Rickenbacker tone without ludicrous prices?

[ClassicJazz]

These guy's selling guitars...brand name mfg. are very aware of price points. They don't go to market with over priced product.

The Ric's are very well priced. I think their policy of "call for price" might hold them back sometimes but their prices sure don't.

Individual affordability and market pricing are not one in the same.

If I remember the normal selling price for the 4003SW was around $1500 on Musician's Friend. I had been on the fence about getting one, but the 20% off coupon was the deciding factor.

Is $1500 expensive for a Rick, that really depends. The 4003SW I got had some major QC issues. The fretwork was absolutely horrible, the worst I've ever seen on a bass (seems to be a common use with this model). Sharp fret edges on both sides of the fret board, to the point you can cut yourself. I liked the bass, so decided to dress the frets myself. Much better now.

What gets me is Rickenbacker touts itself as this proud, old made in the USA company, yet their QC department should be fired!

Honestly the best bang for the buck are the Japanese made instruments. I recently got a Craft series Bacchus 5 string Jazz bass. These are the ones made in Japan. The quality and craftsmanship of this bass is first class. Beautiful fretwork, not one flaw or issue. I have no problem saying it is on par with Sadowsky basses I've owned, and only paid less then $800 for it. Totally in a better league in regards to quality compared to Rickenbacker, which is a shame.

 

[Jeff Scott]

...the OP ..... hasn't been heard from since page 1.

Ah, a TROLL among us!

I think he's only made one post in this thread - the first one.

 

[oZZma]

Peavey T-40 is supposed to get close.. I don’t know how close in reality.

This.

 

[Guzzi Toad]

That bass is just flat out cool on it's own!

Yep Yep! I agree. But it has an estimated street price of $749.00.
Is that cheap enough?

The Sidejack version at Eastwood had a MSRP of $999.00.
... going the wrong way.

 

[rickster4003]

Insist on the world famous original RIC. Get used, that way if it's got some dents and so forth, you don't have to worry about denting up new one.

 

[Ric5]

I get a Rickish tone from these Frankensteined parts basses, some are wired passive, and some active, some have humbuckers, and some single coil. All are 34" scale, pickups are generally in the Ric positions and the pickups are sometimes modified and tapped and sometime there is a different pickup under the cover.

 

[Rib 13]

While not exact, my 83 Electra X640N gets in the neighborhood

 

[Ric5]

Chinabackers, from aliexpress or dhgate

 

[wmhill]

* it's not the bass that makes Geddy sound like Geddy, it's him
* a jazz doesn't sound like a ric, they sound like a jazz

 

[Ric5]

With an Audere 4 band preamp if you boost hi mids you get close to the Rick tone. If you boost low mids you get the Fender tone, if you boost both hi and low mids then you get the Geddy tone. If you scoop mids and boost treble and bass then you get the stingray tone.

I like to boost all 4 a little and then dial in what tone I think I need.

 

[Ric5]

with a standard Jazz bass I favor the neck pickup and open up the tone knob

 

[Ghook]

That's a store policy, not a RIC policy.

Interesting.... is there a reason for stores to have that policy? It seems to be uniform among the top internet outlets

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Interesting.... is there a reason for stores to have that policy? It seems to be uniform among the top internet outlets

Marketing, and UI/UX. Retailers hire people with these degrees and relevant experience because certain practices are known to work.

Some companies prefer to do it their own way.

Whatever works.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Check out this Bandgeeks video where he demonstrates how he gets most of the classic Squire tones using Line 6 Helix software. He demonstrates a few non-Ric basses getting pretty convincing tones starting at 12:30. The software itself is expensive ($399), but might allow you to get some good Ric tones using a bass you already have.

 

[Mvilmany]

Play a Ric before you get one. Many love the look and tone, but when they get one in their hands, the feeling is very different from most other basses.

 

[iiipopes]

I love that Rickenbacker tone but I just don't have that type of cash. Are there any less expensive basses that sound like a Rickenbacker?

In a word, no.

 

[Chrisenbacker69]

I own a 4001 C64S. This makes sense as I am shooting for the Macca Ric sound. I love the bass. I bought it used. It wasn't cheap but it was mint and these things are particularly hard to find. I seized the opportunity when it presented itself. It's a thing of beauty. Here is what I've learned in 6 years of ownership (if you're shooting for the same thing I am):

1) You MUST have flat wounds on it.
2) The pickups are LOW output. Say goodbye to your normal sustain expectations.
3) Play with a pick over the "toaster top" neck pickup. This shouldn't be too hard because the wings from the bridge "horseshoe" pickup pretty much preclude everything else.
4) Roll back the tone on the toaster top. The tone will be warm and fat.
5) If you use the horseshoe at all, roll the tone about halfway back. Volume to taste.
6) Do NOT use the bridge mute. Once it's on, getting it off is daunting. If you need to mute, shove a piece of foam under the strings just ahead of the bridge. You're not using that space anyway.
7) If you perform the steps above you'll be close. The only things you'll be missing is Macca's hands. In other words, you'll never quite get there.
8) This is a heavy bass. That's why Macca stopped using it.

As I've said, I love the bass. The neck is right up my alley. It's great for Beatles/Macca songs. But its practical application is limited. It spends most of its time now in its case appreciating in value and not wearing out its frets. My Japanese Fender Precision is better for about 90% of what I play and an acceptable substitute for most everything else.

 

[miljoneir]

Take a random p bass and install a single coil pickup where the 24th fret would be. Install a toggle switch that puts a cap on the p pickup to remove lows. Done.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Chinabackers, from aliexpress or dhgate

I've played one, it didn't sound horrible, just not much like a Ric, more like a cheap P-Bass clone, and needed at least a full fret level and polish just to get it playable. The OP can watch a few Chickenbacker review videos on YT and draw his own conclusions. It might sound similar if you ripped out all the electronics and put stock hi-gains in it, though the pup spacing wouldn't be identical. All the Chickenbackers I've seen are 34" scale. I don't know what the body wood is, comically referred to as "bow wood" or "brazil wood" on the Aliepress site. Mahogany? Basswood? Ash? Hardened Cheez Whiz? The Moderators have instituted a new rule where it is not allowed to "Praise" counterfeits, so I'll say no more.

For the record, I believe posting a Chickenbacker video does not constitute "praise", I take no position on the morality/legality of these basses. Clear as mud, right?

 

[fuzzspiral]

I also find hollow or semi-hollow basses interesting, in my opinion...maybe you can add a preamp pedal to obtain some more "punchyness" and play with eq
Everytime I hear a Ric I always think of hollow body basses...I've played an acoustic one for some years and I tried a Ric last week, may be it's just an impression but, more or less, seems to me in the middle between an acoustic and an electric bass.