Tried my first Ric, ever

[izorbot]

Gigged back in the early 80's with a 4001 for 5 years, never had to adjust anything on that one. My new
4003 needed quite a bit of TLC to get it right, but it's a sweet player now, and the Hipshot bridge is a must.

 

[Skillet]

..... The action was so ridiculously high that it wasn’t fair really to judge a Ric based on that model. I mean 3/4 of an inch off the fretboard hi!
......
All in all, if I had to write a list of pros and cons for my thoughts on that bass, the cons would outnumber the pros.

Now it's incumbent upon you to find one that's setup right and you might find that all of a sudden those cons start to dwindle and the pros overtake them. My '12 4003 has a much chunkier neck than my '70s 4001 (sadly don't have anymore) but it plays like a dream with La Bella flats on it and the action dialed in low. It just feels right.

BTW, the only bass I've played with a neck that was more "dialed in" than my 4003 was a vintage BC Rich set up by a guy who is fanatical about them and owns over a dozen.

You owe it to yourself.

 

[4001]

If I could convince the company to change one thing: dump the dual truss rods in favor of one, and make the neck thinner.

...and maybe give the obese, bloated, over-fed headstock a much needed diet... and the top horn is tooo thin.

 

[Machiavelli]

I was at Guitar Center today getting a capo to do some bass set up’s. I saw a Ric hanging on the wall in the used section. Not sure what model it was, didn’t pay much attention to that. Had the guy get it down and I plugged it into a Mark Bass 212 combo. The action was so ridiculously high that it wasn’t fair really to judge a Ric based on that model. I mean 3/4 of an inch off the fretboard hi!

Anyhow, to my thoughts of the bass:

It had a great tone no matter what pick up selection I had. It was a toggle with a three-way switch. It sounded beefy and felt very solid. I love the look of a Ric. However, I just don’t think I could get used to my right hand positioning while playing. Also, the negative side of what a lot of people mention… The top of the base digging into the forearm. I was sitting down, so I’m sure it would not have been as uncomfortable if I were standing .

All in all, if I had to write a list of pros and cons for my thoughts on that bass, the cons would outnumber the pros. I am just glad I had the opportunity to play one. They seem very well-made.

I’ve tried 3 rics, here’s my experience:

These are terrible.

 

[Dean N]

They look cool, they sound good. But I every time I pick one up, I'm all awkward thumbs. I feel like they are designed by aliens, for aliens. I can never find a comfortable playing position.

 

[bobyoung53]

A black and white-trimmed 4001 has always been one of those images burned into my mind for what 'cool' is supposed to look like, I always had a soft spot for them. Had friends who played them and just sounded great.

Every time I tried to turn infatuation into a love affair, it sounded thin, and the electronics and that bridge are just hilariously bad. Like East German bad. Worked in stores long enough to know that they can become quite a handful in keeping the action in the proper state (not many, but enough to give me the willies). So like dating a beautiful woman, living with her may turn out to be a lot harder than you thought.

I know they are revered, but I couldn't make one work for me. Ain't the first, won't be the last.

Usually Rics are set and forget if you use the same strings, have you ever owned one or have you just seen stuff people have screwed up and brought into stores the get fixed? I've owned at least 30 of them over the years and have never had most of the problems people report. New Rics do not sound thin and haven't for many years, 4001's did with the bridge pickup cap in the circuit which was a 5 minute fix. That being said they can take some getting used to coming from a Fender for example.

 

[bobyoung53]

I always thought they sounded more like a guitar than a bass but have always been intrigued by the cool style of the body, neck and headstock. I’m sure I could dial in a beefy tone with one and the rig setup I’ve got. I’m just curious about these basses. Would love to try a few more out, but that opportunity doesn’t seem likely.

Check out 'Baby You're A Rich Man' by the Beatles, you won't think they sound like a guitar.

 

[Jimruth]

If the action was so bad as the OP depicts, then the bass probably never had been maintained properly. The dual truss rods serve to discourage the average owner from tweaking. And in the hands of an ill-trained, unaccountable guitar tech, something bad might have happened to the bass.

I’ve owned my 1980 4001 since 1987 (purchased in Bowling Green, OH). I had a pro guitar tech install a BadAss bridge shortly after the purchase, at which time the bass had a full setup. I can tell you in all honesty I haven’t had the truss rods cover off that bass since. 32 years ain’t bad. Note: I’ve used stings from multiple different manufacturers during that time, from Rotos to (now) Elixirs.

This is just my experience. I know others on TB have far uglier stories to tell.

 

[zon6c-f]

I love my skinny-necked 4001. Binding, mute, gaping bridge pickup hole, and all.

If you bond with the instrument, you’ll figure out how to play it well. If not? Maybe a Rick isn’t for you. They’re an odd and offbeat company, but if you look hard enough you really can find what features you need.

My 72 4001s was stolen mid 89s; replaced with used 78 4001... totally different beast

 

[mbell75]

The 4004 solves all those troubles:

Link Removed

Except that the pickups and neck are completely different lol. I don’t even have to play that to know the neck sounds like muddy farts. Pickup placements sucks on both. I hate slab bodies but for some reason, it doesn’t bother me on a Ric.

I can’t play Ric’s anymore. One of these days I’m going to figure out how to justify the price and walk out with one.

 

[mbell75]

3/4" action, LOL! Gotta love GC and their bass maintenance habits.

It was used. They don’t even touch the new basses let alone anything used.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

They look cool, they sound good. But I every time I pick one up, I'm all awkward thumbs. I feel like they are designed by aliens, for aliens. I can never find a comfortable playing position.

Likewise

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I don’t even have to play that to know the neck sounds like muddy farts.

You would, because your assumption is completely incorrect.
I'm assuming you've never tried a Rickenbacker.

 

[mbell75]

You would, because your assumption is completely incorrect.
I'm assuming you've never tried a Rickenbacker.

Oh I’ve played them alright. I’ve never played a bass with a pickup on top of the neck that didn’t sound like muddy farts. I seriously doubt that sounds any different but I’d give it a go.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I owned one & it was far & away from muddy.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

It never fails. When someone mentions GC the obligatory slams start. Kind of a mob mentality, or peer approval for smashing GC on the thread.

I've gotten some excellent used deals on GC. I'm leaning more and more to the idea that a bass player should give maintenance a try. Gives you a better idea of how your bass works. I'll bet the neck could have been adjusted to take out the bow with little effort.

I love the natural finish contoured Ric's. Sadly they don't make them lefty.

 

[Picton]

My 72 4001s was stolen mid 89s; replaced with used 78 4001... totally different beast

Mine’s a ‘79.

I’m down to that, a 1997 MIJ ‘75RI JBass, and a JP90. You might say I really like my necks skinny and my tone bright.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Check out 'Baby You're A Rich Man' by the Beatles, you won't think they sound like a guitar.

True... the recording process probably altered the sound a bit. I guess it’s how you “dial them in”. i.e. tone adjustments, attack (pick or no pick), amp settings, etc. if I ever decide to go with one, it will have to be one I’ve played and aquatinted myself with. Just like any other bass a person would plan on purchasing.

 

[JW56789]

Will, I taught myself to do my basic setup and would not take anything for having figured it out and being able to adjust my instruments . . . . . . without having to find somebody to take it to, which depending where I've lived over the years, can get problematic.

I certainly leave real jobs for the professionals, I'm not qualified. But for all my basics (relief, string height, bridge and pickup adjustments, etc.) it's very satisfying to handle it on my own. And I'm no technical whiz, I sometimes fall into the 'It Worked Until I Fixed It' Grad Class at the DooFuss College of Mis-Applied Knowledge. But I have learned how make 'em play 'like buttah' . . . . . I can't recommend it enough.

 

[bobyoung53]

True... the recording process probably altered the sound a bit. I guess it’s how you “dial them in”. i.e. tone adjustments, attack (pick or no pick), amp settings, etc. if I ever decide to go with one, it will have to be one I’ve played and aquatinted myself with. Just like any other bass a person would plan on purchasing.

McCartney used flatwounds but Rics are very versatile basses, you can even get them to sound like a P bass if you want. I did an album years ago and everyone i played it for thought it was a P bass. Don't mean to take over your thread except I see so much misinformation posted about these things from people who have never really had one for any length of time that I feel compelled to post.