Rickenbacker pros/cons

[ThaCoast]

Never meant for my post to create some trolling movement. but hey everyones got an opinion bout the bass: dislikes, likes. I may like the real deal rics one day but for now, i'm too much of a precision bass guy. oh well, but i will admit they do have some tone and great classic looks those rics!!

 

[Engine207]

What is this Treble Bezel you are reffering to mate?

I eventually replaced the bridge with a Badass II on one bass, and a Schaller 3D on another. Now the Hipshot is a good option.

Here's my '80 4001. It illustrates many of the points of our discussion. The first photo is with the Treble Bezel by TubeAmpology and the Hipshot bridge. I'm pretty happy with this current setup. I'm not associated with Frank either, but the bezel is a great idea and he's a super guy to work with. I pimp him shamelessly. The second and third photos are with the gaping wound around the bridge pickup and the BadAss II installed. Obviously, the stock bridge has a bigger footprint, and I've tried both black and white pickguard surrounds to cover the area. I think I like the white better, but it's not quite the same shape as the stock bridge. My next project will be to put a forearm contour in, to make it more comfortable to play. My dad-in-law has a real good belt sander, and says we could have it perfect in about 20 minutes.

 

[sturoc]

Just practice and play more. That forearm bezel will come naturally then !

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Here's my '80 4001. It illustrates many of the points of our discussion. The first photo is with the Treble Bezel by TubeAmpology and the Hipshot bridge. I'm pretty happy with this current setup.

It looks like a nice option.

The second and third photos are with the gaping wound around the bridge pickup and the BadAss II installed. Obviously, the stock bridge has a bigger footprint, and I've tried both black and white pickguard surrounds to cover the area. I think I like the white better, but it's not quite the same shape as the stock bridge.

What I did was to fill in the bridge recess with a block of maple. I had also refinished the bass, so you really couldn't see it. Here's the bass as it is now with no bridge on it.

My next project will be to put a forearm contour in, to make it more comfortable to play. My dad-in-law has a real good belt sander, and says we could have it perfect in about 20 minutes.

No! Don't do it! You will be turning a 4001 into a RM 1999. The basses with binding are way cooler than the basses without it (and the stupid dot inlays), and you wont be able to undo it.

My one bass has the checkered binding, and I'd never remove that just to get a rounded edge. At the very least, stick a rounded plastic molding over that edge.

Here's my March '73 bass with the filled in bridge recess:

As you can see, I installed a mudbucker on it back in the 80s.

Heres the March and August (transitional) ;73 basses:

I'm going to restore the purple one to stock and paint it Jetglo. I can't decide on removing the wood under the bridge and putting the stock split bridge back on, or the Hipshot. I also have to fill in where the Mudbucker was and get a new pickguard for the toaster.

Here it was in 1980 with the new paint and no mudbucker.
(if only I was that skinny again lol)

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Just practice and play more. That forearm bezel will come naturally then !

+1

 

[Ric5]

The 4004 models have nice rounded edges that are comfortable on the forearm.

 

[audiomitch]

For the ones who say the 4001/ 4003 are perfect, that is a bit too hardcore....
No bass is really perfect.

I haven't really seen anybody claim that here.

Unless they're saying it as a subjective thing. I see that all the time for all manufacturers like "My Precision Bass is perfect!" or "a Spector is the perfect bass!". I don't think anyone takes it literally, though.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

The 4004 models have nice rounded edges that are comfortable on the forearm.

But the binding is classier looking IMO. Ricks look cheap without it. Same for the fingerboard dots. Makes them look like a Fender.

 

[Duke21]

I haven't really seen anybody claim that here.

Unless they're saying it as a subjective thing. I see that all the time for all manufacturers like "My Precision Bass is perfect!" or "a Spector is the perfect bass!". I don't think anyone takes it literally, though.

GeezerDeacon69 on page 6, well kind of.

 

[Engine207]

Just practice and play more. That forearm bezel will come naturally then !

What I did was to fill in the bridge recess with a block of maple.

No! Don't do it! You will be turning a 4001 into a RM 1999. The basses with binding are way cooler than the basses without it (and the stupid dot inlays), and you wont be able to undo it.

I'm just joking. I could never bring myself to do an irreversible mod in this Ric. Too much sentimental attachment to it. I've played it many hours since I bought it new, but still not much of a "forearm bezel". Yet, it's a great bass and I love it. My bridge mod has a piece of ash, cut to the exact shape of the mute route. I'd prolly need a knife to pry it out. Even painted black, it looked amateur to me, so I went with a pickguard look.

I so wanted to be Geddy when I was a teenager. Don't ya love the "Dirk Lee" press on letters? That has Lerxst written all over it.

 

[matthewthall]

My 1979 4001 is the only bass i've ever been attached to, and that's really saying something. I've owned copious basses, (MIA fender jazz/p-basses, gibson rippers, gibson thunderbird, vintage kay) and i've swapped them all for one thing or another. In my opinion it does not get any better than the feel or tone of a rickenbacker. A rickenbacker is like falling in love, all the other basses in the world are like summer flings in which you have one foot out the door and you're looking for the next best thing.

Pros- slim neck, great balance, rich pure tone (sounds like honey). i've often heard it sounds too thin, but i think it's the right balance of rich treble with a balanced low end.

Cons- the body isn't for everyone, it seems as though mainly british bands use rickenbackers (this could be a problem if you're in a southern band with deep rooted ideologies of the confederate flag)

I play through a vintage ampeg v4/v4 matching cab and it's the greatest tone i've ever achieved.

 

[sturoc]

Great pic of Geddy . Looks like they're rehearsin in a shop or warehouse. Note the torpedo gas heater on that bench in the background pointed right at the Alex position.

Ohhh If I only had my Moog Taurus 1 pedals again.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I'm just joking. I could never bring myself to do an irreversible mod in this Ric. Too much sentimental attachment to it.

Whew!

I've played it many hours since I bought it new, but still not much of a "forearm bezel". Yet, it's a great bass and I love it. My bridge mod has a piece of ash, cut to the exact shape of the mute route. I'd prolly need a knife to pry it out. Even painted black, it looked amateur to me, so I went with a pickguard look.

Yeah, the binding is there to keep the edge from getting worn! It never bothered me too much I guess.

I did my bridge mod before Geddy. I don't know if I would have covered up the old hole though.

I so wanted to be Geddy when I was a teenager. Don't ya love the "Dirk Lee" press on letters? That has Lerxst written all over it.

I wanted a P bass when I started playing. Then I saw a photo of Paul with his Rick and thought it was the coolest looking bass I had seen. Then I heard Roundabout by Yes for the first time. I was in high school so it was 1972. I asked a friend how he got that bass tone, and he said it was a Rick with Rotosounds. I got my first 4001 a year later. I also liked that not everyone had one.

I wanted Jetglo, but the drumer I was playing with at the time had a maple set, and talked me into Mapleglo. I got my second Mapleglo Ric used in '76. Thats the one I painted purple flake. It was the 80s, so....

Here it was still totally stock in '76 (with my Peavey amp!):

It was slightly older than the other '73, and has the checkered binding, split bridge, and a few other odd details.

 

[Engine207]

Whew!

Yeah, the binding is there to keep the edge from getting worn!

Heh...My Ric is more likely to put a contour in my forearm than I am to use my forearm is to wear a contour into it!

 

[kcole4001]

Great pic of Geddy . Looks like they're rehearsin in a shop or warehouse. Note the torpedo gas heater on that bench in the background pointed right at the Alex position.

Ohhh If I only had my Moog Taurus 1 pedals again.

They make Taurus IIIs now, but they're $2000!!!
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Another $450 for the fitted road case (which is a must).

 

[BAMonBASS]

It's not a bass, its a religion and if you don't worship at the alter of the Rickenbacker you will burn in eternal hell-fire while we believers look down at you in a lake of burning fenders and laugh!!! HAHA

I almost spit soda all over my screen reading this.

 

[iamthebassman]

Cons- the body isn't for everyone, it seems as though mainly british bands use rickenbackers (this could be a problem if you're in a southern band with deep rooted ideologies of the confederate flag)

I don't understand this one, at all.

I'm a major RIC fan, not British, in a (few)band(s) from The South, and have "deep rooted ideologies of the Confederate flag".

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I don't understand this one, at all.

I'm a major RIC fan, not British, in a (few)band(s) from The South, and have "deep rooted ideologies of the Confederate flag".

Hey, all your pictures are backwards!

Wow, a lefty CS! Didn't know there was a such thing.

 

[iamthebassman]

Wow, a lefty CS! Didn't know there was a such thing.

Yep, it's super-rare.

 

[RobJ]

I have a love hate relationship with the binding. I love how it looks but hate what it does to my forearm after a time when I'm playing while seated. It's much less of a problem for me when I'm standing up as my arm doesn't rest heavily on the binding.