• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

*Official* MF MID Rickenbacker Sale thread

How Satisfied Are You With Your New Rick?

  • Very Satisfied

    Votes: 47 45.6%

  • Satisfied

    Votes: 18 17.5%

  • Neutral

    Votes: 19 18.4%

  • Unsatisfied

    Votes: 7 6.8%

  • Very Unsatisified

    Votes: 12 11.7%
  • Total voters
    103
Status
Not open for further replies.
#81
Wow you guys are getting paranoid. You'd think the bindings were poop brown and the necks were twisted backwards. We're not getting screwed by 2 big evil corporations with reputations to protect, MF was nothing but helpful anytime I called and went above and beyond to fix problems... But no ones posted any substantial problems, just biffed poll results. We found out about these Monday, I'm pretty sure the first buyers just got theirs today. Some slight yellowing happens after a year or so, whether it's in a warehouse or in your living room.
 
#82
SubSectorSucker said:
I'm in love. I got it, and the action was sky-high. After giving each of the two truss rods a half turn, the neck went totally flat and the action is nice and low where I like it. The ergonomics take some getting used to, but It feels very much like my p bass.
Click to expand...

My neck is straight already but the action is very high near the bridge side. Also, you must have completely different P Bass than me, cuz the Ric feels like a Baseball bat compared to P Bass.
 
#83
Toastfuzz said:
Wow you guys are getting paranoid. You'd think the bindings were poop brown and the necks were twisted backwards. We're not getting screwed by 2 big evil corporations with reputations to protect, MF was nothing but helpful anytime I called and went above and beyond to fix problems... But no ones posted any substantial problems, just biffed poll results. We found out about these Monday, I'm pretty sure the first buyers just got theirs today. Some slight yellowing happens after a year or so, whether it's in a warehouse or in your living room.
Click to expand...

+1
 
#85
martinmcfly said:
My neck is straight already but the action is very high near the bridge side. Also, you must have completely different P Bass than me, cuz the Ric feels like a Baseball bat compared to P Bass.
Click to expand...

The newer rics....after 2006 or so...should have thinner necks. I remember my 2005 Fire Glo had a very nice neck but my Maple Glo had a chunkier neck.
 
#87
got mine today. pretty happy with it so far. Had to adjust the truss rods as there was alot of relief in the neck. Also had to adjust the high gain pickup on the E string, quieter than the rest. Other than that, I am happy. Been playing most of the night. I just sold a MIA P-bass deluxe and purchased this.

I don't find the neck really any chunkier than the p-bass. it definitely has its own tone. I'm going to use it at the gig saturday night. my hand position is changed a little but not really that much

all in all, a great deal.
 
#89
James_E said:
Mine has a very small amount of bow in the neck... as in it is not perfectly straight out of the box. Looks like most necks I've looked at on other basses, so it seems normal. Action is a bit high but I've done no adjustments yet. I also noticed a bit of white right around some of the frets, like some dirt or something.


I have not voted yet. I've yet to plug it into an amp. Im flying home with it tonight. After I do some basic tweaks and oil the fretboard, I will vote. I will vote based on build and whether it is fully functional and not based on whether I love it or not (it might just not be my style...I don't know yet)
Click to expand...
A setup will solve the neck. Adjust it flat (probably a 1/4 turn turn of the truss nut(s), lower the bridge to the action you like, adjust the bridge pickup height for the tonal and loudness balance you want, then rock it out.

If you like really low action, you will need to file the nut slots. Oh, and the white around the frets is Turtle Wax. It should wipe off with a soft cloth. And the fretboard is finished in UV cured conversion varnish so I don't think you'd want to oil it. Enjoy it!
 
#91
James_E said:
For me the oiling is just cleaning it off a bit. I usually use oil on other basses.

Thanks for the advice... I'll be sure to follow Ric specific instructions.
Click to expand...
Keep it waxed with Zymol blue wax and it will be a slick neck. The whole bass will look stunning with a couple coats of Zymol. WalMart, Auto Zone, Advanced Auto Parts, etc.
 
#92
cassius987 said:
That sounds a bit made up... I mean, no Ric I've played of recent vintage was any bigger than a P neck, in fact all were smaller. But they are hand profiled so you never know.
Click to expand...
Rick necks have been done on CNC for quite a long time. Hand sanded after, but that is just smoothing for final finishing. Neck to neck variations should be undetectable. They have used different programs to form the necks over the years, but the current 2-piece necks will all be the same profile and sturdier because of the 2-piece with one piece turned 90 degrees.
 
#93
Wow, good advice 2nd Wind. Thanks much. Keep 'em coming.

I sometimes wonder how much Ric hatred is spawned from people who don't understand the nature of the beast and proper set-up/care, then grow disillusioned because they didn't educate themselves and take proper steps to maximize their Ric's performance potential. I'm guessing that's a big chunk of it.
 
#94
I found my '75 Fireglo 4001 a few weeks ago locally, at Madison's sole surviving indie guitar store (Greg Ginter's Guitar Shop) and scored it for a scant $1200. Played it at four gigs and three recording sessions, and it's a dream!
 

Attachments

  • '75 Rick 4001 Thumbnail.jpg
    '75 Rick 4001 Thumbnail.jpg
    82 KB · Views: 102
#95
Let me know if you ever want any help with setups when I'm in town friend.

Toastfuzz said:
Don't be too jealous, I havent actually ACHIEVED that with any of my basses other than my Ibanez SR506, which incidentally also has two truss rods. Thats just the goal. Any other basses can't be set up perfectly like that due to uneven frets / necks that just won't hit the sweet spot.

Also part of why I'm moving into pro territory and dropping over $1000 on a bass, I'd love to be able to set a neck perfectly flat and have it stay there... then set the action height at the bridge.
Click to expand...
 
#97
electracoyote said:
Wow, good advice 2nd Wind. Thanks much. Keep 'em coming.

I sometimes wonder how much Ric hatred is spawned from people who don't understand the nature of the beast and proper set-up/care, then grow disillusioned because they didn't educate themselves and take proper steps to maximize their Ric's performance potential. I'm guessing that's a big chunk of it.
Click to expand...
What amazes me is they will accept an upbow neck and unleveled frets with rough ends as normal on a Fender but hold Ricks out-of-the-box to perfection. ALL basses when purchased need to be set up - everyone likes their basses just so but that is different for each one of us. Dual truss rods are super easy to adjust with an Xcelite L8 1/4" nut driver ($7.80 on Amazon), RIC includes the tiny allen wrench for the bridge height, the bridge pup is adjusted with a phillips screwdriver, there is no real reason not to do your own setup. As posted earlier, Invalid Link Removed has it all for step by step and now videos too.
 
#99
Mine should be delivered later today (Friday.) It's going to be a long miserable day at work for me. I'll vote in the poll and post any relevant comments or photos after I check it out.

Interestingly, I found the sale and ordered before I found the two threads here. You can find the deal from the Clearance Tab on the MF home page. Been wanting a Ric for a long time and still can't believe the price - $1209 shipped UPS Premium Ground. I thought I had the 10% coupon activated, but for some reason, I only got $100 off instead of the full 10%, but I'm not complaining. Just hope the Ric's top quality with no issues. Last year I bought a 4003 in Mapleglo that I begrudgingly returned due to a "tail lift" issue on the bridge.
 
#100
Mine's coming Monday. (Disclaimer: I'm buying it for personal use, not resale. There's a Ric dealer nearby [Wildwood Guitars] and there's no way I can get a Ric dealership).

Anyone worried about a forward bow to the neck or protuding fret ends, this is a normal part of maintenance. If you live in a dry area (like Colorado), a fret end finish job is par for the course at some point.

This last fall my Ric 660/12 (12-string) got a wild forward bow after storage for a month in the case...a tweak of the truss rods and all was fine. Don't panic.

I'm anxiously awaiting mine. It's one state away right now.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back