make them really sing. I think a lot of guitar store " set-up professionals " frown on them because they them out of their bread and butter comfort zone and then they talk smack about them.
 
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