I keep getting talked out of getting a Rickenbacker. Why??

[EdwardofHuncote]

Never let "the internet" talk you out of, or into anything. Especially this place. Check your bank account. That's the most important thing. If at all possible, buy used, privately, in cash, from someone who the RIC thing didn't work out for.

 

[No such thing]

 

[Swamp_Ronin]

That video is a clickbait time-waster. I got halfway through it without hearing one reason why the reviewer dislikes Rickenbacker basses, and gave up after about the fourth time he just said he thinks they're "not very good."

it's timestamped in the progress bar. He generally doesn't like the feel of the hardware, neck, ergonomics, or plastic components.

Reading the comments, nobody in any hobby I've ever encountered is more defensive than Rickenbacker bass players. They think the government squads are gonna come take their ric's or something.

 

[nixdad]

In classic Gen X'er fashion, I grew up listening to Rush and Yes, and dreaming of getting a Rick. But it seems that each time I considered it seriously, the project was aborted. As a youngster it was price and intimidation (they used to have them in stock at my LMS but I was too shy to ask to try one because I felt I was not good enough and I would need a year to save up enought money). Then later on it was anything from my teacher telling me that they were crap to my friend who works at the music store convincing me to get a P Bass instead (which I love by the way). And then there's the cesspool of Internet opinions that say that they're just a one-trick poney to they are un-playable.

Problem is, I've never had the chance to try one. They're never in stock at any store! I even reached out to a guy who was selling his on Marketplace, and I asked if I could try it first because I never had the chance to play one - and he turned me down!!!

So can I get your honest thoughts about those basses.

Info about me: I'm not a professional. I like to write songs in all sorts of styles and go to jam sessions. I think I've covered the basics with my 2 Fender P's (one American on flats and one Mexican on rounds) and a 5-string Maruszczyk Jake.

@Yomanchill -
Long time player here - Fenders are great, but I've been playing Rics for the past 12 years. A few facts which may help:
- Their necks are the best they've been in decades, very comfortable, shallow feel
- They've done away with the bridge cover which most people would remove anyway (that's the sweet spot for me for playing with fingers or a pick)
- If you're worried about the binding on the 4003 model (which does not bother most people,) get one of the 4003S models with no binding.
- These babies sound wonderful when strung with flats if you're more McCartney than Squire or Geddy. (I'm in the McCartney bucket.)

Good Luck and have fun!

Mine's my #1 I have a 2023 4003S which is the new modern iteration, I had a mid 80's 4003 for a long time as well. IMO the Rickenbackers they are making right now are the best they've ever been. These one's have a P bass width but are shallow front to back with a D shaped neck which is very similar to the Gibson Non Reverse Thunderbird. I love this Ric so much I sold my 4003. The pickups are great has the vintage/modern push-pull on the treble pickup tone knob, the bridge is updated, single truss rod, the newest ones even come with a treble bezel around the bridge pickup instead of the fake horse shoe cover.

+1

 

[HubbardsFate]

From what I am reading here about MODERN Rics, as much as I hated the '87 model I once owned, I'd at least like to try out a modern iteration. The biggest reason I hated that '87 was its C-shaped neck (and the sticky/glossy paint on the back of it).

 

[BassicJazzy]

Here's the thing. I'm not even going to read the other posts, I know the answer, I had one first bass for 12 years, '72 4001 brand new burgundy stain, as my only bass at the time.

You aren't going to sound like Squire becuase his bass did not sound like a Rick, because it was a fluke, and not a 4001. It was an earlier model. Combination of a dead p'up and lots of wood removed gave it its distinctive sound.

Also, they are heavy, and it's a long reach to the first fret. And they head dive. They have a very distinctive sound and most of music has moved past it now.

On the other hand, they are beautiful, and I loved mine. It's a work of art, though by far not the best playing bass out there. More modern basses with pre-amps and better p'ups have passed it.

But everyone should own one at least for awhile.

 

[sunbeast]

I have a similar history with Ric as far as long being intrigued with them (Squire, McCartney, Al Cisneros, Lou Barlow, etc) but rarely getting an opportunity to try one or afford to order one sight-unseen (by the time I had the money Ric was in a state of being constantly back-ordered so used examples were selling for more than new in many cases and no local stores ever had them). I hadn't been dissuaded from buying one from too many friends or trusted players when I was younger though, I think that's a more recent internet phenomenon- its like bad reviews for anything, haters tend to be the loudest voices!

When I was 18-19 or so I finally had a buddy in a band that we would play shows with who got one and I was able to play it a bunch hanging before the sets- it was a standard 4003 and was not comfortable for me at all (the lack of forearm contouring/sharp edge and lack of neck-taper all felt relatively clunky to me compared to my Jazz) and the tones on tap were kinda foreign and muddy to me at the time (I didn't really know how to dial it in and his bass rig was always dialed in very strange!).

It wasn't til years later when I moved to Portland that there was a store that stocked a bunch of Rics that I could play with and I was introduced to the more comfy/rounded S models and the even more-rounded 4004 basses both of which I really like the feel of, but felt out of my price-range still. Then I moved to LA and a very well-played 4004L popped up on Craigslist for a really good price, I saw it and immediately drove 45 minutes to try it out and fell in love. Since then I've owned several 4003s and a few 4001s but that 4004 is my favorite and still one of my main basses- I did mod the snot out of the electronics to get it more into vintage 4001 tone though: Classic Amplification Ric single-coils, wiring more akin to a 4001. Something I probably would have avoided had I bought one at new prices, then I never would have loved it the same. I still have one of my 4003S basses and will play it on occasion when I want the stage look (that classic 4001/3 has always been the best looking stage bass around IMO), though these days it mostly collects dust as the modded 4004 does the tones as well or better and feels so much better for me (early 4004s like mine had more neck taper towards the body and a wider bridge string-spacing closer to a Fender).


My opinion is that there are certain tones that a Ric does naturally that little else really does the same- there's a woodiness paired with aggression and you can dial between the two once you understand the controls (it took me some experimentation to dial this in for my tastes in a mix after so many years playing Fender-types, but now is second-nature). It will never sound like a P or J, which IMO is what most people actually critique about the sound in different words- familiarity and safety are ultimately the main selling-points of Ps and Js because of their ubiquity in so much recorded music. I do love my Ps and use my main P at least as much (and more likely to bring the P to a new unfamiliar situation for sure), but I never get as many direct compliments about my tone as I do when I play my 4004- and unlike a 4003 I know its not just people listening with their eyes (my 4004 is about as basic-looking as a Ric can come and the only thing about it that really gives it away as a Ric is the headstock for typical people who have probably never seen a 4004).

I have owned, played, and set-up lots of Rics at this point, and there are definitely dogs out there straight from the factory at times and lots of vintage examples that have some serious issues. I would avoid any Ric from before the mid-70s unless you really know what to look out for- the necks can tend to start folding in over the bodies with modern strings and that is not easy to fix once it has started and makes low action impossible until fixed, and really with any 4001 you should look for some tell-tale signs that the truss rods weren't adjusted incorrectly at some point (which is very common over 45+ years)- I wouldn't buy one without a picture of the truss cover removed to see that the rods are straight and not eaten up, and that there aren't signs of the fretboard having popped off at the nut, not to mention some of the softest fret-wire I've seen on a metal-stringed electric instrument up through the early-80s so lots of 70s-early 80s examples with deep fretwear or just little fret metal left if they've been leveled!

I can't speak much to the newer (post-2020) single-truss models, I've only been able to demo one in a GC that wasn't set-up very well but the neck profile was definitely slimmer than the 2010s examples I've owned as many have said. I've heard of a number of examples of newer models not setting up with low action, and a few examples of the truss nut breaking off during adjustment (and the new single rod requires massive surgery to replace, the old rods were much easier to remove without taking the fingerboard off). Older models can be quirky to set-up coming from the ease of a Fender, and it doesn't help that there are persistent stubborn myths about how a Ric is "supposed" to be set-up that make people try to perform the impossible on them sometimes.

I won't deny some of the quirks of a Ric, but IMO/IME you should definitely seek some out to try (I wouldn't just rely on a single example as I did for years as they definitely vary between and within models and different time periods!). You might just fall in love as I did!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

^^^^^^^^ What he said, pretty much covers it. Correction on the weight: current 4003 basses average 9-9.5 lbs, with the W (walnut) models abround 8-8.5 lbs, which puts them on par with a typical P bass. They are well balanced basses with no tendency to neck dive, so they've never felt particularly heavy to me, I'd call them "solid" feeling. The Walnut ones feel noticeably lighter, although the walnut is just the body wings, the through-neck beam is still Rock Maple. That rigind maple core has a lot to do with the classic trebly Ric tone.

 

[jimmydean]

In classic Gen X'er fashion, I grew up listening to Rush and Yes, and dreaming of getting a Rick. But it seems that each time I considered it seriously, the project was aborted. As a youngster it was price and intimidation (they used to have them in stock at my LMS but I was too shy to ask to try one because I felt I was not good enough and I would need a year to save up enought money). Then later on it was anything from my teacher telling me that they were crap to my friend who works at the music store convincing me to get a P Bass instead (which I love by the way). And then there's the cesspool of Internet opinions that say that they're just a one-trick poney to they are un-playable.

Problem is, I've never had the chance to try one. They're never in stock at any store! I even reached out to a guy who was selling his on Marketplace, and I asked if I could try it first because I never had the chance to play one - and he turned me down!!!

So can I get your honest thoughts about those basses.

Info about me: I'm not a professional. I like to write songs in all sorts of styles and go to jam sessions. I think I've covered the basics with my 2 Fender P's (one American on flats and one Mexican on rounds) and a 5-string Maruszczyk Jake.

Just order one from Sweetwater , if you don't like it you can just return it .

 

[stringthrough]

I owned a 4003 back in the late 70's. Hated it. Neck would shift at the slightest change in humidity, the bridge was unnecessarily over designed, and what was up with that obstructive bridge PU cover. . . Couldn't sell it fast enough.

 

[Michedelic]

That video is a clickbait time-waster. I got halfway through it without hearing one reason why the reviewer dislikes Rickenbacker basses, and gave up after about the fourth time he just said he thinks they're "not very good."

You just described 95% of what YT is these days, so many self-vetted experts.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

^^^^^All more or less true ..... of 4001's......, which is why I wouldnt buy a 70's 4001, having owned one as my first bass. I don't get why 4001's command such high prices, they were really all over the place as far as build quality, neck profile, etc. Current production are all CNC made, so pretty consistent bass to bass. They finally upgraded the bridge to something fully adjustable, and ditched the double truss rod system (which was endlessly problematic) for a modern DA single truss rod. The OP is talking about 4003's, not 4001's. Very differnt bass these days. In the nature of full disclosure, my one remaining beef with Rickenbacker Inc. is their "warranty", a nearly worthless piece of paper requiring the OWNER to ship the bass to CA for ANY warranty repair. They have NO regional service centers. That is also ridiculous at this price point, yet they somehow get away with it. In practice, if you bought from a reputable dealer, and get a lemon, you have some recourse that doesn't involve Rickenbacker Inc,, but that lame warranty (or the functional lack thereof) is unworrthy of an otherwise superb bass.

 

[Element Zero]

I've played 3 different Rics over the last 20 years. All 3 left the exact same impressions.

"Wow this thing is cool. Sounds great! I absolutely HATE how it feels to play"

I would NEVER purchase one.

 

[SDC1-ClickClack]

I've played 3 different Rics over the last 20 years. All 3 left the exact same impressions.

"Wow this thing is cool. Sounds great! I absolutely HATE how it feels to play"

I would NEVER purchase one.

Yes, and by this same logic, if you thought that a particular entree looks and sounds delicious, but you don't like the taste, you would never order it again. But should that stop others from doing so? Individual tastes and preferences vary.

 

[sunbeast]

^^^^^All more or less true, which is why I wouldnt buy a 70's 4001, having owned one as my first bass. I don't get why 4001's command such high prices, they were really all over the place as far as build quality, neck profile, etc. Current production are all CNC made, so pretty consistent bass to bass. They finally upgraded the bridge to something fully adjustable, and ditched the double teuss rod system (which was endlessly problematic) or modern DA single truss rod. The OP is talking about 4003's, not 4001's.

There is a charm to a good example of a 4001, but there are a TON of screwy ones out there too IME and often issues that aren't disclosed (usually truss rods and related damage, frets, and sometimes the dreaded negative neck-angle). And unlike a vintage Fender I don't know that I'd trust alot of vintage 4001s as gigging instruments- that's the main reason I sold my last one. I'll never buy another one that I can't inspect in person unless it is a *stupid* deal or maybe from one of a very few people I trust. I would love to say my modded 4004 could exactly nail the tones of the nicer 4001s I've had, but that'd be a lie- that said, my 4004 is a much better instrument all-around and sounds just as good to me!

 

[Element Zero]

Yes, and by this same logic, if you thought that a particular entree looks and sounds delicious, but you don't like the taste, you would never order it again. But should that stop others from doing so? Individual tastes and preferences vary.

Oh 1000% I agree.

 

[BassicJazzy]

^^^^^All more or less true ..... of 4001's......, which is why I wouldnt buy a 70's 4001, having owned one as my first bass. I don't get why 4001's command such high prices, they were really all over the place as far as build quality, neck profile, etc. Current production are all CNC made, so pretty consistent bass to bass. They finally upgraded the bridge to something fully adjustable, and ditched the double truss rod system (which was endlessly problematic) for a modern DA single truss rod. The OP is talking about 4003's, not 4001's. Very differnt bass these days. In the nature of full disclosure, my one remaining beef with Rickenbacker Inc. is their "warranty", a nearly worthless piece of paper requiring the OWNER to ship the bass to CA for ANY warranty repair. They have NO regional service centers. That is also ridiculous at this price point, yet they somehow get away with it. In practice, if you bought from a reputable dealer, and get a lemon, you have some recourse that doesn't involve Rickenbacker Inc,, but that lame warranty (or the functional lack thereof) is unworrthy of an otherwise superb bass.

Yes, from posts I've read that QA on current models has really deteriorated. They are hit or miss, with better chance of a miss. I will say that my '72 4001 bought in new in '72 was immaculate in terms of QC. It held up extremely well in my 12 years of ownership. I never touched the set-up and even though I had multiple sets of different strings on it never noticed a movement in the set-up or intonation.

Everyone envied the bass when I played it with my crap college band. Wish I could have played it better. I'd love a chance to go at it now, but I gave it to a music school, and no doubt it's been beat to hell.

I think I paid mid $500's for it, with case. That's probably not far from what they command for new models now.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Ive always wanted one.....still do....and I don't give two $&%@! What everybody else sez.
Keep in mind, I can't afford one. So maybe I'll never get one.
But it dosent stop me from wanting one.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Ive always wanted one.....still do....and I don't give two $&%@! What everybody else sez.
Keep in mind, I can't afford one. So maybe I'll never get one.
But it dosent stop me from wanting one.

I feel the same way about a Zon fretless 4, with Graphite neck and blank Ebanol board. I'll never own one, because I cannot afford (or trust) one, but I'll always want one.

 

[lowfreqguy]

I wanted one for a long time, and when I finally got to try one I didn't like the feel at all. Not saying that will happen to you, but I do recommend trying your best to find one that you can test out before buying one.

Exactly this. Just like OP, loved all those Rick playing bass heroes. I already have too many basses, but I was ready to buy one last year. Local deal, guy brought it to his office and I had quite some time to check it out. Loved the way it looked, sound was cool but just didn't feel right in my hands. Good luck, OP.