Thunderbird Club

[JJR58]

And before i go off the deep end. I will say this. Only from my personal experience, Rics record in way, that is just dreamy.

 

[Count Bassie]

And before i go off the deep end. I will say this. Only from my personal experience, Rics record in way a way that is just dreamy.

Totally true in my experience. My 76 recorded like no other before or since, I miss that and do regret losing it. I had a tendon/wrist issue and thought the big wide fingerboard was to blame... and maybe it was, sort of, but trading it off was a mistake.
And forward... hoping for redemption, maybe I'll even bump into it again..

 

[JJR58]

Totally true in my experience. My 76 recorded like no other before or since, I miss that and do regret losing it. I had a tendon/wrist issue and thought the big wide fingerboard was to blame... and maybe it was, sort of, but trading it off was a mistake.
And forward... hoping for redemption, maybe I'll even bump into it again..

Well Rog, your playing is all that matters. You posted something, which seems so long ago. And to me. personally, i was very impressed by your playing. My point. You could do no harm on any bass you'd play.

 

[Count Bassie]

Well Rog, your playing is all that matters. You posted something, which seems so long ago. And to me. personally, i was very impressed by your playing. My point. You could do no harm on any bass you'd play.

Tip of the hat Jeff, thank you for the kind, and by nature redeeming, word!

 

[JJR58]

Ok, it's still before 10 p.m. I've already gone to far, but....

Really, it is.....

 

[dukeorock]

Yes Mark. To me, it was not only shy, but a bit muddy. I'm also not a fan of a neck pup being so close to the heel, but i guess, that's why it's called a neck pick-up?, Meh...........The Birds just do it there, and then some. Rics are a tricky thing. They inherently don't sound huge. Sue me anyone for saying so, but it's true. Except for Lemmy. But he was a beast unto any other. The Bardens really shine for their clarity.

But i traded my Ric for a Precision, and happy i did so.

Geeze, i just rambled and it's not even 9pm here.

Ha! There’s a lot of Ric players that made me want one. This is the 3rd one I’ve owned, so... I really never learn anything the easy way

My thing is. I just don't play well enough on a Ric. In general for that matter.
But Birds and a P, i can get by.

I get that for sure

And before i go off the deep end. I will say this. Only from my personal experience, Rics record in way, that is just dreamy.

Could not agree more! Which is why I’ll hang onto this one (well, also because it was a gift). If I can find the right neck pickup to beef up the lows without making it muddy, it could be a winner. The bridge pickup sounds pretty cool to me.
The real problem for me is talking through this with other Ric owners. They refuse to believe there’s any issues, as a rule. I dunno, I just want more bass. It’s right there in the name! I’m not a ‘midsist’ I’m a bassist

 

[JJR58]

Ha! There’s a lot of Ric players that made me want one. This is the 3rd one I’ve owned, so... I really never learn anything the easy way



I get that for sure



Could not agree more! Which is why I’ll hang onto this one (well, also because it was a gift). If I can find the right neck pickup to beef up the lows without making it muddy, it could be a winner. The bridge pickup sounds pretty cool to me.
The real problem for me is talking through this with other Ric owners. They refuse to believe there’s any issues, as a rule. I dunno, I just want more bass. It’s right there in the name! I’m not a ‘midsist’ I’m a bassist

Bassist!!!, i so wanna shake your hand, and give you a bear hug.
Yeah, i'm a bit mushy.......

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

Ha! There’s a lot of Ric players that made me want one. This is the 3rd one I’ve owned, so... I really never learn anything the easy way



I get that for sure



Could not agree more! Which is why I’ll hang onto this one (well, also because it was a gift). If I can find the right neck pickup to beef up the lows without making it muddy, it could be a winner. The bridge pickup sounds pretty cool to me.
The real problem for me is talking through this with other Ric owners. They refuse to believe there’s any issues, as a rule. I dunno, I just want more bass. It’s right there in the name! I’m not a ‘midsist’ I’m a bassist

Have you tried messing with the 'classic' or 'vintage' push/pull switch?

 

[GBassNorth]

?...
Could not agree more! Which is why I’ll hang onto this one (well, also because it was a gift). If I can find the right neck pickup to beef up the lows without making it muddy, it could be a winner. The bridge pickup sounds pretty cool to me.
The real problem for me is talking through this with other Ric owners. They refuse to believe there’s any issues, as a rule. I dunno, I just want more bass. It’s right there in the name! I’m not a ‘midsist’ I’m a bassist

Duke - that's exactly where I was at with the one and only Ric I tried. Solid mid presence, nice top end but lacking the balls to give me the deep tone I need. In an effort to truly try and work a Ric into my collection I reached out to the Ric club and told them what sound I was after. The unanimous answer was to get a Ric Cheyenne. Apparently they have the voicing I've been after, not sure if it's different pups or electronics but you might want to look in that direction. There might be something easy you can do mod your bass that would get it closer to the Cheyenne in sound. Just a thought.

 

[bylar13]

Ha! There’s a lot of Ric players that made me want one. This is the 3rd one I’ve owned, so... I really never learn anything the easy way



I get that for sure



Could not agree more! Which is why I’ll hang onto this one (well, also because it was a gift). If I can find the right neck pickup to beef up the lows without making it muddy, it could be a winner. The bridge pickup sounds pretty cool to me.
The real problem for me is talking through this with other Ric owners. They refuse to believe there’s any issues, as a rule. I dunno, I just want more bass. It’s right there in the name! I’m not a ‘midsist’ I’m a bassist

I had 4 Rics. 3, 4001's and 1 4003. The first one from 1977-ish sounded great. I used to get compliments from sound men, crowd etc. and then it got stolen. Second one was Ruby red, from 1980 and a total project. That one I replaced the bridge pick up with a direct replacement from Bartolini. That sounded really good and helped beef up the low end quite a bit.

Here is a sampe of the Ric with the Bartolini:

Invalid Link Removed

Then I had a black one and split guard, 4003 fire-glo(/) and they both sucked really bad or I had just moved on to a different place as to what I wanted. I think if I could find an older one with a slimmer neck width, I just might give it a go...again....

 

[JJR58]

I look at it this way. I’m only so good, (I use that term only so good, very loosely). No JAE, no where near close. But so inspired, I’ll always play no matter what.

 

[Haji]

Ha! There’s a lot of Ric players that made me want one. This is the 3rd one I’ve owned, so... I really never learn anything the easy way



I get that for sure



Could not agree more! Which is why I’ll hang onto this one (well, also because it was a gift). If I can find the right neck pickup to beef up the lows without making it muddy, it could be a winner. The bridge pickup sounds pretty cool to me.
The real problem for me is talking through this with other Ric owners. They refuse to believe there’s any issues, as a rule. I dunno, I just want more bass. It’s right there in the name! I’m not a ‘midsist’ I’m a bassist

Rics have always had that mid heavy sort of honky tone. They're definitely love em er hate em instruments. I kinda like the sound but hate how they play. A friend of mine that I'm usually in agreement with on gear is dying for one. I'm not. Diff'ernt strokages an' all.

 

[GonePlaid]

Rics have always had that mid heavy sort of honky tone. They're definitely love em er hate em instruments. I kinda like the sound but hate how they play. A friend of mine that I'm usually in agreement with on gear is dying for one. I'm not. Diff'ernt strokages an' all.

I was playing keys in a group(1970)where the bassist had a Ric. I tried it. I didn't like it. End of gassing. Got my '67 TBird instead.

 

[JIO]

WOOHOOO!!!
Flying up to Portland Saturday to pick up this Bad Boy..
View attachment 3162105

Yowza!

 

[JIO]

...and some not so awesome stuff.

Nugent...

MC5 -

 

[JIO]

Thanks - unfortunately, the Goth is no longer flat black - having been sanded, for the most part, down to bare wood with black paint still filling the grain. That stuff is sprayed on thick! It's going to end up as some sort of rat-rodded Fenderbird, but the exact configuration is still to be determined, depending on what's laying around or can be found in the garbage.

 

[Nocturnal]

Thanks - unfortunately, the Goth is no longer flat black - having been sanded, for the most part, down to bare wood with black paint still filling the grain. That stuff is sprayed on thick! It's going to end up as some sort of rat-rodded Fenderbird, but the exact configuration is still to be determined, depending on what's laying around or can be found in the garbage.

I used the thick black paint as the primer when I refinished my Goth. Sanded it and sprayed. Worked great!!! It was waaaaay to thick to try to remove.

 

[dukeorock]

Have you tried messing with the 'classic' or 'vintage' push/pull switch?

The rehearsal I did Monday, I wasn’t aware there was a push/pull switch
The next day I was looking around online and discovered there was one. Supposedly, one position does the 4001 thing (less bass, prettier top end), and the other position is the ‘modern’ 4003 thing. If I were running the two amp thing and had a sub, I could see how the ‘vintage’ sound would be appealing, but I don’t see me doing that

Duke - that's exactly where I was at with the one and only Ric I tried. Solid mid presence, nice top end but lacking the balls to give me the deep tone I need. In an effort to truly try and work a Ric into my collection I reached out to the Ric club and told them what sound I was after. The unanimous answer was to get a Ric Cheyenne. Apparently they have the voicing I've been after, not sure if it's different pups or electronics but you might want to look in that direction. There might be something easy you can do mod your bass that would get it closer to the Cheyenne in sound. Just a thought.

Thanks for this tip!!! I’ll look into that for certain!

I had 4 Rics. 3, 4001's and 1 4003. The first one from 1977-ish sounded great. I used to get compliments from sound men, crowd etc. and then it got stolen. Second one was Ruby red, from 1980 and a total project. That one I replaced the bridge pick up with a direct replacement from Bartolini. That sounded really good and helped beef up the low end quite a bit.

Here is a sampe of the Ric with the Bartolini:

Invalid Link Removed

Then I had a black one and split guard, 4003 fire-glo(/) and they both sucked really bad or I had just moved on to a different place as to what I wanted. I think if I could find an older one with a slimmer neck width, I just might give it a go...again....

Thanks! The consensus I got was that the Bart’s sound great, but doesn’t sound like a Ric anymore. I wouldn’t know

I was playing keys in a group(1970)where the bassist had a Ric. I tried it. I didn't like it. End of gassing. Got my '67 TBird instead.

You did good

 

[JJR58]

Nugent...

MC5 -

Oh yeah, MC5.

 

[Dr_Feelgoood212]

I used the thick black paint as the primer when I refinished my Goth. Sanded it and sprayed. Worked great!!! It was waaaaay to thick to try to remove.

My buddy that gave me my Goth tried to sand it down, and did a horrible job. So I have to take it right down just to smooth it out. Oh well... that's what oscillating sanders are for