• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Is a Rick worth the money?

Is a Rick worth the money?

  • Yes

    Votes: 58 29.1%

  • No

    Votes: 70 35.2%

  • Depends

    Votes: 71 35.7%
  • Total voters
    199
Status
Not open for further replies.
#41
Well, several years ago I traded my beloved Geddy Jazz (plus cash) for 1988 4003 Ric. I had never played one before and read alot of polarizing opinions, especially about the playability.

I got it and found it completely comfortable mostly because I played a Guild B-301 for 20 years. I had then bought a G&L L2500 and it made me sell the Ric! I wasnt getting the tone I thought I would get from the Ric (i.e. Geddy/Squire tones). It sounded more like a Jazz bass to me, and that was even after I installed the push pull vintage tone pot.

But, a couple years later I got GAS for another Ric and bought one here on TB. A FireGlo 2009 4003. This was the one! The neck is perfect, the weight is perfect (for me), and the tone is great. So I would say that if you are getting one, get a newer one. The good thing about Rics is that you can sell it for little to no financial loss.
 
#42
Eric Albany said:
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?
Click to expand...

You really need to get your hands on one and hunker down over it for a good amount of quality time playing everything you know a couple dozen times and then learn a few new tunes on it. That's the only way to decide. If you try to get a feel for a Rickenbacker bass by reading these threads (and there are literally hundreds), all you'll get is a lot of wildly varying opinions and a lot of anger from both lovers and haters of Ric basses, not to mention misinformation and details that may not affect your relationship with the bass at all.

Buying a bass without playing one is always a gamble. Buying a Rickenbacker bass without playing one is an even bigger gamble.
 
#43
Remember 4001s were made with softer frets for flatwound strings, so if you put roundwounds on there you will wear down your frets in a year or two and experience that "clacky" sound. A refretting is not too expensive, so it's not the end of the world.

Also check out the history of changes to the Ricks. The necks have been strengthened and truss rods improved in recent years. I would look for a more recent model.
 
#46
Rockin Mike said:
Remember 4001s were made with softer frets for flatwound strings, so if you put roundwounds on there you will wear down your frets in a year or two and experience that "clacky" sound. A refretting is not too expensive, so it's not the end of the world.

Also check out the history of changes to the Ricks. The necks have been strengthened and truss rods improved in recent years. I would look for a more recent model.
Click to expand...

I own a mid 70s vintage 4001, purchased new, that was my only instrument for about 30 years. Early on I played it with rounds, I switched to flats in the early 2000s and went back to rounds about 5 years ago. I still haven't gotten the neck refretted although it probably could have used it about 3 years ago. When you factor in a decade long layoff it had seen 17 or years of regular use before the fret wear became a real issue.

It doesn't see daily duty anymore and I haven't had the time to find someone I'd trust to do a refret so it hasn't been done yet. Probably later this year.
 
#48
I have owned five rics over since 1983: 3 4003s, 1 4001, and 1 4001V63. The 4001V63 is much more comfortable to play due to the lack of binding on the front of the body.
Three of my rics were fantastic basses, two were not.
Although I never had any structural problems with my rics, I have, over the years, seen many of these with cracks where the fingerboard was seperating from the neck near the headstock, probably due to peoples overtitening of the truss rods.
I have never paid more than $700.00 for one of these. Years ago you could find them used for around $500.00. I am now seeing many of these on ebay in the $2000.00 range used. New ones are $2000. In other words, I believe the used market is crazy at this time.
 
#49
Gaius46 said:
I own a mid 70s vintage 4001, purchased new, that was my only instrument for about 30 years. Early on I played it with rounds, I switched to flats in the early 2000s and went back to rounds about 5 years ago. I still haven't gotten the neck refretted although it probably could have used it about 3 years ago. When you factor in a decade long layoff it had seen 17 or years of regular use before the fret wear became a real issue.

It doesn't see daily duty anymore and I haven't had the time to find someone I'd trust to do a refret so it hasn't been done yet. Probably later this year.
Click to expand...

You're right, I should have said I was playing it 5 or 6 nights a week. After about 2 years, the frets were worn out.

I wouldn't call this a "problem" with the 4001s, they are designed for flatwounds. It was my own fault due to ignorance at the time.
 
#50
True, the 4003's balance isn't quite as bad as some (like the thunderbird or anything with the Tele-style body, etc) but it's definitely a problem if it's a problem for the player. Again, one shouldn't have to resort to weights or particular straps or other contraptions to not have to hold the instrument in the desired position. Unless that position is with the neck going towards the floor that is, then you're ok...

I also don't agree that the Rick is a "polarizing" instrument. It just has more hype surrounding it than most basses, except the vintage Fenders (those are hyped even more). That just makes the disappointment with them when you actually get around to trying one that much more intense.

In fact, I'm definitely in the OK-bass camp with the 4003. It's vastly better quality than vintage Fenders for example, especially the 70's and earlier Fenders (which I definitely don't think were OK basses). The Rick was made of good wood, had a good finish and neck-through design at around the same time; it was much better quality in every respect than any of the Fenders available at the time.

Also, to give credit where it's due, the Rick sounds great, IMO, for slap. That's where it's normal clank and weak mids really make for a unique and interesting sound.

I still drag out my remaining 4003 from time to time when I'm working on something that uses slap. My fretlesses don't have a lot of bite when you smack them...

LS
Click to expand...

Unclejane

I am no fan of vintage instruments, nor am I crazy about Rickenbackers, but ease off man. I've seen you post stuff exactly like this in threads that had nothing to do with Ric's or Fenders, followed by something about the superiority of other basses (Carvins?). This thread also had nothing to do with Fenders, and the way you mercifully judge the 4003's as OK seems a little condescending. It might just be my impression but it feels like you are trying to convince everyone that your choices rule and that your opinion is rock solid fact. That attitude doesn't usually seem to work so well here.:hmm:

Hope I'm wrong, no offence intended, just remember to respect other peoples opinions, even if that includes vintage-worship or a positive attitude towards neck dive.:)
 
#54
Rockin Mike said:
Remember 4001s were made with softer frets for flatwound strings, so if you put roundwounds on there you will wear down your frets in a year or two and experience that "clacky" sound. A refretting is not too expensive, so it's not the end of the world.

Also check out the history of changes to the Ricks. The necks have been strengthened and truss rods improved in recent years. I would look for a more recent model.
Click to expand...

I think the frets and materials used for them has been the same or close to it on the 4001 and 4003. At least, they were the same on mine. My current 4003 (a '99 or '00 model) looks to have the same size frets as my other ones did.

But true, the 4001 had a thinner neck with a different, finickier truss rod setup that required special handling to set the relief with. The thinner neck also may have contributed to a slight tonal difference, tho its contribution is probably debatable. My 4001 had a little less sustain than either of my other 4003's, for example.

I would also recommend a 4003 over a 1 - the new truss rods and neck are much stronger and can be adjusted by simply turning the nuts like conventional basses (no need to manually bow the neck to relieve the rod, then adjust the rod like with the 4001)....

LS
 
#57
Eric Albany said:
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.
Click to expand...

I suggest you keep the money you get from selling all your basses for some transportation. IMO, Keep the SX J-bass and play that. If you have transportation/decent bass/rig then you'll be able to travel on your own.

More Mel Bay, less e-bay!
 
#59
As a bass owner, all I can say is try one out when you get a chance, and spend as much time as you can playing it before making a decision.

Anything more is purely subjective.

Oh yeah, as for Rick basses, I own 4 and have been playing them almost exclusively since 1986, and the modern 4003 is my favorite of them all.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back