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The Rickenbacker Dilemma

GregoryPlays

GregoryPlays

Apr 19, 2008
103
42
Austin TX
#1
So here goes:
Does anybody else think that Rickenbacker basses are the sweetest-looking bass EVER, but one of the most uncomfortable to play?

I owned a 1980 Rickenbacker 4001 from the time I was 16 til I was about 23. I obsessed over getting it because I wanted to sound like Chris Squire, and it was my baby for years, but I eventually bought a Fender Jazz and it's feel and sound just 1-upped the Rick in every way. It seemed the Rick just didn't feel good any more with it's awkward body shape, and it's sound was often give or take (through some rigs it was magic, with other rigs I would rather leave it home... If only I had my Aguilar back then).

So I eventually gave in and traded it for a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass (foolishly, as I landed a good job about a month later and could have afforded to just buy the Geddy, and Vintage Rickenbacker skyrocketed in value about a year later)...

So here I am now, still an avid Fender player, but dreaming about Rickenbackers at night (seriously). I actually have a back-burner idea of buying a Rickenbacker "carcass" and customizing by contouring the body and installing some kind of noiseless electronics. But more than anything, I just like looking at them. Matter of fact, last time I picked one up, I put it down immediately in realization of why I sold it to begin with; I just feel like it doesn't want to sit against my body well.

Anybody else feel this way? Thanks reading my rant!
 
#3
My cheap parts bass here sounds like a Ric and has no binding so it is comfortable to play.

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#5
gregoryisrael said:
So here I am now, still an avid Fender player, but dreaming about Rickenbackers at night (seriously). I actually have a back-burner idea of buying a Rickenbacker "carcass" and customizing by contouring the body and installing some kind of noiseless electronics. But more than anything, I just like looking at them. Matter of fact, last time I picked one up, I put it down immediately in realization of why I sold it to begin with; I just feel like it doesn't want to sit against my body well.

Anybody else feel this way? Thanks reading my rant!
Click to expand...

Lucky for you, Rickenbacker already did that. Its called the 4004l. The 4004 has contoured body and humbuckers. Gives you that really nice traditional ric tone but with a little more lowend. I lvoe comfortable contoured bodies, spectors and fenders are my favorite.

And this rickenbacker is just a comfortable, mixed with its unmistakable rickenbacker tone, its a keeper for sure.

I believe there is actually one for sale in the classifieds.
 
#6
Antares said:
Lucky for you, Rickenbacker already did that. Its called the 4004l. The 4004 has contoured body and humbuckers. Gives you that really nice traditional ric tone but with a little more lowend. I lvoe comfortable contoured bodies, spectors and fenders are my favorite.

And this rickenbacker is just a comfortable, mixed with its unmistakable rickenbacker tone, its a keeper for sure.

I believe there is actually one for sale in the classifieds.
Click to expand...

The only downside to the 4004 is that it's got a thicker neck than the 4003. That seems to be the main reason people on here sell them.
 
#11
The feel is definitely unique, and one that requires developing a taste for. I have a '79 4001, and I heard it all from my friends and other players from the start, wherever I went: great sound! hate the feel ! How can you play that thing ?! After 30 years of baby-ing the thing, and fixing the truss rods a couple of times, I realised it might not last forever. Even the Rickenbacker headqtrs in California will not fix or replace the truss rods anymore !
So I made up my mind to buy a Fender and got a great deal on a Fender Jazz-24 (w/ active pick-ups and a somewhat similar electronics set-up as the Ric !) I earned my stripes on the Ric and the Fender lets me display much more emotion, the response is much better than the Ric, it's true. Still, at my last gig at a biker party in Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago, I brought both basses, and played the Ric the whole night through ! :D
 
#12
gregoryisrael said:
So here goes:
Does anybody else think that Rickenbacker basses are the sweetest-looking bass EVER, but one of the most uncomfortable to play?

I owned a 1980 Rickenbacker 4001 from the time I was 16 til I was about 23. I obsessed over getting it because I wanted to sound like Chris Squire, and it was my baby for years, but I eventually bought a Fender Jazz and it's feel and sound just 1-upped the Rick in every way. It seemed the Rick just didn't feel good any more with it's awkward body shape, and it's sound was often give or take (through some rigs it was magic, with other rigs I would rather leave it home... If only I had my Aguilar back then).

So I eventually gave in and traded it for a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass (foolishly, as I landed a good job about a month later and could have afforded to just buy the Geddy, and Vintage Rickenbacker skyrocketed in value about a year later)...

So here I am now, still an avid Fender player, but dreaming about Rickenbackers at night (seriously). I actually have a back-burner idea of buying a Rickenbacker "carcass" and customizing by contouring the body and installing some kind of noiseless electronics. But more than anything, I just like looking at them. Matter of fact, last time I picked one up, I put it down immediately in realization of why I sold it to begin with; I just feel like it doesn't want to sit against my body well.

Anybody else feel this way? Thanks reading my rant!
Click to expand...
It sounds like what you're looking for is a 4001S or a 4003S. No body binding which means contoured edges. The only downside is that there is no Rick-O-Sound (stereo) output, mono only... which is like nearly every other bass in the world so no big loss unless you use it.

And on the "carcass" front, you'll likely spend a small mint on one simply because about 45,232 bass players have the same idea and competition for a carcass is fierce.

If you find one somewhere local with no advertising you'll probably make off like a bandit, though.
 
#14
When I returned to playing from a 10 year hiatus my 1st choice was a Ric 4001. After playing my '81 as my main bass for awhile I found I could not stomach the feel a Fender Jazz. Our keyboard player had a nice '76 with block inlays, but I couldn't make it through a song without wanting to put it down. I've always liked the sound of a Jazz, but cannot get used to the body contour, and have given up trying. Any Fenders in my stable are P's, with a PJ p'up setup.

Feel is all subjective, I guess...Ric: no problem. Fender Jazz: no dice...
 
#15
EagleMoon said:
That's what I've heard from people who have/had them. Apparently they also sound a little darker than a 4003, which to me wouldn't be a bad thing. But if they made the neck thinner like a jazz I bet you'd see a lot more people playing them.
Click to expand...

Right on. I haven't had any discomfort playing Ricks, but then again, I have never played one for more than an hour, nor do I own one.
 
#16
My rickenbacker dilema. I like Rickenbackers but I only play 5 string basses. The 4003s5 is no longer in production. That bass has a string spacing that is too tight for fingerstyle 2 1/8" ar the bridge. Then there is the 4004cii5. The string spacing is pretty much the same as a sting ray 5 that is 2 3/4" at the bridge, but they used 4 string pickups that can't cover 2 3/4".
 
#18
Antares said:
Lucky for you, Rickenbacker already did that. Its called the 4004l. The 4004 has contoured body and humbuckers. Gives you that really nice traditional ric tone but with a little more lowend. I lvoe comfortable contoured bodies, spectors and fenders are my favorite.

And this rickenbacker is just a comfortable, mixed with its unmistakable rickenbacker tone, its a keeper for sure.

I believe there is actually one for sale in the classifieds.
Click to expand...

I actually really liked them when then I saw the ads for them, but they don't really have a classic RIC look. Maybe if it were all maple with a pickguard I'd consider it more.
 
#19
bassplayer8953 said:
When I returned to playing from a 10 year hiatus my 1st choice was a Ric 4001. After playing my '81 as my main bass for awhile I found I could not stomach the feel a Fender Jazz. Our keyboard player had a nice '76 with block inlays, but I couldn't make it through a song without wanting to put it down. I've always liked the sound of a Jazz, but cannot get used to the body contour, and have given up trying. Any Fenders in my stable are P's, with a PJ p'up setup.

Feel is all subjective, I guess...Ric: no problem. Fender Jazz: no dice...
Click to expand...

Interestingly so, I've been feeling like I really want a P these days. On more than a few occasions when I think I'm hearing a Rick in a recording, it's actually just a P! A 70's P is sweet, but I don't want to deal with the weight of all that ash.
 

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