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Ric tone from Spector

R

radness

Aug 14, 2012
4
0
#1
Is there anyone using Spector? I really like Ric 4003s tone.

I just got Spector Rebop as a gift recently and wonder if there is a trick to adjust knobs to get the closest Ric tone.

I'd get Rickenbacker soon for my next bass. But for now, trying to find a way to have that Ric tone.
 
#5
The pickups are in completely different places. I don't think one could ever get the same sound out those 2 basses. About the only similarity between the 2 is that they are both "usually" made completely of maple.
 
#7
Yep use rotos, keep the treb boost about half or less. And find the sweet spot with the blend knob. The rest is tweeking the amp. Play with the mids 750-3k. The Spector can get barky like a Rick pretty easy but the Rick is thinner sounding from the singles. If you want to get really close swap out your emg Hz's for emg 35j 's that will give you more of the j bass bite with less of the Spector fullness. It's just a matter of tone shaping on the bass from there. Your tone pump should be adjustable on the preamp for output level also. Most are really hot from the factory set to about 9. Most of us prefer the sweet spot around 3 or 4. Come over to the Spector thread if ya want and we'll be more than happy to share what we know. :)
 
#10
Thank you everyone for suggestions.

I will try Rotosound strings and using treble boost on tonepump.

I would keep the bass in original (I'm just terrible person to modify pickups) and use it for a moment til I can get the new Ric.

I'm absolutely going to get Ric in the future.

Yeah, I'm a fan of Ric tone.

Btw, how about thunderbird tone on Spector? Any suggestions?
 
#11
Spleenface92 said:
I got a mexi P to sound rick-esque with a Sansamp pedal. Don't quite know how...but...I did.
Click to expand...

No you didn't, you just perceive the sound as Rick like because you probably associate Ricks with distorted tones.

Believe me, I do it all the time. Plug a passive bass other than a Rick into a Sansamp, fiddle for a bit and remark at how Rickenbackerish it sounds. Then I plug my 4003 in and realize its all in my head, nothing sounds like a Rick, nothing comes close.
 
#12
Rics sound like they do for a million reasons, but the biggest single thing is pickup placement. The bridge pickup is lower than a p bass position and higher than a jazz bass bridge pickup. The neck pickup is way higher than on 99% of all bases.

Any bass with humbuckers will struggle to sound like a Ric anyway.

If, on the other hand, by "ric tone" you just mean "clanky", just slap on some steel roundwounds and reach for the treble knob.

Everybody says use Rotosounds, but i find Ernie ball steel slinkys do the trick and last longer - thats what i got on my Ric!
 
#13
radness said:
Thank you everyone for suggestions.

I will try Rotosound strings and using treble boost on tonepump.

I would keep the bass in original (I'm just terrible person to modify pickups) and use it for a moment til I can get the new Ric.

I'm absolutely going to get Ric in the future.

Yeah, I'm a fan of Ric tone.

Btw, how about thunderbird tone on Spector? Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Not on a t bird tone. Most of those are trying to sound like the Spector lol. You kind of got it backwards. A fender jazz with upgraded pups and bridge can sound like a lot of things, the Spectors are pretty much their own animals that others try and duplicate. Don't sell the Spector just yet,i If you haven't played a Ric before. Yours might not have the ric growl either ( for some reason not all do, verified by the ric guys). The rebop is a lot of bass for the $ but does need some tweeks imo.
 
#14
grendle said:
Not on a t bird tone. Most of those are trying to sound like the Spector lol. You kind of got it backwards. A fender jazz with upgraded pups and bridge can sound like a lot of things, the Spectors are pretty much their own animals that others try and duplicate. Don't sell the Spector just yet,i If you haven't played a Ric before. Yours might not have the ric growl either ( for some reason not all do, verified by the ric guys). The rebop is a lot of bass for the $ but does need some tweeks imo.
Click to expand...

I'm now using Gibson thunderbird as my main bass.

I recently tried Ric4003s model and felt it has the similar sound to my Thunderbird a lot. But Ric shape is more comfortable to play. Then I got Spector Rebop that I will use it as backup bass I try to find the way to get Rics and thunderbird tone from Spector.

I don't like one thing from Spector that is Active preamp. It really gives me a hard time to do with distortion pedals.
 
#15
radness said:
I'm now using Gibson thunderbird as my main bass.

I recently tried Ric4003s model and felt it has the similar sound to my Thunderbird a lot. But Ric shape is more comfortable to play. Then I got Spector Rebop that I will use it as backup bass I try to find the way to get Rics and thunderbird tone from Spector.
Click to expand...

Why not use the Thunderbird to get Thunderbird tones, and the Spector to get Spector tones? Then purchase a Ric down the line to get Ric tones...

:hiding:
 
#18
bassgod0dmw said:
Why not use the Thunderbird to get Thunderbird tones, and the Spector to get Spector tones? Then purchase a Ric down the line to get Ric tones...

:hiding:
Click to expand...

I use Thunderbird and have Thunderbird tones that I really like it. I use Spector as a backup bass to get Thunderbird and Ric tones when my main bass cannot perform. I didn't buy Spector at first, someone gave me as a gift. So this is why I ask Spector bassists here if they have experiences about how to get tones.

I will buy Ric soon when my financial ready because I still want real Ric tones too. But for now, I'm gonna use this advantage from Spector I already own to get the closest Thunderbird/Ric sounds that I can do from Spector.
 
#20
radness said:
I use Thunderbird and have Thunderbird tones that I really like it. I use Spector as a backup bass to get Thunderbird and Ric tones when my main bass cannot perform. I didn't buy Spector at first, someone gave me as a gift. So this is why I ask Spector bassists here if they have experiences about how to get tones.

I will buy Ric soon when my financial ready because I still want real Ric tones too. But for now, I'm gonna use this advantage from Spector I already own to get the closest Thunderbird/Ric sounds that I can do from Spector.
Click to expand...

I think you're missing my point.

These basses (Thunderbird, Spector, and Ric) all have their own "signature tone" so to speak. People buy them specifically to get that tone. Instead of trying to make one sound like something else, why not just embrace the tone they make?

It's like trying to get a P bass sound like a J bass. It just ain't gonna happen.
 

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