P Bass Player tempted to get a RIC

[commonplayer]

View attachment 3479258 View attachment 3479259 View attachment 3479272 Well...
- Is a new Rick overpriced? Really?? Well, compared to a Made-in-Indonesia Squier; yes, it does cost quite a bit more. Compared to a MIA P-Bass? Not much to choose from, actually. Yes, I'll admit that this '73 4001 Rick cost me a lot more than this '78 P-Bass. But, I bought the Fender from a friend in 1988 - for $500. I bought the Rick in 2008 - when RIC was hinting that there might not be any more lefties - ever; and it was a seller's market - big time. That 4001 actually cost me more than my Alembic... But, a new, right handed Rick? Within spittin' distance of an American Fender P-Bass, if you shop around...
- Are they one trick ponies? That's such an absurd statement, that it doesn't deserve a reply - and I won't dignify it with one...
- Are they difficult/expensive to work on? Well, if the concept of more than one truss rod is too much for you, or the purchase of a 1/4" nut driver is beyond your means, then... yeah, I guess they are. I won't deny that the bridge can be a pain to adjust; and it certainly can be time consuming; but - so is the one on my Alembic. And nobody ever seems to complain about those... The few times I paid someone to work on one of my Ricks, it didn't cost me any more than having them work on any of my other basses. It can be a trick to find someone who knows how - especially if you hand them a 4001 - but difficult/expensive? Not really; just nit-picky and time-consuming - if you lack patience, and the proper tools...
- As for your assertion that they look terrible? Well, that's, like... just your opinion, man... and you know what they say about opinions...
So, if you don't want a Rick? As a certified, card-carrying Rickista, I can assure you that no one will ever come to your house; stick a gun in your ear; and make you buy one. So, just play your P-Bass, and be happy...

Looks like I ruffled some feathers. In the spirit of open mindedness I'm happy to have my mind changed and concede this point. Perhaps I haven't given these enough of a chance. Glad they have such a passionate fan base!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Ric discussions often seem to devolve into argument, not sure why. I think I've read about every Ric thread posted since I joined in 2014, a lot of them got closed down by moderators when things got personal. I'd sum it up by saying that most of the things you've heard about Rics, both negative and positive, are true, just exaggerated. My major gripes with Ric have little to do with the basses, and more to do with the Rickenbacker corporate culture, which, like most small privately owned companies, is a direct expression of the Owner's values and personality. Opinions differ about John Hall, I think he's a bit of a jerk, others with some personal dealings with him think otherwise. IMO, the "jerk" aspect is embodied in their terrible warranty policies and indifference to a rabidly loyal fan base that, sadly, often makes excuses for poor QC and dreadful CS. With no incentive to change, and a big production backlog, they are unlikely to change until Hall Sr. retires. It's a bit like reading any review on Amazon, no matter how many 5 star reviews are posted for a given product, there will always be a few one stars from the guy that got a lemon. If you get a nice Ric, as most are, it's all good, if you end up with a lemon, it's a huge PITA to get them to do anything about it. Best advice is "don't buy a lemon", which means play it in person or buy it from a reputable dealer like Wildwood or POTR, who will back you up if something is wrong.