Hey all you Rickenbacker owners! Is a Rickenbacker really worth the money? I was thinking of selling all my basses(cept for the fretles SX J-bass I'm getting soon) and then saving up for a Rickenbacker. I don't know what model I want to save up for yet, but I know I want to get an older model similar to one of the basses that the Bee Gees had(I believe the bassist for the Bee Gees was Robin). Any one have an opinion or suggestion?
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Is a Rick worth the money?
- Thread starter Eric Albany
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I'm trying my best not to, but I really need to hear the pros and cons about a Rick. I don't have enough time to try one so I'm relying on Rick owners to tell me the facts. Besides, I'm 15! I can't go around pullin thousands of dollars out my but. I don't make that kind of money.
Asking Ric owners if they're worth the money is like politely asking a shark to take your left leg as a snack lol!
for some people(myself included), it absolutely is. they are certainly not for everyone. as with any expensive purchase i would recommend spending some time with one before you commit to be sure you are buying what you want to buy.
and as far as pros/cons go, those too are a pretty polarizing subject. i personally love the neck and the tone, which are my top 2 criteria when selecting an instrument. even among Rick fans, there are some big differences in opinion regarding different eras and things like that, so you are likely to get a fairly big range of opinions on here.
and as far as pros/cons go, those too are a pretty polarizing subject. i personally love the neck and the tone, which are my top 2 criteria when selecting an instrument. even among Rick fans, there are some big differences in opinion regarding different eras and things like that, so you are likely to get a fairly big range of opinions on here.
Yep, don't do a thing without actually playing one. I was enamored with Rics growing up (see username), but had a chance to spend some time with one, and it just didn't work for me. The model you're looking for was a 4001, now it's a 4003 (I believe).
If it's out of your price range, and it sounds like it is -
If you like the look, check out the Schecter Stargazer. (about half the price)
If you like the tone, check out a Peavey T-40. (about a fifth of the price)
Neither will get you 100% there, but might scratch the itch.
If it's out of your price range, and it sounds like it is -
If you like the look, check out the Schecter Stargazer. (about half the price)
If you like the tone, check out a Peavey T-40. (about a fifth of the price)
Neither will get you 100% there, but might scratch the itch.
I'm going to go by Rickenbackers website.
They may have some in Musicians Friend that have never sold so I guess they aren't pre-owned.
They may have some in Musicians Friend that have never sold so I guess they aren't pre-owned.
Ricks were all I played for about 30 years. Great basses. Only you can say if they are worth the money.
The BG's bass is/was a Rose Morris 1999 bass imported to the UK in, IIRC, 1964. It was I think Fireglo to start with and they refined to white by Robin Gibb. It is now owned by a very happy memebr of the Rickenbacker Forum.
I now only play Fender Jazz basses. This is because the J works for the way that I now play and the bands that I now play in.
The BG's bass is/was a Rose Morris 1999 bass imported to the UK in, IIRC, 1964. It was I think Fireglo to start with and they refined to white by Robin Gibb. It is now owned by a very happy memebr of the Rickenbacker Forum.
I now only play Fender Jazz basses. This is because the J works for the way that I now play and the bands that I now play in.
Eric,
When you revisit this thread for Ric info, this is the only post you will really need to read and review. this man says it all, spot-on.
"Worth" and "value" and "quality" of a bass is so subjective. The very things about an instrument that make one person love them and swear by them will be the exact same reasons other people can't stand them.
Rics may be more polarizing than a lot of other instruments.
DEFINITELY take the above advice and play a few before you save up and buy one!!! They are not for everybody.
Personally, I think they are very well made in general, I find them absolutely cool looking as can be. One of the most aesthetically pleasing basses ever produced, and I love the sound a lot of people can wring from them. BUT, I've learned they really aren't for me.
GO BUY A REAL BASS FROM A COMPANY THAT WILL BACK UP WHAT IT BUILDS .......THEY MIGHT AS WELL BE BUILDING IN CHINA FROM SOME OF WHAT IVE SEEN
This thread is of interest to me, as I also intend to get a Ric at some point (although it's not my next instrument to get).
This doesn't just apply to Rics. It goes for pretty much every bass out there, whether you're spending a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. Picking the "right" bass is a matter of personal preference. Period. End of story.
It doesn't matter what anyone here says, or what the reviews say, or what the sales guy at GC tells you, or what your next door neighbor thinks. You could ask 10 different people about a bass, and get 10 different answers. The reviews could be glowing, but the bass could feel like a tree branch in your hands. Your buddy might love the tone, but you might think it sounds like a can of rocks. Someone else might think it's a steal, but you might find it overpriced. In the end, the only opinion that matters IS YOUR OWN.
Eventually, you're going to have to put your hands on the bass you're thinking about buying - whatever it is - and spend some time playing it. Then you'll know if it's the one for you.
I'm sure you are right. I just went with the flow on the Robin bit. I'm a big fan of the basses but maybe not ALL of the people that play them...
I play Fender (USA) now but I don't think all the Ricks that I've ever owned, and that must add up to maybe 20 over the years, are any better or worse built than Fender USA.
JMO,
The 4001/3 is a bit like the vintage Fenders - great collector's items with aesthetic and nostalgic appeal, but not anything you want to try to get through an actual playing career, or ever a gig or two with.
I gigged almost exclusively with a pair of ricks (a 70's 4001 and an 80's 4003S) for a good 10 years or so. The only reason I used only those was because the Rick was worthless back in the late 80's/early 90's and I couldn't get rid of them for enough to buy something else that sounded better.
Certainly give one a try, but before you plunk down the cash they're worth nowadays, make sure it's an extended trial with your band, music and amps. Don't just throw it over your knee in a store for 20 minutes and call it good. BTDT.
Also note the neck-dive - if this is a problem for you ergonomically, your wrist will really bark at you hard when trying to play a 4003 on the strap.
Otherwise, aesthetically and build-quality wise, they're actually really good. The woodworking is, IMO, really nice, though the hardware and electronics are kind of crappy. The looks and finish, tho, are almost boutique, IMO.
LS
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