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Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out
- Thread starter Korladis
- Start date
So did Messrs. Squire, Lee, Burton, McCartney, and Kilmister.
No doubt, Burton was the reason I picked a bass up in the first place...but I tried to tailor the question to be relevant to the forum lol
Any time I talk about Rics with anybody local in relation to the genre, Cisneros is mentioned first. If we were talking thrash, I'd assume Burton would be metioned first, etc. etc.
I get it, its a popular form and sound, I'm just worried I'ma hate it...trying to decide if I take the leap and try to get used to it, or if I play it safe and go with the Deluxe P. I've heard Rics take a lot of getting used to!
Yeah I was just having some fun. I'm sure everyone here, yourself included, is well aware of all the famous Ric users without me needing to mention them.No doubt, Burton was the reason I picked a bass up in the first place...but I tried to tailor the question to be relevant to the forum lol
Any time I talk about Rics with anybody local in relation to the genre, Cisneros is mentioned first. If we were talking thrash, I'd assume Burton would be metioned first, etc. etc.
I get it, its a popular form and sound, I'm just worried I'ma hate it...trying to decide if I take the leap and try to get used to it, or if I play it safe and go with the Deluxe P. I've heard Rics take a lot of getting used to!
No doubt, Burton was the reason I picked a bass up in the first place...but I tried to tailor the question to be relevant to the forum lol
Any time I talk about Rics with anybody local in relation to the genre, Cisneros is mentioned first. If we were talking thrash, I'd assume Burton would be metioned first, etc. etc.
I get it, its a popular form and sound, I'm just worried I'ma hate it...trying to decide if I take the leap and try to get used to it, or if I play it safe and go with the Deluxe P. I've heard Rics take a lot of getting used to!
Play it and see! If a standard width P neck with a chunkier profile works for you then the ric necks are similar IMO. The right hand position and stuff is kind of bigger deal... the pickup covers and junk that are on there, well, are in weird place depending on how you pick or pluck or whatever.
I love the sound of the rics but right hand ergonomics of them flat out doesn't work for me.
That's what I was thinking, but with a Zero-mod there shouldn't be too much difference, right? Maybe slightly more forward that I'm used to... The pickup cover is missing (or just removed but available), so that shouldn't be too big an issue. I'm conflicted, but like you said, I'll try em out! (aint that always the answer LOL)
Get it. Play it. They’re SICK, and the best part is if you can’t make it work for you, they’re ALWAYS in demand and you can easily sell it for enough cash for a pretty damn sweet bass and quick.
This is kind of what I was hoping...It's comforting to hear someone say they turn pretty quick. I'ma do it. Worst case, I can go trade/sell again. Now if nobody could give a good counter argument to this post until tomorrow...
Rics are the love it or hate it bass. If you love it, go for it. A PJ is pretty ho-hum everyday bass. Why ditch the spector?
A P/J feels like it'll do the job. If it were a D&D character, it'd be the Bard....it can do everything halfway decent, but isn't specialized.
A Ric feels like maybe it'd be a Wizard or a Rogue. Agressive, but weird. I dunno, never played one. Please pardon my nerd.
I got the Spector for a different, more straight-ahead radio rock project...dude I was working with insisted I get a 5er because Nashville requires it
rolleyes, so I thought, "hey, I've got some scratch from selling my comic books, toys, games, movies, childhood memories, sentimental stuff, and all the other things I love...why not do something 100% counter-intuitive to my method and style?" So I did.
Apparently I hate 5 strings. I'd rather just tune BEAD or go full 6 (I had a Yamaha RBX6JM that, despite the weight, I absolutely loved. It's apparently made it's way to Puerto Rico, as I saw it on Reverb. I knew it was my old one by the chip in the hip.)
Something about 5 just rubs me the wrong way. I can't quite put my finger on it (c wut i did thar?). Maybe it's the spacing, or just this one wasn't my cup of tea specifically.
The thing is, my very first bass (apart from the Highschool's EB-0)was an Ibanez 5 and it wasn't bad. To be clear, I was bad. The bass might have been, how would I know? I was bad.
Anyway, I've got 4 string Warwick Corvette Proline from '02, and it leaves very minimal sonic gaps in in what I consider my sound, but for a doom project, maybe a P with the zip of J tacked on, or just go full 90-degree left turn into Ric? There have got to be better options than a 5 string, tho. I really like Spectors as a whole, but the 5-string really kills the enjoyment of it for me.
And to answer your question, I plan on using both the 'wick and the second bass. The 'wick is proooooobably gonna stay in D Standard-Drop C for a different band project I'm in already, and I'll switch em out as needed.
Speaking of...detuning a Ric to BEAD or D Standard-Drop C...thoughts?
If a Ric can do it halfway decent, maybe I keep the 'wick in regular ol' Drop D.
not all Rics are created equal. i have tried to like the newer ones (last 10-15 years) and just can't gel with the tone or feel. i much prefer the vintage ones, especially the 4001.
you should be fine tuning down as long as you don't expect your strings feel the same as standard. i use 110-50 for C# standard and i also drop the C# to B as well.
you can go custom string gauge route, bit that's too expensive for me. Dunlop, La Bella and DR make 4 string sets for down tuning. none sound great to ne but they give you more stiffness.
you should be fine tuning down as long as you don't expect your strings feel the same as standard. i use 110-50 for C# standard and i also drop the C# to B as well.
you can go custom string gauge route, bit that's too expensive for me. Dunlop, La Bella and DR make 4 string sets for down tuning. none sound great to ne but they give you more stiffness.
I'm pretty sure the one I'm looking at today is a 4003. it's that horrifying orangeglowhateverspice which I love, but I haven't seen the jackplate yet. I have no standard for comparison, so I'm extremely eager to touch it (THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID)
probably a 4003. if it does not have the stripe down the back of the neck and body then it is a 4003 for sure.
Closest match is first on the right in the second pic. I'm meeting him in about 15 mins, I'll let y'all know how it goes!
I don't think you could ask for two more different basses. The Ric is vintage sound, vintage looks, vintage ergonomics (ie none.)
Spector basses are modern in every sense.
I use a 5XL because I can't stand 34" scale basses tuned to B. 35" scale is the way to go for low tunings. However, I am now playing much more aggressive, faster music than I did when I joined this group. A Spector would be a little weird in a lot of stoner\doom bands. Most of the stock builds are active pickups or preamps, and the 5s are dual soapbar. Neither play well with more traditional dirt boxes. However they are great with Darkglass pedals.
On the other hand, I can't like Rics any less.
I wanted one for a long time after I first saw Juan Aldente demo it and one finally appeared in my proverbial back yard for cheap.
I bought it, ran home and quickly realized it's just about pointless, but goodgoddamn what a gloriously pointless sound. Running it parallel to the HM2 was the first time I discovered somewhere that I could do something with it.
That said, there's a Malekko pedal that does something similar. I don't remember it's name, but I sweated over one or the other for sometime (before the P&C showed up and was fated to be mine).
I went so far as to send Alderante a snugglemuffin (I don't know what this word was; oh, on edit i do, "twit" then...whatever) on twitter and asked which he'd pick.. he answer was "whichever one you can get first."
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Rics seem to be love vs hate. I've never played one, so I have no real advice but if you already know you don't like Fenders and you don't want the Spector then why not pick the Ric?
Either or should have decent resale value, and yes Rics do hold pretty well. Unless it's beat up, I'd probably do that in lieu of a Fender you've already got no interest in.
I had a 4 string bass setup specifically for A standard, it had thick strings on it. I don't remember all the gauges but it had a .140 where the E string would be. I was going to setup the project bass I just finished with those strings or a 5 string set with a .125 for C and B. I might be selling that bass to a friend so I haven't touched it yet.
You guys are insane, I used to play in A# with 110s
could also be due to the fact I play kramers.....
