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Just got a rick, any suggestions?
- Thread starter Morosini
- Start date
And life eventually will teach you that cleverness and wisdom don’t necessarily occupy the same space.
Ditto. Not your typically touted bright Ric sound but a good solid and well defined bottom end to my ears. And did I detect a bit of bottom end rumble too - I’m sure I did.
Sell it or trade it off. The neck is going to give you headaches and indigestion sooner or later. Commenting from experience with several examples. My first "good" bass was a Ric. The thin neck went wild with movement, and I lived in California, where guitars and basses tend to be relatively stable. Tried again a couple of times, then decided not to even consider them anymore. YMMV. No offense intended.
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The best thing you can do for your Rick (*any* Rick) is send it to Mark Arnquist and have him fix every design flaw and manufacturing shortcut that was built into it.
Hiho enjoy your Rick.They have plenty bottom end.A good set up goes a long way.I use Dunlop super bright steels,BD121,Orange Terror bass 500,Orange OBC115.This pretty close to the Geddy/Chris Squire and the classic Rick sound.Hipshot bridge is the nutz.Neck pick up raise it till it sounds funny then lower it a bit then balance it with bridge pick up volume wise and you won,t be far away and get neck as flat as you can.
Anybody got better ideas then let us all in on it-have fun
Anybody got better ideas then let us all in on it-have fun
Yep, lighter strings (40/45-100 max) seem to work best on Rics. The PU cover usually needs to come off, and the bridge is a little goofy, IMO.
I find it funny that they are considered so bright. I find Rics to be more deeply toned than a J, mainly just from the pickup locations favoring more fundamental. If you bypass the bridge pickup hi pass cap, that pickup soloed is punchy goodness, not quite P bass low mid punchy, but certainly more oomph than a J bridge pickup. The neck pickup soloed is deep, fundamental gloriousness. Together, they have a really cool scoop tone.
I find it funny that they are considered so bright. I find Rics to be more deeply toned than a J, mainly just from the pickup locations favoring more fundamental. If you bypass the bridge pickup hi pass cap, that pickup soloed is punchy goodness, not quite P bass low mid punchy, but certainly more oomph than a J bridge pickup. The neck pickup soloed is deep, fundamental gloriousness. Together, they have a really cool scoop tone.
As a Boomer, comments like your's are laughable. You don't mean what you say, you're just using "young boy" lingo in an attempt to fit it and look cool. And not knowing the difference between a 4001 and a 4003, while blaming the store owner for your ignorance, is reason enough for you to take that Ric back and start out on a Fender Mustang. Or a Memphis! And string it with some GHS "Boomers" for a sound that emulates a fart in a bathtub.
[QUOTE="Any suggestion on what pedals, amp settings, hell even mods (I know, heretical) that apply to a great rick sound? I'm going for a "Permanent Waves" tone, but I seem to lack the lower frequencies, but other than that it sounds like a million bucks.[/QUOTE]
My advice is to let a Ric be a Ric. I tried to hot-rod my Ric with all kinds of aftermarket pickups to much frustration, because the placement of the pickups does not allow for stronger magnets; the magnetic pull from the neck and bridge pickups causes oscillations. I installed a Hipshot bridge which added more low end and sustain, but there wasn't quite enough travel on the saddles (short screws) to adequately intonate the low E. In the end I wound up unsatisfied with something that was no longer a Ric. If you get new pickups I recommend something like Bartolinis or perhaps have the stock pickups re-wound and/or potted. If you get a Hipshot bridge, which I like much better, see if they can throw in some longer screws!
My advice is to let a Ric be a Ric. I tried to hot-rod my Ric with all kinds of aftermarket pickups to much frustration, because the placement of the pickups does not allow for stronger magnets; the magnetic pull from the neck and bridge pickups causes oscillations. I installed a Hipshot bridge which added more low end and sustain, but there wasn't quite enough travel on the saddles (short screws) to adequately intonate the low E. In the end I wound up unsatisfied with something that was no longer a Ric. If you get new pickups I recommend something like Bartolinis or perhaps have the stock pickups re-wound and/or potted. If you get a Hipshot bridge, which I like much better, see if they can throw in some longer screws!
Wow, and people say millennials and Gen Zs are the overly sensitive ones.
A highly touted instrument dealer should know what they are selling better than the customer does, right?
Anyway, congrats to the OP. I had a 4003, loved the way it sounded and the way it looked, I just couldn't get along with it ergonomically. My only advice is to check it top to bottom promptly, because the 12-month warranty starts from the date of production, not the date of sale (which is completely ridiculous). Enjoy it!
A highly touted instrument dealer should know what they are selling better than the customer does, right?Anyway, congrats to the OP. I had a 4003, loved the way it sounded and the way it looked, I just couldn't get along with it ergonomically. My only advice is to check it top to bottom promptly, because the 12-month warranty starts from the date of production, not the date of sale (which is completely ridiculous). Enjoy it!
I'm inclined to say that if you love it how it feels straight out of the shop, run with it. It took me a while to really gel with my 4003. If you haven't ever played one at length, it can be a pretty foreign situation. But if you have the same issues that many of us here have had, my suggestions (like lots of other players here) are Hipshot bridge, flats, pro setup. After I did these things, it quickly became my main player. I love how it feels and sounds.
That would be "ageism," not "racism."
That silly ol' "Boomer" made a sale. ie: "This kid wants a 4001 like that used by his guitar hero. I don't have one but I'll sell him this 4003 and he won't know the difference." Laughing all the way to the bank...
Wow, and people say millennials and Gen Zs are the overly sensitive ones.
My thoughts exactly. Get over it, guys.
OP, just play it. If your ears or hands detect shortcomings, change them; commonly suggested mods are Nordenbackers or that ugly aftermarket bridge. If it already sounds like it should, don't touch it. I'll never understand the "just bought it, wanna mod it!" mindset.
Ricks tend to be something you either really love or really don't love. Decide which camp you fall into; if you're not a Rick guy, it's not worth chasing the tone. Just keep it original and sell to someone who'll appreciate it.
Skull and Roses pick!
... originally made famous while being used as an insult ...I don't know why people think "Boomer" is an insult. It means I can tie my own shoes, read a book, get from point a to point b without a handheld device and I don't have to go to the internet to have someone tell me what to do every time I have a problem. Maybe it's just me, but I think that's a good thing.
