Ric sound without the Ric price...

Ehhh you'll hear it from just about everyone, only a Ric sounds like a Ric. You can get close, though, I've heard good things about the lawsuit era Ric copies ibanez made.

 

Closest you'll ever get to a Ric without being a Ric, would be a Frickenbacker... In other words, a lawsuit bass.

 

Man, I was going to tell you to check out the lawsuit copy on Ebay, but it seems it's been bought since I looked at it this morning.

There was a pretty nice lawsuit on there, it ws bolt-on, but other than that it was pretty accurate.

 

It doesn't look anything like a ric, and it is heavy as heck, but something to do with the wierd pickups, and thier placement, makes my t-40 about as close as I have heard to a ric aside from a ric and a lawsuit rickalike basses. You can find them for between 150 and 300 bucks. With both pickups in humbucker mode, and roll the tone and volume knobs back just a bit it has a bit of that ric "ring". That was one of the reasons I baught the t-40.

Also... alot of the ric tone is the pickups and their placement, so if you want to build a ric sounding bass, a set of replacement pickups on a maple body and maple neck/rosewood board in the correct positions might get you close to the sound.....

As far as the price is concerned, try getting anywhere near as good a bass made in the USA for less, they are out there, but they don't sound like a RIC. RICs are priced as they are because they are handmade in the US in much fewer quantities than Fender or most of the other US made basses. It also helps that they have jealously (rightfully) guarded their copyrights for thier visual and mechanical designs, so you won't find any knockoffs made for long that really look and sound like a ric.

A real RIC is worth every penny.... But a t-40 costs a whole lot fewer pennies.

Man, I want a 4003 in burgandyglow....

 

Considering that a handmade new Ric goes for less than a standard MIA Fender Jazz I'd say they are priced very fair.

The Peavey T-40 sounds like a good suggestion. Another one would be the Ovation Magnum series, their pre-amp can make one sound sorta Ric-ish even though it's a completly different bass.

 

A friend of my just sold a Univox neck-thru 4001 copy for under $500. It sounded and played very Ric. Check ebay and Craigslist.

I think their prices are pretty reasonable though considering their build quality.

K

 

I can't believe no one mentioned a Gibson Ripper, it's also made from Hard Maple

BIlly Gould played one of those through distorted Peavey Mark III's and IV's on Faith No More's really early albums(the two without Mike Patton), "We Care a Lot", and the later "Introduce Yourself" album(which had a revised version of the song "We Care a Lot")

His tone on those two albums was almost identical to the one I get out of my 4003 through my Mesa Bass 400 with the gain turned gritty...

 

Just get a used Ric. If its not about looks get a beat up one. I paid $400 for mine, it looks like its been through a war, but it sounds just like a ric should.

I really want to get it restored to its former glory someday.

 

Maybe you could try a jazz bass with the bridge pickup solo'ed with some overdrive. Many people thought Geddy used his Ric on the whole Moving Pictures.
But if i were you i would try to save as much as money as you can and i buy a real used Ric. I absolutly love my 4001 '77.

 

Sound without the Ric price. Sounds rather generic to me.
Exactly, what sound are you looking for?
I'm gonna take a long shot here and guess that you might want a Geddy/Squire sound.If I'm right ya owe me a beer. Actually,a rickenbacker bass - 4000,4001.4002,4005 ect.. has a palate all it's own and dosen't nessarly sound like a clangy 'ol Ric from the Deep Purple ages.Not that that's bad, but it seems as though people tend to think that way.A fender precision has for a long time had it's pigoen hole of sound sterotype but that's another story.If you in your mind hear a Ric sound, try your best to follow your ears to that sound reguardless of the bass that you are playing.It's not the Bass.It's you.Don't ever be afraid to try something diffrent.
Bill
P.S.
Rickenbacker Basses are getting way over priced as used however if you get your hands on one,Practice,rest,Practice,rest.PLAY!

 

It's about the wood/pickups/neck... and mojo!

 

I had a 4001v64 and the only bass that I've played that I thought sounded like a Ric is my Mouradian. but thats not really a bass with the Ric sound without the Ric price. I would say just save up and get one on eBay.

 

The mojo being the most important part.

 

Once you play a Ric...you will never go back...At 999.95 brand new with case, a HANDBUILT in the USA bass is a great deal. I recently aquired one and the quality is flawless. Lowered the action with extra lights stainless on it, and the Ricky piano wire sound just flows.

Highly reccomended!

 

"I said it once before: I don't care if his basses play like liquid Jesus dipped in butter and greased with lightning sauce, there's simply no excuse for dealing with Ed Roman"

Who's Ed Roman?

 

Fender Geddy Lee ,fresh set of rotos rounds,sans amp DI set to SVT and bing bang

 

Abandon all hope all ye who enter
Ed Roman Guitars

 

I think I've got the perfect solution...


Steal a Ric.

 

Ed Roman site was...er ...interesting....very "Las Vegas".....