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Rickenbacker stigma

#81
I had a Ric once. I bought it because Chris Squire impressed me. But, I'm probably the only bass player that ever bought an instrument because somebody else played one. At that time, the rumor mill had it that the necks were weak and would end up bowed. I never had any problems with mine and I was play 6 or 7 days a week.

I am really in neither camp. I liked mine a lot; but, being a Fender guy (back then it was Ps), it wasn't home. Fenders are my home. I would get another if I thought I would play it much, but I still need a P first.
 
#85
Bim1959 said:
Satori. The hollow log sound I got was from either pickup. I didnt have them both up. That much I know. And the bass I played had horrid neck dive. Others may be perfectly balanced. The one I played wasn't.

And I'm not knocking Ricks. I was pointing out my personal observations. Not everyone likes the same instrument thank God, or else we'd all look alike and sound alike. But for those who like Ricks, hats off to you.

Maybe if a dealer in my area stocked some I'd love to try out another one and see if my opinion changes.
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Huh. Weird.

I've played a couple that were in bad shape from years of abuse. I did play an old one with pickups that sounded off, but they were basically rattling around in their cavities, basically as far away from the strings as they could be. That bass was in rough shape. I've never played one that neck dived, though.

A dude in another band mine played with got one recently, and I played it for a bit. His is way lighter than mine. The body is quite a bit thinner. Mine is quite heavy and solid as a rock. Maybe the one you played had a body too light in comparison to its neck?
 
#88
Gravedigger Dav said:
Ya think maybe they built amps that accepted low output signals from passive pickups? Seein' as how Active pickups were not introduced until abut 1981, we needed a way to get the sound out of the speakers.
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Yeah, I'm not sure where this "Rickenbacker pickups are low output" stuff is coming from, really.

They're pretty average for a passive bass, and average for whatever their era is (the new ones are higher output than the old ones.... like most other new passive basses).

Also, most amps have gain knobs. Not sure why output would be an issue at all.
 
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#90
The only Rick bass I've played with any neck dive is my 4000.
It's quite a light body, so the neck does drop significantly.
All my others balance well.

I find that the bridge pup solo'd with the cap in and some chorus cops 'The Trees' intro tone right on.
For a whole song, however?
Not my preferred sound at all.

Output is pretty much the same as my other basses, with variation for individual setups naturally. Each bass is different.

I've played Ricks so long that I find them easily the most comfortable basses to play.
I really developed my playing style to fit I suppose, since the 4000 was my main player for so long.
The 4003 is top dog now.
 
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#91
Gaolee said:
I don't understand the extreme feelings people have for Rics. They have their issues. What doesn't? But, they are just bass guitars with a specific sound and feel. I have one, I like it, and I play it a lot, but it isn't the only bass I own, nor is it the only one I play.
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I don't get why people get so worked up.
Just mention 'Rick' and some folks go ballistic.

I love 'em, many don't.
No big deal.
 
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#94
Gasman said:
If you have the RIC bug, and have the cash for one, I say get it. Nothing sounds like a Ric. If you don't like it after a few months, unlike many other brands, you can sell it used for just about what you paid for it. I made money once selling a used Ric that I bought used myself, after only a year or so. No other bass I know of has that kind of resell value.

RIC's have the best sound of pretty much any bass I've ever played, and I've played quite a few. The problems with them become evident after the first hour of playing- they simply aren't very ergonomically sound, at least if you are used to Fender type instruments. The Midnight Blue had a reputation a few years ago of the paint bleeding over time, but maybe they fixed that.
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Gasman, you are correct, Sir.

I bought my 79' 4001 as my first bass and sold it, like the 19 year old idiot i was, and have wanted one ever since, so much so that I'm in the parts acquisition stage of building my own recreation of that long lost bass. Is it perfect? By no means. Overpriced? Absolutely. If you like that Squire/Geddy Lee sound, it has no equal.
 
#96
metron said:
It's really hard for people to understand stuff they don't understand. I think that applies to lots of things in life, not just Ric basses.
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It sure applies to me when it comes to the passions people have in both directions. Oh, well. There are a lot of other things I don't understand, like why anybody would want a motorcycle that has a car engine. That's another one I don't understand, but it's a big world, so it makes me happy that those things exist.
 
#97
:D I don't get a lot of stuff too. It's difficult! I'm not talking about quantum mechanics here. Like effeminate hair metal bands in the 80s. Why did that happen? I don't understand.

Well the good news, at least for me, is that I am getting my first Ric early next week. An '08 4003. Hopefully it comes without stigmas!
 
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#98
metron said:
:D I don't get a lot of stuff too. It's difficult! I'm not talking about quantum mechanics here. Like effeminate hair metal bands in the 80s. Why did that happen? I don't understand.

Well the good news, at least for me, is that I am getting my first Ric early next week. An '08 4003. Hopefully it comes without stigmas!
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People's stigmas are their own, you learn not to worry too much about them.
As far as the 80's thing.... it was in rebellion against all the thick beards and coarse hair of the 70's....the girls got skinny and the dudes got girly.
 
#100
I would like to own a Jetglo if i found a deal but the only thing that scares me is the fact that it is a set neck and not bolt on. I would be mortified to have an accident and damage the neck. I also had no idea they were a shorter scale than fenders though,definately not a deal breaker but pretty interesting.
 

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