Thinking Seriously about the Ric

Have you played one? I wanted one for the longest time till I borrowed a friends rick for a week. Now I have no desire to ever own one.

 

Absolutely try before you buy. They are very much a love/hate type of instrument. Some players can't get over how different the feel is vs. a Fender style instrument like a P or a J that they're used to playing.

I had one for a while and I liked it well enough, but I ultimately let it go because it wasn't getting played as much as my other basses.

If you do decide to buy I'd recommend going through Pick of the Ricks or Wildwood. They are both well known for being excellent dealers with the lowest prices on Ricks (like WELL under the advertised prices of MF, GC, etc.). I bought mine from POTR and the whole experience was fantastic.

 

I love everything about the bass apart from the un contoured body. Just too sharp and uncomfortable. That's just me, you might love it for the same reason I don't.

 

There seems to be a lot of variation in them. If you loved the way that particular one played, go get it. You can order a brand new one and find out that the neck the carved slightly different and is not nearly as comfy as that one you remember.

 

The friend of mine who owns one got a crazy discount off the floor model because of minor cosmetic flaws. Like three or four hundred off the price. You should check those out if there's a Sam Ash near you.

 

+1

I had a Ric in the '70's and loved it but stupidly sold it in th '80's. When I bought a 2013 4003 I hated it and wound up selling it. I have a 1981 now that I really love, along with a couple of others. In general I have found that I prefer the older neck profiles. As Dave said, if you find one you like, buy it.

 

I would also say try before you buy. Odds are you will not lose money if you sell it, but there is a pretty good chance you will hate it. The playing ergonomics suck, it neck dives, two truss rods and a bass-ackwards bridge design combined with the fact you can only use one pickup if you do not run two rigs makes for a lot to hate. That being said, there is a good reason many love them, nothing sounds like a Rick.

 

Rics are my favorite basses and I've been playing them since the 80's. They feel like home to me. But yeah, definitely take the bridge pup cover off, that thing is pointless. People on here always seem to recommend getting a Ric from wildwood guitars, they are known for having good prices.
http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/rickenbacker.htm

 

If you like it (which you obviously do), get it.

Simple as that.

 

Be careful...you said you tried a used one. This could have a big impact on the neck profile and playability.

I've always loved the look and sound of Rics. So back in the spring, I bought a brand new 4003W. After two weeks I returned it, due to horrible ergonomics, terrible QC, and worst of all, a neck that did NOT work for me - big, fat, wide. I figured, like many others that have posted above, that this was it for me with Rics. Then, earlier this month, after doing some research on how older Rics often have skinnier necks, I took the plunge and bought a 1980 4001. You know what? It is like the two aren't even the same kind of bass. The 4001 has this incredible thin, fast, comfortable neck. Somehow, the body ergonomics don't bother me anymore. And, the quality is impeccable. I can hardly put the bass down since buying it.

I have since read that while most 4001s have thin necks, 4003s are highly variable. If this might be an issue for you, I'd recommend talking to some of those guys in the Ric thread, there are some guys with ridiculous amounts of knowledge and experience over there.

Would I ever recommend or buy a brand new/modern 4003 again? Nope. But a 4001? In a heartbeat.

 

You can run both using the Standard output and a single cable into a single rig.

 

I picked up a 97 by accident a few years ago. It looked heavily gigged but played like a champ. I got it for a great price (considering a good used Ric may not be priced far below MSRP for some reason) and since it's acquisition, it's been on the "Do not sell" side of my hangers. I love mine and it has outlasted some seriously great competition! There are so many things that only a Rickenbacker does... depending on preference, some will be good while others irritate. I dont like that I dont trust myself to attempt a setup on it, but other than that, I love my Ric.

 

A Rick with rounds and played finger style sounds so cool for the music your playing. If you're not a Fender player, it should be a breeze to get used to the feel. Ricks can be tough to play if you're switching back and forth between basses. But if you spend time with one, you'll adjust to it and realize how great they do play once you've made the adjustment (For example, using your thumb, instead of your forearm to anchor your plucking hand, because of the sharp binding.) I pretty much learned bass on a Rick so they seemed natural to me. Lately, I been gigging a P so I've learned that Ricks sure can be a pain in the ass if your muscle-memory is locked into Fender mode.

Doesn't sound like that would be an issue to you. Plus, the sound it makes is so cool for punk, metal and most heavy rock stuff, you'll love playing it so much that ergonomics will be the LAST thing on your mind.

This is very true. Def play before you buy. There is a lot of variation so it would be good to play a few and decide which one is the best for you.

Yeah, the whole "you can only use one pickup at a time" thing is absolutely untrue. Spoken like a person who hasn't spent enough time with a Rick to be any authority on the subject.

As far as the truss rods and bridges go, a healthy 4001 or 4003 is a fine, high quality instrument. One in good condition is durable and reliable, and worthy of being a work-horse bass. Take it to a pro tech who is experienced with Rickenbackers and you wont have to worry about truss rods and bridges. They do their job (tho I concede the bridge IS a pain in the @ss while doing it). It's true, a Ricky isn't something to be tinkered with in the garage. If you're not a pro at setups, take it to one.

Cheers!

 

Right on.