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If Ricks Are So Coveted...Why Are They So Cheap?

#82
I wouldn't say they're cheap....reasonable...yeah. They don't outsource or have additional income from off-shore made equipment, so I admire them for that.

I've had 4 in my day....love the appearance, and some of the tones I got, but the instrument's lay-out was just uncomfortable for me personally. I still always joke by telling my wife and friends that if I ever decided to quit gigging altogether...I'd sell my 4 USA Fenders, my 1 Cirrus, and then buy a Midnight Blue Ric to hang on my living room wall...and occasionally play of course.
 
#84
plangentmusic said:
True. Maybe it's because we're so lacking in culture, we need to grab anything that has any longevity.

But if you think baby boomer bassplayers are crazy -- check it out: A single non baseball bubble gum card. http://cgi.ebay.com/1962-Topps-Mars...9QQcategoryZ60226QQcmdZViewItem#ht_3138wt_907

I had the set. It was discontinued because the content was deemed "too violent." THAT, is why it has value.


And of course, you can also pick this up -- but it's used. http://cgi.ebay.com/1952-Topps-base...S_Baseball&hash=item4aa6efbea7#ht_1796wt_1141
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Wow....that's insane...TOO VIOLENT!! lol

Theres 11 year olds out there having sex, they curse on standard prime time television....but those cards were too violent. Amazing how times have changed.

Bring back corporal punishment in schools, and don't be afraid of breaking out that old 2.5" wide leather belt you had from the early 70's and cracking your foul mouthed kid with it....while we're at it...make Nuns mandatory in every school system! lol

God I sound old...I'm only 39....
 
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#85
johnk_10 said:
i use gas prices since gasoline directly or indirectly seems to effect the price of everything else. it costs the farmer more to harvest & the trucker more to get the goods to the market so the market charges more for the their product. then, since food and gas costs more, landlords raise their rent to make up for it. unfortunately a dollar just ain't what it used to be. when i was a kid, my allowance was $1 week and i'd buy two 50 cent matchbox cars with it.
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Well, I got $1 a week, too, but couldn't get two 50 cent Matchbox cars unless I dug a couple of pennies out of my piggy bank because of the outrageous 2% sales tax. :) (It's 8% now, BTW)
 
#87
johnk_10 said:
i love the tone that i've gotten out of all of my rics, vintage, late models and new, so i don't have a problem at all with their pickups or electronics package.
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+1! I currently own 3 Rics (an '08 4003, an '08 4004Cii and a 2010 4001C64), and have played and owned dozens of Ric basses over the past 35 years.
I have always loved the looks of Ric basses, but it took me many years to get what I felt was a "good & proper" tone out of a Ric, and that didn't happen until I learned how to properly set up my own basses. Probably more than any bass I can think of, proper set-up is crucial in getting a Ric to sound really good.
Unlike almost every other brand of basses, Rics are designed to have their necks set almost totally flat, with no relief. Pickup height is critical, and even string choice has a huge effect on the tone of these basses.
imho, about 90% of players who like the sound of Rics as played & recorded by other players (but not when they have tried one) have not yet played a properly set-up Ric. Also of note, the "proper set-up" can vary considerably between players depending on their attack, fretting hand pressure, and a few other factors. It is also my experience that whenever someone swaps out Ric pickups for non-Ric pickups, they ruin the voice of the bass.
I have never understood why more bassists have not learned how to set up thier own instruments, especially when proper set up is so crucial and very easy to learn.
 
#89
superdick2112 said:
+1! I currently own 3 Rics (an '08 4003, an '08 4004Cii and a 2010 4001C64), and have played and owned dozens of Ric basses over the past 35 years.
I have always loved the looks of Ric basses, but it took me many years to get what I felt was a "good & proper" tone out of a Ric, and that didn't happen until I learned how to properly set up my own basses. Probably more than any bass I can think of, proper set-up is crucial in getting a Ric to sound really good.
Unlike almost every other brand of basses, Rics are designed to have their necks set almost totally flat, with no relief. Pickup height is critical, and even string choice has a huge effect on the tone of these basses.
imho, about 90% of players who like the sound of Rics as played & recorded by other players (but not when they have tried one) have not yet played a properly set-up Ric. Also of note, the "proper set-up" can vary considerably between players depending on their attack, fretting hand pressure, and a few other factors. It is also my experience that whenever someone swaps out Ric pickups for non-Ric pickups, they ruin the voice of the bass.
I have never understood why more bassists have not learned how to set up thier own instruments, especially when proper set up is so crucial and very easy to learn.
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+1 to this. True for the Stingray as well in my experience. Truss rod adjustments contribute quite a bit to the tone of all my basses.

Thinking about getting a newer 4003 and any setup tips/specs that have worked would be appreciated :bassist:
 
#92
Had an Azure blue one in the early nineties...think I paid around $400?
One of my least favorite basses ever....It was beautiful but not very versatile and way too midrangey for my tastes...major neck dive also....never will understand why peeps are so crazy about them....
 
#93
elolomet said:
Had an Azure blue one in the early nineties...think I paid around $400?
One of my least favorite basses ever....It was beautiful but not very versatile and way too midrangey for my tastes...major neck dive also....never will understand why peeps are so crazy about them....
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hmmmm. i never had or heard of a ric 4000 series with neck dive. the maple bodies are heavy enough, and the upper horn is plenty long for perfect balance.
 
#94
All you Rick naysayers - I don't think you get it. Ricks are superb instruments with a lot of soul. Their workmanship, somewhat unique sound as well as a bit of exclusivity make them worth a bit more than a Fender. They might not be the ultimate, but they're very good.
 
#95
Illinimax said:
Thinking about getting a newer 4003 and any setup tips/specs that have worked would be appreciated :bassist:
Click to expand...

All I've had to do to mine was to set the necks for about 1/16" relief at the 12th fret, throw on a set of D'addario EPS-220 stainless strings (.40 - .95, and these are .05 lighter than I use on any of my other basses), and adjust the pickups to get my preferred balance of clarity to growl ratio - with the neck pickup set a hair lower than the bridge pickup. Lastly, I prefer all controls set at 10 except the neck volume, which is usually set to 9. If you run both pickups at 10, there is some tone loss due to comb filtering (same with my Jazz Bass), so try running one slightly lower than the other.
 
#97
Gizmot said:
All you Rick naysayers - I don't think you get it. Ricks are superb instruments with a lot of soul. Their workmanship, somewhat unique sound as well as a bit of exclusivity make them worth a bit more than a Fender. They might not be the ultimate, but they're very good.
Click to expand...

If people don't like Rics then let them not like Rics ... it is a free country ...

I like Rics and Fenders
 
#98
RaginRog said:
I wouldn't say they're cheap....reasonable...yeah. They don't outsource or have additional income from off-shore made equipment, so I admire them for that.

I've had 4 in my day....love the appearance, and some of the tones I got, but the instrument's lay-out was just uncomfortable for me personally. I still always joke by telling my wife and friends that if I ever decided to quit gigging altogether...I'd sell my 4 USA Fenders, my 1 Cirrus, and then buy a Midnight Blue Ric to hang on my living room wall...and occasionally play of course.
Click to expand...

Amen. :D
 
#100
Gizmot said:
All you Rick naysayers - I don't think you get it. Ricks are superb instruments with a lot of soul. Their workmanship, somewhat unique sound as well as a bit of exclusivity make them worth a bit more than a Fender. They might not be the ultimate, but they're very good.
Click to expand...

I've played (but never owned) a couple of Rics, and I was thoroughly unimpressed. They were nice, but I found nothing superb about them, at all. They look really great, and they have a unique sound, but I think both of these things work against them, too. Others have mentioned not being able to do much with the range of sound and one person here has mentioned my biggest gripe about them: the layout is kinda funky.. Seemed like every time I played one, I was knocking into some piece of hardware or another with my right hand...

Why did anyone ever put guards on pickups and bridges, anyways? Did they ever have a practical purpose, or have they always been pure aesthetics?
 

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