Picking Out A New Bass. ...input. Rickenbacker Vs Jazz

[Freez]

You have to make your own choice, I have one of each and love them both. But don't listen to the people that say Ricks are a "one trick pony" or "not as versatile" as other basses. The bass is only as versatile as the person playing it. It's a two pickup solid body electric bass, and can cop any tone you want with proper eq and playing style. Now, the ergonomics thing is somew legit. Thankfully I started playing Ricks at an early age. I can play pretty much any type of electric bass without discomfort; I simply adjust to the bass. A lot of guys (probably not most, but a very vocal minority) that start on Fenders can't seem to make that adjustment, and they complain about binding hurting their arms, and the narrow string spacing by the bridge. But you have played them and liked them, so you should be good to go!

 

[Ric5]

Buy a jazz and a Ric and play them both ... both are good basses.

I own 3 Ricks and 2 jazz basses ... My Ricks are 4004s and the jazzes are parts basses ... all are 5 stringers.

 

[pb9717]

Rick's do not travel well, are more sensitive to cold, have lower output. On the plus they are nice n' light, and sound like no other bass. BUT, an American Jazz is the quintessential working players instrument. Used and welcomed in most any situation, unlike Ric;s which have a very polarized opinion on the production and live sound engineering world. I have found the Geddy Jazz ( at least mine) to be particularly bright and different than an Alder American Jazz.

If you want a grindy, bright sound, the Ric or Geddy will be fine, but if you need a more standard sounding overall balanced sound, an american jazz is your best bet IMHO.

 

[pb9717]

If I'm gonna make a recommendation, I'm going off the list....... Sadowsky 4 String Metro Jazz, used can be found for around 16-1800 US.

 

[SeattleSunn]

I have both a 70's jazz and a ric. The jazz is comfortable, has a great tone from the bridge only pick up, and has the nut width that I like. The jazz is the more versital of the two. The ric has the pick up toggle, great for changing sounds mid song on the fly, the neck is not tapered and has a nice feel when changing positions, it has a fuller low end, I like the option of the 4003/4001 switch for a change in tone. I put in a new nut in the ric with the jazz string spacing. I seem to go back and forth with the two.

If you already have a jazz get a ric, and if you already have a ric get a jazz.

 

[Donavan12]

Rick's do not travel well, are more sensitive to cold, have lower output. On the plus they are nice n' light, and sound like no other bass. BUT, an American Jazz is the quintessential working players instrument. Used and welcomed in most any situation, unlike Ric;s which have a very polarized opinion on the production and live sound engineering world. I have found the Geddy Jazz ( at least mine) to be particularly bright and different than an Alder American Jazz.

If you want a grindy, bright sound, the Ric or Geddy will be fine, but if you need a more standard sounding overall balanced sound, an american jazz is your best bet IMHO.

Yeah, I would like an all around bass that can handle travel, studio,(gigging at some point) at home and other jam settings. I also know that with the dual truss rod setup on the ric that setup will be far more complicated and easy to screw up. I may just set aside $1000 max for a jazz. The Geddy still seems appealing to me. How are the Fender classic series? Not mexican/standard. They're around $900 new. I'm thinking a new 4 string jazz

 

[Ric5]

Rick's do not travel well, are more sensitive to cold, have lower output.

Geddy Lee's bass tech chimed in here a few years ago and said the Rick required less maintenance than the jazz basses on tour with Rush. And the 1986 and later 4003 and 4004 basses are as loud if not louder than a Fender. I had an old 60s 4001 that had less output.

 

[Walfretless5]

Get a Wal.

 

[mapleglo]

Rick's do not travel well, are more sensitive to cold, have lower output. On the plus they are nice n' light, and sound like no other bass. BUT, an American Jazz is the quintessential working players instrument. Used and welcomed in most any situation, unlike Ric;s which have a very polarized opinion on the production and live sound engineering world. I have found the Geddy Jazz ( at least mine) to be particularly bright and different than an Alder American Jazz.

If you want a grindy, bright sound, the Ric or Geddy will be fine, but if you need a more standard sounding overall balanced sound, an american jazz is your best bet IMHO.

Geez, there is so much misinformation on the internets about Rics. During the 70's, I played every weekend during the winters, and 6 days a week during the summers. I had one bass, a Mapleglo 4001. It had the truss rod adjusted once, when I bought it, during its initial setup. I was living on the east coast during that time. During the summers, that bass went from the air conditioned concert hall it was kept in, where we played at night, to pool side during the day, in the hot and humid summer days in the Catskill mountains. It never needed any adjustment of any kind, over the several years I owned it. During the winters, it went from my heated apartment, into a freezing car, into the gig, and then back into the freezing car after.

My current 4003 Jetglo, I've owned for just under a year. I adjusted the truss rod after it was shipped to me, and haven't touched it since.

Compared to my Precision, which I adjust every few months.

Regarding sound, I site two people as examples of its range. Chris Squire and Paul McCartney.

 

[Fiset]

Late to the party but I'll give you my two cents. I bought a CIJ Geddy back in 2006. Changed out the tuning machines to Hipshots and ditched the plain white pickguard for a white pearloid (way before Geddy did but nobody believes that now...lol). Since 2006, I have purchased and gigged an American P, several Ibanez's, several MTD's and two Yamaha's. I have liked all of those basses (and still do) but I keep coming back to my Geddy. Just this past weekend I picked up the Geddy after not playing it for several months and was immediately reminded why it would be my choice if I could only keep one of my basses.

Several years ago I was considering selling the Geddy to fund my extreme GAS and my wife was the one who talked me out of it. She told me I would never forgive myself if I sold that bass. I have thanked her often for that little bit of common sense.

 

[lfmn16]

Yeah, I would like an all around bass that can handle travel, studio,(gigging at some point) at home and other jam settings. I also know that with the dual truss rod setup on the ric that setup will be far more complicated and easy to screw up. I may just set aside $1000 max for a jazz. The Geddy still seems appealing to me. How are the Fender classic series? Not mexican/standard. They're around $900 new. I'm thinking a new 4 string jazz

Two truss rods just sound scary, they are no harder to set up than any other bass, just read about how to do it, you'll be fine. As far as not traveling, I don't know where in the hell that comes from, certainly not from experience. I played full time in the late 70's from Miami to Long Island and never had to set my Ric up once. It was set up when I bought it and was solid as a rock the entire time I had it.

I don't care if you get a Ric or not, they aren't for everyone, I'd just hate to see you make a decision on bad information.

You need to decide what you are going to use the bass for. If you are buying a bass to play for yourself, buy whatever you want. If you are looking to pick up studio work for other people, or play in other people's projects, buy the Jazz.

Step one in buying a bass should always be deciding why you want to buy one, what you'll use it for and what it will do that your other basses won't (or maybe you just have GAS) It doesn't seem like you've thought this through.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Rics got bad raps for four reasons:
1- The older truss rods and the adjustment process was different than more conventional basses of the day. People would jump right in and crack the necks before learning the proper method. So all Rics were assumed to have crappy necks. (The new 4003's have conventional truss rods now.)
2- The Cap. Ric used a .0047 cap in-line with the bridge pup effectively high-passing that pup at approx 175Hz. Lots of people didn't now how to operate the bass's tone circuit properly and just gave up on them. So all Rics were assumed to be just too trebley with no bottom end. (Current 4003s offer the Vintage Tone Circuit that gives the player a choice of having that cap in-line as originally done, or bypassing it altogether.)
3- The Bridge. Difficult to intonate, and for a while, the metal and the casting was inferior causing tail lift. So all Rics were assumed to have have obsolete and defective bridges. (Once they're intonated, they're fine. Recent bridges are the third design I believe, no more tail lift.)
4- John Hall. No solution to that one...

 

[rogerbmiller]

Both are fine basses. I would say if you cannot afford both then the one to buy is the Jazz. The Ricky is a beautiful instrument and sounds beautiful but it doesn't have the range that a Jazz bass does. Think of a one trick pony that does its one trick exceedingly well!

A J bass can serve you in a variety of musical situations.

Just my $.02.

 

[raventepes]

Of what you've listed, I'm gonna go with the Geddy. From what's not listed, I agree with looking at a Sadowsky...could even look into a Lakland or a Lull. Both can be had in your price range.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

......The Ricky is a beautiful instrument and sounds beautiful but it doesn't have the range that a Jazz bass does. Think of a one trick pony that does its one trick exceedingly well!

Completely false.

 

[rogerbmiller]

Completely false.

Let me rephrase. In my opinion/experience, a Rick doesn't have the range of a J. Very distinct sound but I could not get it to do what a J bass can do for me.

Better?

 

[bass12]

Yeah, I felt the same way until recently. Close your eyes and listen closely next time you get to play one, they sound really good. They are also really versatile. Not quite the solo instrument the Jbass can be, but lost in the mix.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[Ritchie_Darling]

After dealing with Rickenbacker's horrible customer service, and then a particularly nasty encounter with them at the NAMM show several years ago; I swore off Rickys.

Went home and put them all up for sale. Haven't touched one since.

On the other hand, I wore the frets off of my jazz bass and ended up replacing the neck!

I love Rickenbacker sound and looks. But, they treat customers like crap.

 

[Freez]

Geez, there is so much misinformation on the internets about Rics. During the 70's, I played every weekend during the winters, and 6 days a week during the summers. I had one bass, a Mapleglo 4001. It had the truss rod adjusted once, when I bought it, during its initial setup. I was living on the east coast during that time. During the summers, that bass went from the air conditioned concert hall it was kept in, where we played at night, to pool side during the day, in the hot and humid summer days in the Catskill mountains. It never needed any adjustment of any kind, over the several years I owned it. During the winters, it went from my heated apartment, into a freezing car, into the gig, and then back into the freezing car after.

My current 4003 Jetglo, I've owned for just under a year. I adjusted the truss rod after it was shipped to me, and haven't touched it since.

Compared to my Precision, which I adjust every few months.

Regarding sound, I site two people as examples of its range. Chris Squire and Paul McCartney.

What he said; my Rick is for sure my MOST stable bass setup wise. I live in Michigan, where the temps and humidity run to extremes. Cold, hot, wet, dry; the Rick just never ever needs any adjusting. And the finish on my '85 is pristine, other than some strap rub and a small screwdriver slip. No cracking or peeling at all, just a nice mild ambering. And I stand by the statement - versatility is down to the player. Ged, Squire, Macca, Ox, Glover, Quaif, Lemmy, Foxton, Mills; all sound very different from one another playing virtually the same instrument. One trick pony my ass!

 

[Tbone76]

After reading your original post, I voted for the Ric. It's one of the basses that is polarizing to most people for any number of reasons. They have a unique tone that you really won't get from any other bass, and they also have some quirks that other basses don't have. It seems like you like what it has to offer, and most importantly, you've played one and the ergonomics work for you. If you get one at the right price and decide it isn't for you down the road, you probably won't lose too much selling it along.

As far as Jazz basses are concerned, have you thought about the U.S. G&L JB model? You can custom order one the way you want it, including neck width and profile, and the cost is right around what you'll pay for a new Fender, as long as you don't go crazy with the options.

Full disclosure: I've never owned a Ric, but I do plan on owning one sometime in the future. I also love Leo Fender's designs, but know that they don't work for everyone.