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Just bought the Ritter Platinum Roya Concept!!!

#121
Thanks, guys...! This one's gonna stay in the collection for sure! It just seems that every time I add to it, I find it even harder to let any of the basses go again... I guess when I get my custom Roya 5 in a few months, I got the ground covered with 5 very different basses, and they're all going to stay.

That doesn't mean that the GAS ends, though...! I just think that any basses I get after these 5 could be let go again. Probably just fooling myself, eh?
I'm already drooling over a seafoam green Dingwall Super J... but that's not gonna happen for a few years!

Anyway, to the comments about me being wealthy - it's called priorities, and the reason that I can't afford a digital camera (or many other things) is exactly that I bought this bass :p
I got my MA 1½ years ago, was unemployed for a year, and have now been in my first "real" job for half a year - yet I bought this bass, a '63 Precision AND my Fodera Monarch Deluxe in 2007...! Paying for the custom Roya soon :)
 
#125
Basdyret said:
Well, all the promised info never came, but the BASS did today...!!! :D

Man, this is just an UNBELIEVABLE bass !! First of all, the finish looks better in person than any camera could ever capture, it's amazingly beautiful and as smooth as the design itself. The custom built case is also a big plus.

The bass is lightweight, around 7 pounds / 3,5 kg, has a great balance, and every little detail is nothing less than PERFECT. The Purple Kingwood fingerboard is insanely beautiful, and the (now) fake diamond is a great touch, which I appreaciate not only for looks, but also because it serves as the only fret marker on the entire instrument!
The only thing that throws me a bit off is that Ritter has put metallic blue, almost turquoise strings on it...! There's even a spare set in the same color, but I think I'll eventually end up with normal silver strings on it.

Acoustic, the bass already has a big voice, lots of "mwah" and sustain for ages. My right hand felt comfortable playing the "ramp" from the first touch (phew!), and I have no loss of dynamics, which was my main concern. My left is struggling a bit because of lack of fret markers, but it's not a problem when it's plugged in.
When it is, the sound of this bass is like nothing I have ever heard - and I mean that in every possible positive way...!! The custom RMC piezos provide a fat, punchy sound that is still more alive and singing than any other of the countless fretless basses I've played - moving the right hand a bit up the board when playing a note results in screaming "mwah" that sustains until I move my left finger or fall over from joy :D

Actually, as strange as it may sound, there is also quite a bit of upright-like "wood" in the sound, and all of these things mixed together just makes this bass unique and brilliant when it comes to looks as well as tone. I will work on getting my left hand accustomed to the 35" scale and wide fretboard (and no markers!), but I can't see any reason why I shouldn't play this bass ALL the time when I'm not at work from now on...!! My wife has all reasons to be very jealous! :p

I have taken a few pictures of the bass, but my crappy cell phone just isn't up to the task, the pictures don't do the bass any justice, so I will try to buy a decent camera soon and try again. For now, I can't beat Ritter's own pictures (shown or linked to earlier in the thread), but I can prove that I actually have it:

Link Removed

:hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper:
Click to expand...

Oh no! He accidentally sent you the lefty version.
 
#126
Proton Lenny said:
Congrats on the Ritter Royal! I will be joining you very soon as a Ritter owner. Does that thing only have a peizo? Are there any tone knobs, or is a plug-in-and-play bass? It is a gorgeous bass. In the future I would love to get a fretless made by Jens.
Click to expand...

Thanks!! Yes, I just saw your thread again, congratulations on what also looks like a great buy :)

This bass only has a custom RMC piezo, there are no regular pickups in it, but it works SO well... Ritter is truly a magician!
It is indeed a plug'n'play bass, to mirror the design concept it is equally simple with regard to what parameters you can adjust. There's only a small mute switch in the backplate, and if you take the backplate off, you can adjust the general EQ on a small trimpot with a screwdriver.
I honestly don't need to change anything about the sound of this thing, as I said I couldn't hope to find a sound which is more perfect for me than this one, so the setup suits me well. I can still adjust lots of parameters on my amp, if I should find the need :)
 
#127
Lokire said:
I think the tone knobs are hidden in a little pocket in the back of the body, right?

I know you already know, but that bass is incredible. The concept, the design, the finish...everything about it. It's the perfect fretless bass. Play it in good health! :D
Click to expand...

Thanks...! You know I know, and I'm happy that I'm not the only one that feels that way...! :D

If you look up one post, you can see my description of the minimalistic parameter setup - no tone knobs :)
 
#130
KILLER!!!

Beautiful instrument you've got there, and I long-ago lost interest in custom-jobies. The platinum-leaf finish does look like something you'd have to see in person to fully appreciate, I bet it does work perfectly with the purple kingwood.

Good move moving the real diamond out of there. Does it stick out above the surface of the fingerboard itself?

The overall concept of that bass is amazing: I love it.

lm183902 said:
Oh no! He accidentally sent you the lefty version.
Click to expand...

LOL!
 
#131
I played this one at Ritter's booth at NAMM & was amazed as always by Jens' craftsmanship for nailing something new & different.

Normally I do not like piezos, but this bass proved that if done right they can be flexible enough to get the perfect tone for very situation. From upright to Fender Jazz; this is the beast.

Congratulations!
 
#132
Phantopeth said:
KILLER!!!

Beautiful instrument you've got there, and I long-ago lost interest in custom-jobies. The platinum-leaf finish does look like something you'd have to see in person to fully appreciate, I bet it does work perfectly with the purple kingwood.

Good move moving the real diamond out of there. Does it stick out above the surface of the fingerboard itself?

The overall concept of that bass is amazing: I love it.
Click to expand...

Thanks...! You're right, looking at this bass in person is something very different that looking at it in pictures. And the combination of the finish and the fretboard wood is just heaven... :)

The "diamond" is set so it doesn't stick out from the fingerboard, which means it rounds down along the inside of the socket hole - rather have it this way than an obstacle on the fingerboard, right?

Thanks again - hope to be able to put up a few better pics soon, as we just managed to squeeze out the cash for a decent camera yesterday...! :hyper:

Now we just have to eat beans and rice for the rest of the month or something... :D
 
#133
Whappo Grande said:
I played this one at Ritter's booth at NAMM & was amazed as always by Jens' craftsmanship for nailing something new & different.

Normally I do not like piezos, but this bass proved that if done right they can be flexible enough to get the perfect tone for very situation. From upright to Fender Jazz; this is the beast.

Congratulations!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Great to hear from someone else who's played it...! I'm glad that it's not just me that feels this way about piezos in general and then the piezos on this bass :)
I never thought they could be this versatile and responsive, and at the same time not be overly clanky or woofy. This is just sonic greatness... :D
 
#135
Ripper said:
you really need to find someone with a video camera and put a clip of this up... i think we'd all like to hear it!
Click to expand...

I'm working on the recording options now, but I haven't been able to find anything I can afford at the moment :hmm:
I heard that the cheapest way is to find a jack->mini jack converter and download a recording program on the computer, so I'm looking into that...! I'd love to share this tone with y'all, believe me! :)
 
#137
^^Thanks, will definitely look into that program, then...! :)

For now, I've managed to take a few better pics... Here you go:

Platinum_Roya_2.jpg


Platinum_Roya_3.jpg


Platinum_Roya_4.jpg


Platinum_Roya_6.jpg


Platinum_Roya_10.jpg


Platinum_Roya_16.jpg


Platinum_Roya_18.jpg


Platinum_Roya_19.jpg


Enjoy!! I know I am :D
 
#140
UNBELIEVABLE. unbelievable. that thing is gorgeous. is it wrong that i'm sexually attracted to your bass? no...it feels sooo right...

wish i read this in 07 when i was at school in toronto, i would've come to drool over her til they threw me out. i'm still in the area, though, keep me posted if she comes out again...or any of her sisters!

i've just heard of jens' work through a list of "most expensive..." i randomly stumbled across. i'm absolutely smitten and awestruck by his work. how bout that $250k piece he did with the mammoth ivory nut (among other obscenities)? wow. something to dream about.
 

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