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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
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#61
Phalex said:
Play a Ric before you buy one. They are very polarizing instruments, you either love them, or you really hate them. I have never heard anyone describe playing a Ric as being OK. It's either a little slice of heaven, or a trip straight to hell.

As far as worth goes, how do you determine worth? I love my Ric, and will never sell it, but I really don't play it out much anymore, so I doubt that I'd buy another one.
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+1

I've had a few 4003's in the past and now a 4004L with a 620 guitar. Not all are comfortable and the models while varying slightly, sound very different. The 4004L and the 4004cii (if you can find someone who is willing to part with it) are simpler basses, but much better built. The switches are solid clicks. Simple volume and tone and a much darker tone it is. Don't pass up a 4004 if you have a chance at picking one up. 4003's are out there and they are great too, but they are not for everyone. Worth it? It's either your sound or an addition to the arsenal of different sounds you work with.
 
#62
yes i would say they are worth the money but u can mimic their sound fairly easily. i can make my bass sound like them but its not as pretty plus they have a good feel and that real thin neck you can play with a little bit more of a range.
 
#64
IME no, they are not worth the price. They are generally worth quite a bit more. Especially in terms of sound and build quality--I've played much pricier stuff that felt and sounded a lot cheaper. I have actually taken Rics with me to custom build shops to AB against examples of the builder's stuff and I always come away preferring the Ric, as much as I may respect the luthier.

But this is not something that you should be deciding based on internet conjecture. Get one, see if you like it, return it if not. Shouldn't be too hard.
 
#65
I personally love the slap tone of a Ric and I think they sound awesome picked as well. I played one for a while in a shop and while I thought the finish on the back of the neck might bother me after a while...it wasn't a bad bass. Now was it worth the price tag I saw on it? IMHO, It's a $1k bass...not close to $2k like they are priced. It's a nice bass but I'd probably buy a used one that I could play in a store and make positive I like before I laid down the money for it.

I'm sure some people will call this an asinine comment but an all-tube head is a must to do this bass justice. That's purely opinion but I feel that's the best thing to pair it with.
 
#66
VanillaThundah said:
I'm sure some people will call this an asinine comment but an all-tube head is a must to do this bass justice. That's purely opinion but I feel that's the best thing to pair it with.
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Actually, that makes it much harder to hear on a gig, since the sound is already muddy enough to start with (especially if you use both pickups or the neck PU by itself) ;).

Instead, a really stiff SS amp with lots of overhead and plucking directly over the bridge PU (soloed) gives you a better chance of sitting well in a live mix. Don't ask me why I know this.

That said, for finger style hard rock, a good compressor is a virtual requirement (unless you use overdrive to get a Lemmy-like sound). Playing with a pick helps also, since that allows you to really dig in the way you need to.

I got acceptable results with a borrowed SWR 400W head into a 4x10 back in the gigging days. That rig sounded about the best of the several I got to try back then.

LS
 
#67
VanillaThundah said:
I'm sure some people will call this an asinine comment but an all-tube head is a must to do this bass justice. That's purely opinion but I feel that's the best thing to pair it with.
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It's actually a spot-on observation.

Alot of people get frustrated because their Ric doesn't sound like Squire or Geddy or whoever had some of those incredible tones.

Besides playing style, which can be emulated, those guys really tweaked the signal chain to their unique purposes. When I plug my Ric into my Markbass solid state LMIII through a 15" speaker, I'm nowhere near what those other guys used to get that radical tone. So my Ric doesn't sound the same.

However, you can always start experimenting with different heads, speakers, signal chains, Ric-O-Sound, and you can also squeeze that "Ric factor" out of the bass if you want. When you do, you start to approach some of the most unique, aggressive, and useful bass tones ever produced.
 
#68
unclejane said:
................I got acceptable results with a borrowed SWR 400W head into a 4x10 back in the gigging days. That rig sounded about the best of the several I got to try back then.

LS
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I use an SWR head and 4X10 cabinet, and it's by far the best amp I've used yet.

I also get a lot of useful tones by just adjusting the individual tone controls and changing my plucking position and technique to suit the song (or section of the song).
I play anything from oldies, surf, classic rock, modern rock/pop, blues, etc. all with the same bass and EQ settings.
 
#70
unclejane said:
Actually, that makes it much harder to hear on a gig, since the sound is already muddy enough to start with (especially if you use both pickups or the neck PU by itself) ;).

LS
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Oh yeah - I got real "muddy" sounds with my 4003 through my tube amp (Mesa Bass 400) at a gig.

It was so muddy the soundman came over and told me how awesome it cut through the mix, and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.



52337.jpg
 
#71
lankybass said:
any ideas where a person could actually sit and try one out? I live in small town Louisiana so they're a rare find but I'll be in Chicago for a week soon and would like to try one out before purchasing.
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Yep! In fact, I know of two places around here that usually have several Rics in stock. On the North Side: Chicago Music Exchange
(This place also has an insane collection of vintage guitars and basses, go here if you can.)

In the northern suburbs above Evanston is a smaller place: The Music Gallery

A little off topic, but if you want to visit a shop where top-notch basses are made, contact Lakland and set up a time to visit. They're close to Chicago Music Exchange, and they're really cool people.
Invalid Link Removed
 
#73
unclejane said:
Actually, that makes it much harder to hear on a gig, since the sound is already muddy enough to start with (especially if you use both pickups or the neck PU by itself) ;).

Instead, a really stiff SS amp with lots of overhead and plucking directly over the bridge PU (soloed) gives you a better chance of sitting well in a live mix. Don't ask me why I know this.
Click to expand...

How do you know this?
 
#74
I played Ricks for a lot of years and love them. One of the best built basses you can buy. But their lack of offerings in the 5 string realm led me to EBMM and I won't go back. But I have NOTHING bad to say about how much their 4-string basses rock.
 
#75
All "use this amp only or it sounds like crap" comments....

Sound is personal taste. I get great sounds plugging straight into the board with my Ricks.

Some say the Rick is a one trick pony. I disagree. Listen to what McCartney does vs Roger Glover vs some of the new wave stuff. Like a Precision a Rick has some defining characteristics to its sounds but can be versatile.
 
#76
fingerbun said:
All "use this amp only or it sounds like crap" comments....

Sound is personal taste. I get great sounds plugging straight into the board with my Ricks.

Some say the Rick is a one trick pony. I disagree. Listen to what McCartney does vs Roger Glover vs some of the new wave stuff. Like a Precision a Rick has some defining characteristics to its sounds but can be versatile.
Click to expand...

Yep, a clangy one trick pony(direct to soundcard):

YouTube - ‪Stone Temple Pilots-Interstate Love Song (Bass Cover)‬‏
 
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