NBD first Rickenbacker

[Tommygun_ted]

A lot of people think the String Warranty Void thing was a myth, but that's exactly the speech delivered to me by the salesman when I bought my Ric 4001 in 1978 ($450 + HSC!) at EU Wurlitzer Boston.... as he was ringing up the set set of Roto Swing 66 Stainless he cheerfully recommended. It was never about the string tension, my 4001 came strung with Flats, which are typically HIGHER tension than rounds. It was about the soft fretwire they were using in those days, and flat fret tops. Stainless rounds ATE my frets in about three years. They file the fret tops flat instead of crowned to a typical half-dome shape because otherwise they'd cut into the little "ramp" meniscus of laquer that walks up the side sides of the frets while filing them down. These days they still file them flat, but they use standard nickel-silver frets now, so it's not really an issue but..... use Nickel Rounds. And yeah, the "warranty" is effectively worthless, but send it in anyway, immediately, in case something catastrophic like a broken trussrod happens. If you bought it from a reputable Ric dealer like Sweetwater, Wildwood, or even GC, you have some warranty or return protection. There's really no excuse for Ric's lame warranty at this price range, but... it is what it is. Great Bass/Crap Warranty.

Not a fan of stainless anyways. I typically use Daddario nickel rounds or Earnie ball hybrids, Chrome's if I'm feeling like flats.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I recently tried a set of Roto Swing 66 Stainless on my Lemmy clone build for Old Times Sake... or something... hoping they had improved in the last 40 years but... nope. Came out of the SEALED plastic package with a light coating of whitish oxide, the E string made a weird "chorus" noise for the first month, and then they went dead. About how I remembered them.

 

[bassist4dalord]

Man, congratulations! It’s so cool to see someone attaining such an awesome milestone as their first Ric. Enjoy it!

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

Congrats! The new Rickenbackers are awesome, my 2023 4003S Jetglo has been my main bass since I picked it up!

 

[Tommygun_ted]

Man, congratulations! It’s so cool to see someone attaining such an awesome milestone as their first Ric. Enjoy it!

I've always loved the look and tone but a lot of places up here don't keep them in stock so it's hard to get your hands on one. I really lucked out that the Long and McQuade I shop at just happened to have one hanging on the wall when I went in. They literally put it on the wall two days ago

 

[Tommy Sparks]

Nice! Enjoy!
Keep the stock strings for a bit you may like them.
That’s what I did when I got my RIC in 22 and I eventually swapped out
for flats. Not that I didn’t like them, but I wanted to try something different. I do like the flats better but thinking about putting back on the stock ones.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Nice! Enjoy!
Keep the stock strings for a bit you may like them.
That’s what I did when I got my RIC in 22 and I eventually swapped out
for flats. Not that I didn’t like them, but I wanted to try something different. I do like the flats better but thinking about putting back on the stock ones.

The solution is to buy a second 4003 so you can have both flats and rounds on your Ricks.

Yea, I know, they're not 4003s, but you get the idea.

 

[Isaac_James]

The solution is to buy a second 4003 so you can have both flats and rounds on your Ricks.

View attachment 7499748

View attachment 7499749

Yea, I know, they're not 4003s, but you get the idea.

I can only sell so many kidneys, Jeff!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

The 4005-ish build I'm crawling through will be literally my first bass strung with flats, a new experience for me. I remember my first bass teacher had a 60's era Jazz with what looked and sounded like 60's era flats on it. They were smooth and as silk, and dead as a doorknob. Those things last forever.

 

[P. Aaron]

Lovely bass. Congrats.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Enjoy that Rick! My latest Rick is a 4003SW, and I like it a lot.

 

[Tommygun_ted]

Enjoy that Rick! My latest Rick is a 4003SW, and I like it a lot.

They really don't sound like anything else. It's the first bass I've bought that sounds like I expected it to vs sounding like a bass being played by me if that makes sense. Every other bass I have, I plug in and it sounds sort of like you expect, but my playing style puts a different spin on it, where I plugged the rick in and immediately was like, oh yeah, that's a Rickenbacker. It makes sense because a lot of the Rickenbacker players I listen to are pretty heavy handed. I've been told I finger pick like Geddy Lee. I'm pretty heavy handed, so it makes sense that I'm getting the tones I expect it to get.

 

[Gopherbassist]

Wow, excellent grain on that walnut. I hope you enjoy it!

 

[Tommygun_ted]

Wow, excellent grain on that walnut. I hope you enjoy it!

Yeah, it's a beautiful bass. The front has almost a zebrawood look, more stripey, and the back looks like a coffee table. I love it

 

[Pet Sounds]

They really don't sound like anything else. It's the first bass I've bought that sounds like I expected it to vs sounding like a bass being played by me if that makes sense. Every other bass I have, I plug in and it sounds sort of like you expect, but my playing style puts a different spin on it, where I plugged the rick in and immediately was like, oh yeah, that's a Rickenbacker. It makes sense because a lot of the Rickenbacker players I listen to are pretty heavy handed. I've been told I finger pick like Geddy Lee. I'm pretty heavy handed, so it makes sense that I'm getting the tones I expect it to get.

I think the walnut Ricks sound a little different from regular ones, as well.

 

[Tommygun_ted]

I think the walnut Ricks sound a little different from regular ones, as well.

Well, however it's supposed to sound, it sounded fantastic at rehearsal today. Easily my new favourite bass

 

[Isaac_James]

I think the walnut Ricks sound a little different from regular ones, as well.

Makes sense, different woods in the body wings and fretboard.