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The Rickenbacker Club Part Five

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#941
A-Step-Towards said:
I had a 1991 4003 , after owning 3 of the newer ones from 2011 and i sold the '91 within a few weeks of owning it , i like the looks of the newer rics so much more with that slender body and full width inlays
Click to expand...

And they are ridiculously comfortable to play. I brought mine as a backup to a gig this weekend and ended up having to go to it from my Am Std P-Bass (which I LOVE!!!). Half way through the tune with the Ric I was asking myself why I waited 90 minutes!
 
#942
A-Step-Towards said:
I had a 1991 4003 , after owning 3 of the newer ones from 2011 and i sold the '91 within a few weeks of owning it , i like the looks of the newer rics so much more with that slender body and full width inlays
Click to expand...

The body got slimmer about 1997. And in the last few years the headstock also took on the 60s shape. Then a few years ago the inlays also went back to the 60s full width shape.

Now if they bring back the checkered binding they will have recreated the 68 bass pretty well. But I hope they never bring back the dull finish reverse tuners.

Rimg1283.jpg
 
#943
Spectrum said:
Went to a jazz jam today, brought my 4003. Always an attention-getter (which isn't so good since my skills don't measure up to the coolness of my instrument). With the amp eq'd bass-heavy, it takes out most of the clank, but the growl still comes through and it sounds great.
Click to expand...

I first started doing impromptu big band sets off of sheet music or charts in 2007 and at one particular gig I traded off with an upright player. This was a volunteer gig, but challenging and a lot of fun. Most of the players were older and had been at it for decades, it was just us kids in the rhythm section bring the average age value down. Anyway, the upright player came to really like my Ric and would borrow it every now and then when it was his turn to do a set. We both did the same thing to make it sound appropriate, which was solo the neck pickup and roll the tone knob about halfway back. Until I moved to Denver I continued to use a Ric in different jazz groups of all types of configurations and people in the scene began to know me for that. I got several non-jazz gigs through those performances as well. The coolest thing to me was how after the first gig no one batted an eye at the idea of a Ric in a jazz performance. The sound was proof enough!
 
#944
On saturday I went down to my jam room to warm up before the band showed up for our rehearsal. My 4003 MG was sounding flat and muddy on the neck pup and I was confused as it had sounded great last time I played it.

So naturally I started going through everything that might be wrong in my head including amp problems.

Then I found the problem. Yup, the tone pot for that pup had been spun completely flat. I must have brushed it with my hand or something when I was strapping it on. :lol:
 
#946
BassGen said:
On saturday I went down to my jam room to warm up before the band showed up for our rehearsal. My 4003 MG was sounding flat and muddy on the neck pup and I was confused as it had sounded great last time I played it.

So naturally I started going through everything that might be wrong in my head including amp problems.

Then I found the problem. Yup, the tone pot for that pup had been spun completely flat. I must have brushed it with my hand or something when I was strapping it on. :lol:
Click to expand...

Funny,
On the other extreme side, you have folk as Geddy which constantly is checking that is pups and to me are on max, also in the middle of the song.
 
#947
cassius987 said:
I first started doing impromptu big band sets off of sheet music or charts in 2007 and at one particular gig I traded off with an upright player. This was a volunteer gig, but challenging and a lot of fun. Most of the players were older and had been at it for decades, it was just us kids in the rhythm section bring the average age value down. Anyway, the upright player came to really like my Ric and would borrow it every now and then when it was his turn to do a set. We both did the same thing to make it sound appropriate, which was solo the neck pickup and roll the tone knob about halfway back. Until I moved to Denver I continued to use a Ric in different jazz groups of all types of configurations and people in the scene began to know me for that. I got several non-jazz gigs through those performances as well. The coolest thing to me was how after the first gig no one batted an eye at the idea of a Ric in a jazz performance. The sound was proof enough!
Click to expand...

I'm new to jazz. I played in arock band in the 80s and quit until early last year, when I decided I really need to get back into music. I play rock still, but to really expand my music skills I decided to learn more theory and improv. Yesterday was my third jazz jam, they are open and played in a practice space, and beginners are welcome. I'm starting to get the hang of it, and in just a couple of months I've drank from a firehose of music knowledge.

It's the second time I showed up with my Ric, and nobody seemed bothered by it. I play through an amp owned by the jam leader, who runs his doublebass through it, so it's not eq'd the way I would do it, which is probably a good thing.
 
#948
cassius987 said:
I first started doing impromptu big band sets off of sheet music or charts in 2007 and at one particular gig I traded off with an upright player. This was a volunteer gig, but challenging and a lot of fun. Most of the players were older and had been at it for decades, it was just us kids in the rhythm section bring the average age value down. Anyway, the upright player came to really like my Ric and would borrow it every now and then when it was his turn to do a set. We both did the same thing to make it sound appropriate, which was solo the neck pickup and roll the tone knob about halfway back. Until I moved to Denver I continued to use a Ric in different jazz groups of all types of configurations and people in the scene began to know me for that. I got several non-jazz gigs through those performances as well. The coolest thing to me was how after the first gig no one batted an eye at the idea of a Ric in a jazz performance. The sound was proof enough!
Click to expand...

Dave Brubeck's son Chris played a fretless Ric in a combo with his dad. That's pretty old school jazz and it sounded pretty good.
 
#953
I wonder if anyone else has had this problem with their Rick. The strap post on the upper horn of my 2011 has a tendency to unscrew. I have Schaller straplocks (still using the original posts), and play about every day, usually for at least an hour. I use a Levy's 3" neoprene strap, and don't really jump around or anything while I'm playing.

Couldn't fit a matchstick in there. Tried silicone glue, but it still tends to unscrew a little while I'm playing - maybe one turn an hour now that I'm aware of it (the first time I noticed it I was aghast to see the post almost completely out!).

It's certainly manageable as long as I keep an eye on it, but I'd like to fix it if possible. Any suggestions?
 
#956
Ric5 said:
The body got slimmer about 1997. And in the last few years the headstock also took on the 60s shape. Then a few years ago the inlays also went back to the 60s full width shape.

Now if they bring back the checkered binding they will have recreated the 68 bass pretty well. But I hope they never bring back the dull finish reverse tuners.

Rimg1283.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info , i know alot about bass in general terms and alot about fenders but i will admit when it comes to rics I am a noob.

I guess i really perfer that 60s look , i have looked at so many photos of rics over the years and these slender bodies with the deep yet not to wide neck, full width inlays and headstock just do it for me, the 1990 Ric i had was not as sexy as my 2011.

Checkered binding would make me order a jetglo.


Fletz said:
And they are ridiculously comfortable to play. I brought mine as a backup to a gig this weekend and ended up having to go to it from my Am Std P-Bass (which I LOVE!!!). Half way through the tune with the Ric I was asking myself why I waited 90 minutes!
Click to expand...

Agreed, i have never got the whole ricks are uncomfortable comments .

I also have a 2009 or 10 am standard P bass , its a good bass but if i needed a meal it would get sold and i would work at BK to keep the ric.
 
#957
A-Step-Towards said:
Thanks for the info , i know alot about bass in general terms and alot about fenders but i will admit when it comes to rics I am a noob.

I guess i really perfer that 60s look , i have looked at so many photos of rics over the years and these slender bodies with the deep yet not to wide neck, full width inlays and headstock just do it for me, the 1990 Ric i had was not as sexy as my 2011.

Checkered binding would make me order a jetglo.

Agreed, i have never got the whole ricks are uncomfortable comments .

I also have a 2009 or 10 am standard P bass , its a good bass but if i needed a meal it would get sold and i would work at BK to keep the ric.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I don't see the "uncomfortable to play" thing either. Just don't get that.
 
#958
spindoc said:
I wonder if anyone else has had this problem with their Rick. The strap post on the upper horn of my 2011 has a tendency to unscrew.......
Click to expand...

Try adding water into the hole, putting the post back in, and letting it swell overnight. That method is recommended by Ric. If it is still loose, take a toothpick, shave it lengthwise so it is very, very thin, and repeat the water thing and put the toothpick alongside the post threads when inserting.
 
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