Phil Lynott's Rick 4001

[PhR75]

The maple neck P also was seen as a spare on stage in 1983, I think it had the bridge pickup modded in by then.

He must have switched to an Ibanez Roadster RS-900 during the Japanese tour '79 when they had Dave Flett as the other guitarist and Midge Ure on keys and occasional guitar. Don't know if those Precisions got any stage use during the Roadster years (until '82) as he occasionally used a Blazer which had a Super 4 pickup installed to the RS900 position.

 

[lowplaces]

Phil also played an Ibanez P shaped object. One of the live videos of Cowboy Song shows him playing it. (Edit @PhR75 beat me to it)


Fwiw, Frampton inspired Live and Dangerous

 

[rodl2005]

I was a big Lizzy fan back in the day, and I've always wondered why Philo gave the 4001 up. BY 1974 he was using the 4001 after moving to that bass from the Dan Armstrong, By 1975, he could also be seen using a 4000. But by early 1976, the Precision that had sat as his back-up now, with the reflective 'plate, became his main; another P supplementing as back-up.

I've often wondered why he sacked the Rick. Was it the neck misbehaving? Or did the Precision win over as more ballsy? I'd also love to know what happened to that 4001.

View attachment 5139663

He gets a good score right up, being able to stand and play well in those platforms.

And yet he styled AND sang also.

And had great tube amps and big ol cabs.

Amazing

Would've been a blast to see live

 

[sc_precision]

If you listen carefully to Ballad of a Hard Man, it's definitely the Rickenbacker and it sounds like his using the front pickup only to get that p bass sound. It has that hollow sound the neck pickup on a Ric is known for with the addition of the monel flatwounds Phil uses.

 

[PhR75]

If you listen carefully to Ballad of a Hard Man, it's definitely the Rickenbacker and it sounds like his using the front pickup only to get that p bass sound. It has that hollow sound the neck pickup on a Ric is known for with the addition of the monel flatwounds Phil uses.

He might be using both pickups as his 4001 most likely had the original bass cut cap in the treble pickup circuit and the neck pickup dominates the sound.

He also did use the 4001's Ric-O-Sound output at least on stage and had a wah-wah pedal in the bridge pickup channel which can be heard on some BBC live stuff.

 

[PhR75]

I’m curious how long he used a jazz bass for. There is a picture of him holding one and in the video for “The Rocker” but same clothes in both so maybe was only used for that video.

There's some video (or Super 8) stuff from their very early days where he is playing a sunburst Jazz and even plays it with his fingers. Maybe an early phase or a loaned bass?

The Rocker clip with the Jazz was with Gary Moore? I recall another one with Eric Bell and on it Phil had the 4000.
Both of course playbacks.

 

[sc_precision]

There's some video (or Super 8) stuff from their very early days where he is playing a sunburst Jazz and even plays it with his fingers. Maybe an early phase or a loaned bass?

The Rocker clip with the Jazz was with Gary Moore? I recall another one with Eric Bell and on it Phil had the 4000.
Both of course playbacks.

I think the jazz was just for a video or two and I am guessing maybe he was trying out different sounds before landing on the precision. I read that Reverb interview they got from a writer back when where Phil said he used the Ric because they were renowned for finding your own sound but his sweat on stage kept messing with the pickups.

 

[Gluvhand]

There's some video (or Super 8) stuff from their very early days where he is playing a sunburst Jazz and even plays it with his fingers. Maybe an early phase or a loaned bass?

The Rocker clip with the Jazz was with Gary Moore? I recall another one with Eric Bell and on it Phil had the 4000.
Both of course playbacks.

The Jazz was given to Lynott from Brush Shiels when he tossed Lynott from early Skid Row for Phil to learn on. At least that's the story Shiels tells in some Lynott and Moore bio books.

 

[Wood and Wire]

The Jazz was given to Lynott from Brush Shiels

Was that before The Blue Lagoon?