Rickenbacher - Good or Bad?

[BartmanPDX]

Rics are very unique both in terms of looks and sound. That uniqueness tends to engender strong feelings one way or another among people.

They are also difficult to find in stores, so many people buy them without a chance to play them first, and as with any bass, they are not for everyone, so that leaves some buyers grumpy if they discover they don't like them.

Personally, I love the look and the sound, but hate the neck and string spacing. I love Rics and still miss my old Ric now and then, but not when I think about how the neck felt in my hands.

 

[cosmicpimp2]

To bad a ric, alembic, wal, sadowsky, G&L, or Lakeland can't compete with Ibanez. I wish i new that junk basses sound good.... oh wait they don't

i refuse to own a ric, gibson or any other overpriced guitar/bass. i find that as the price wars continue between guitar companies, quality is getting better with the cheaper instruments.

no need for a 4,000 dollar guitar or bass.

 

[Gibenbackerbass]

I really like Rickenbacker basses. I like them as much as Gibson!!! And that says a lot. There are only two other basses I like better. A 1964 - mid-1965 Gibson Thunderbird, and the Gibson RD Artist. Gibson achieved perfection with these two babies!!!

When you find one (Rickenbacker 4001/3 that's made correctly, that doesn't have finish flaws or any of the other things that can detract from an instrument's performance, they are an exceptional bass. The variety of tones you can achieve is truly magnificent. They play like butter and are one of the most comfortable basses I've ever owned/played. I cannot say enough good things about them.

You just need to be on the watch for those nasty quality defects that rear their head. Get a good one and you will be happy. I've been lov'in them since the early 80s.

 

[Rocky]

I have a beautiful 4003JG that I purchased new from a reputable dealer. It is a great bass, but like any bass it needed a good professional setup. You can get lots of different sounds out of these basses especially with the treble tone circuit that cuts the capacitor in or out. With the capacitor out of the circuit the bass gets plenty of bottom end with a nice clean piano tone. With it in the circuit you get the old school 4001 tone. Combine this with the tone controls and you can dial in just the perfect blend for your sound. The new 4003 bass has a much nicer neck than what I remember from the mid eighties 4003, and I like the neck very much. However, I totally agree with the advice to try before you buy as these are basses you either like or you don't, and each one seems a little different from the next. The bottom line is if you like it you can play just about any style music with a Ric, but it may not fit visually with some of the more close minded band leaders like a P-bass would.

 

[rayzak]

I love my Ric 4001. However, I play my Lakland J & P basses more. They are just more comfortable/easier for me to play. But sometimes..... only a Ric will do.

 

[jackduran]

I rated the 4003 I used in a number of studio sessions recently as very, very good, yet very uncomfortable to play with my fingers due to the pickup cover and the deep-set neck pickup. I found that it suited pick playing a lot more. For me, anyway.

The tone, with a pick, is brilliant and really cuts through. But not in every situation (I'm in a rock-pop-disco orientated band so pick playing isn't my predominant method).

 

[genstormbringer]

People seem to have really high expectations of Rickenbackers, probably because they are made in the USA and a little on the pricey end for a factory bass.

I own three. Not one is perfect, but close enough for me. Where each IS perfect is in the tone, set-up, and playability department.

I also dig the looks.

I would caution against buying one before you have a chance to play one. QC issues aside, and even using a perfect specimen as an example, they are not for everyone.

BTW, all three of my Rics were purchased long-distance, sight unseen (though I buy, sell, and trade guitars for a living, so I know what questions to ask). No regrets whatsoever. These are my "house is on fire" basses, the first I'd try to save.

There are always basses from EVERY company that are not perfect including Sadowsky Alembic Fender and Gibson etc... ya get the point.

 

[GoesThump]

Damn - wrote a detailed reply and it got eaten.

I've had mine (2) since the mid-80s. Ignore both the zealots and the haters. They're fine basses in my experience, but not the holy grail.

They're unique and not to everyone's taste. Try before you buy, without a doubt.

And try one w/flats. It's fabulous.

The neck shape is different & takes some getting used to. Be aware that some are fairly thick & others quite thin. Mine (79 & 80) are thin.

Surprisingly versatile. Ignore the "one trick pony" comments. (Some say that about p-basses too. Also not true IMHO.) That said, it wouldn't be my optimal choice for slapping. It can be done, and done well, but other basses are perhaps better suited to that job.

Try before you buy if at all possible. Good luck & let us know how it goes.

GT

 

[CDweller]

My experience with Ricks dates back to my first brand new 4001 back in 1974. Love the tone- nothing sounds exactly like a Rick. The thin necks are easy to play, for me, and the thick necks are clunky.

Quality control is a factor. Rickenbacker is willing to ship stuff out the door with significant flaws. My '99 4003 was shipped with the fret inlay cracked underneath the clear coat. I foolishly accepted the bass, and had Rickenbacker fix the defect. They did, but the wood of fretboard from the 5th to 6th fret is significantly different in color from the rest of the fretboard. This affects the resale.

I also find the squared off edge of the body to be a deal breaker. My next Rick will be a non-binding model.

So I'm a little wiser now, and don't accept crap- get me one that's good, or we shake hands and say later.

 

[BartmanPDX]

There are always basses from EVERY company that are not perfect including Sadowsky Alembic Fender and Gibson etc... ya get the point.

Yep, but there seem to be a lot more issues regarding Rics recently, and not just from one poster here.

I can't remember the last time I read a thread by someone who had major problems with their new EBMM (or Sadowsky for that matter).

That being said, Rics have a fantastic tone and great look, and there are many great ones out there.

 

[perkidan]

I have played a few 4001's and a couple of 4003's and they are not for me. Then again the same people that owned them didn't like my basses either. Personal preference.

 

[nostatic]

I just slapped the hell out of my Ric 4003 on "Higher Ground" to a packed dance floor this past Saturday night. It sounded amazing.

slap /= funk

Higher Ground often /= funk

I think Rics have ridiculous looking hardware (like something from 1950's Soviet Union imho), but at least they have an aesthetic. People should buy what they like. I don't really care for how they look or sound, but that might explain why i don't own one. I don't begrudge those who dig them - more power to them. I do find it odd that some fanbois will lavish the brand with praise in one breath, then complain about qc in the next...

 

[johnk_10]

IMO, there's no need to be 'polarized' or get defensive in one's opinion of them. i personally think that most of them are great basses (at least all 8 of the one's that i've owned are/were), but i also think that there are alot of other great basses, that's why i own two rics and 18 others that are not rickenbackers.

and btw, i play funk, rock, soul, & slap, r&b and pop on my rics all the time.

 

[dieselbass]

enjoy the heck out of My Ric. been modified here and there but just makes it a little better IMHO

 

[JohnMCA72]

I had one back in mid-70s. Got out of music in 1982 & sold it. I wish I had it now! It played great & I liked the sound. Only paid $475 in '75, which is what it sold for again in '82!

 

[Baird6869]

I don't like RICs but that is just me.

If I had to find negatives, I would say that the pickup cover gets in my way and when I take it off, the sharp edges bug me. The sharp body edges also cut into my arm. Oh, and the management of the company IMO can be goofs. Nitpicking though... they are generally good quality and solid basses.

Great looking and sounding, but just not for me.... and I tried to love RICs!

 

[Engine207]

I have no desire for a NEW Rickenbacker.

+1. Old Rics FTW!

The only flaw my '80 JetGlo 4001 has is it's player's skills.

Well...actually...I don't love the stock bridge. I put a BadAss II on in '82 and now have a 62 lb. brass Hipshot. Sounds, feels, and looks awesome. Never had a problem and it will be sharing coffin space with me.

Oh...and Rickenbacher is now going by the name Rickenbacker.

 

[bassbenj]

To bad a ric, alembic, wal, sadowsky, G&L, or Lakeland can't compete with Ibanez. I wish i new that junk basses sound good.... oh wait they don't

Well I guess I'd better put my SX (old headstock) basses up for sale then. And the local bass player I know whose main axes are an Ibanez and a Squirer had better order that Ric or Sadowsky (He gets tone from that pair that if he'd tell you how he does it, you'd kiss his butt at Main and High st. and give him 20 minutes to draw a crowd!)

Point is you get what you pick out, not necessarily what you pay for!

As for Rics, I LOVE them. I played one at the local high-end bass shop. It was an amazing instrument. I wanted one! But what I really wanted was a 5 string version. "No problem" says shop owner. "They make 5 strings too!". Well it turns out "Used to" is the operative phrase. And this is why people hate Rics.

What's-his-name, the head guy at Ric decided he'd rather make guitars than 5 string basses or something and just told anyone wanting a 5er to buzz off. He obviously thinks he's God's gift to instrument making (which is not a TOTALLY false idea!) and has a very bad attitude. I read his rant on the old Ric forum about why 5 string guys should pound salt. And as time went on I read more and more nightmare QC and support stories about Ric on the internet.

And it's got me to the point where if they suddenly started making 5ers I'm not sure I'd get one and remember I LOVE those instruments! I had a fistful of dollars waving it in the bass shop owner's face BEGGING him to take it! No dice. No recession in the bass business I guess.

And that's my Ric story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Whats a Rickenbacher?

 

[Muaguana]

At least while they are having a go at Ric, they are leaving Fender alone.

So you would expect people to suddenly start posting, "Oh yeah, and Fender sucks too" in threads dealing specifically with Rickenbacker QC issues? It's true that "stay on topic" is an unwritten rule, but that doesn't make it any less important...

Actually, that sounds like fun. Count me in.

Edit:

slap /= funk

Higher Ground often /= funk

Someone should totally sig that.