I had a Schecter Stargazer 4 strung with Rotosound 66's that could pull off the 2112 sound pretty well. Not spot on but close. Couldn't find that Yes tone on it, but I never have been anywhere close to decent playing with a pick.
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Low cost basses with Ric tone
- Thread starter DavidEdenAria
- Start date
In my experience, it's just not a realistic quest. There are ways to get relatively close, but not for certain, and not for cheap. Some things simply cannot be accomplished on the cheap, and this is one of them.
MM
If that is the tone he is emulating it is easy. That's a very dull Ric tone and the Ric sounds even darker because he is clipping the mic on it.
Nothing against that, but like I said some tones are easier to replicate.
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SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
My line 6 Variax has a Ric model that gets me really,really close tone wise but I want a Ric so I can have the whole experience which is everything from the headstock to the ric o sound jack plate it's one of the few basses that is so unique companies haven't really successfully duplicated it.
I think the Peavey T20 would be able to do it very well. I've always wanted to try one
No thank you! I'm a horrible procrastinator as you can see, though
Not me, I'm an excellent procrastinator (when I get around to it, at least)!
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Maple, Walnut, and bubinga are all hardwoods with a similar bright tone. Also these days the fretboard on the Ric basses is Caribbean rosewood which is also a bright sounding wood.
And you are also right that placing 2 single coil pickups in the Rickenbacker positions is a big part of the sound.
A T-40 may be easier to find, is more flexible, and just has to be twice as good - right?
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Geddy seems to do fine getting a similar tone on the old tunes using his Jazz bass.... bought and sold 2 rics love the bass but it's really a one tone wonder IMO.
Lol, that's not true at all. Check out Mew's "And the Glass-Handed Kites" album. Big fat Ric tone there. In fact, I can even link up some of my own clips to show that isn't so.
Geddy never got the Farewell to Kings tone on his J bass. He always sounds great, but his J never touched that angry piano tone
A T-40 may be easier to find, is more flexible, and just has to be twice as good - right?
I think it might also be too thick and heavy. Many say the T20 sounds like a bright aggressive P bass, and I assimilate that sound to Rics more than the bright Jazz tone
The Super Ferrite pickup really is incredible. I can cover P,J, and Ric acceptably well on my Foundations. It's a great bass to only carry one to a gig or jam.
The Jazz always sounds bigger on the bottom and very noticeably thinner up high.
The Rick sounds more even in terms of tone and output across and up and down the neck.
It's been proven that you can get a very cinvincing RIC tone just by using RIC pickups in the appropriate locations.
Ric5 has done it on a couple of different builds a few years ago: 2 were SG bodies and another couple were Fenderbird style basses. All had bolt on necks and were using varying wood bodies with all maple necks, so the wood choice doesn't have as much to do with the overall tone as many will suggest.
However, I don't think going the Warmoth route will be low cost, since their bodies are fairly pricy. It's extremely easy to spend almost as much as a new 4003 on just the body alone!
It can be done with cheaper bodies or re-purposing already routed basses to get the job done more cheaply.
The Rick sounds more even in terms of tone and output across and up and down the neck.
It's been proven that you can get a very cinvincing RIC tone just by using RIC pickups in the appropriate locations.
Ric5 has done it on a couple of different builds a few years ago: 2 were SG bodies and another couple were Fenderbird style basses. All had bolt on necks and were using varying wood bodies with all maple necks, so the wood choice doesn't have as much to do with the overall tone as many will suggest.
However, I don't think going the Warmoth route will be low cost, since their bodies are fairly pricy. It's extremely easy to spend almost as much as a new 4003 on just the body alone!
It can be done with cheaper bodies or re-purposing already routed basses to get the job done more cheaply.
Sure, but there are T-40s with 2 of those rather than one. Not all T-40s or T-20s have that pickup, that's true. I used to know how to tell which was which - isn't that the "toaster vs. blades" discussion that keeps popping up? Anyway, not arguing with you. Last time I was gigging, my T-40 and my early 80's fretless Carvin were my gigging basses - hardly "boutique", but both sound great, are quite playable, and are built rather like tanks. A T-40 in its hardshell case is truly a weapon - I would have used it to swing my way out of a bar fight without a worry or 2nd thought.
But they're the same thing other than 1 vs 2 pickups, no? I always thought so, but I've never gotten my hands on a T-20.
Since used US Peaveys are becoming more scarce and more pricy if you can find them, perhaps replacing the pups in an Ibanez and adding a pickguard might be a budget option?
Maybe add a pickup to an ATK.
Maybe add a pickup to an ATK.
