Spidey, buddy, you're missing the whole point. Rics don't have any tort to mellow out the sound like a P bass does. You ought to know better than that. C'mon, man.
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What strings to use on a Rickenbacker 4001?
- Thread starter him666
- Start date
Spidey, buddy, you're missing the whole point. Rics don't have any tort to mellow out the sound like a P bass does. You ought to know better than that. C'mon, man.
(Backing out the door, ever so quietly)
ANYTHING other than Rotosound roundwounds is BLASPHEMY !! I SAY 
HELL YES YOU WILL DAMAGE THE NECK!!! WITH THE INCREASED TENSION OF ROTO MONEL FLATS YOU WILL DESTROY THE NECK OF A 4001. I DID THAT ON ANOTHER BASS!!! I'm saving my money to replace the neck or truss rods on that bass, whichever my tech says is the most economical.
Pardon my shouting. Nobody bothers anymore to really get into the subject. It's not rounds, it's not flats. It is the inherent tension of any particular set. Now, that said, when I had a 1976 4001, I used GHS Boomers 45-65-85-105 with no issues whatsoever. I have a 1981 4002 (yes, "2," not "1" or "3") that I have used GHS Progressives 45-60-80-105 since I got it in the early 90's with no issue. If you want flats on a 4001, then the recommended set is the Optima RB, because it is the spiritual successor to the OEM Maxima flats that Rickenbacker used on these basses.
OK: all else being equal, a 45-100 rounds set will have about the same tension overall as the Optima RB 40-100 set because the flatwound ribbon wire has less gaps between the windings than the rounds, so they have similar mass, and therefore similar tension. By contrast, a flatwound string will have much more tension than a roundwound string of the same overall diameter because there is less gap between the windings on the flatwound, therefore more mass, therefore more tension.
That said, a well-maintained and properly adjusted 4001 with no internal damage to the neck from improperly maintaining the hairpin truss rods should be able to take about any reasonable set of round wounds, even in a 45's set, as mine did. But for flats, due to the increased mass for the given diameter, I would not put anything heavier than the Optima RB set or the Fender 9050L set, which is 45-60-80-100.
Yes, but it can have:Spidey, buddy, you're missing the whole point. Rics don't have any tort to mellow out the sound like a P bass does. You ought to know better than that. C'mon, man.
I used Rotosound RS66's on my first 4001 back in '78. They didn't bother the neck, but they almost destroyed the frets. I had to switch to GHS Boomers to save what fret wire I had left. I would up selling that bass. RS66's.....never again. I use flats these days and am quite happy.
I have a new set of Optima RB Flatwounds awaiting some fret leveling and installation of the Version 2 tailpiece. I hope I enjoy them!
My 4001 has been strung with Rotos for over thirty years now with no ill effects, neck-wise. Still straight and true after all these years! I do agree about fret wear, though I don't seem to have it as bad as some of y'all have. Seems a bit odd, since I tend to be a bit aggressive at times (especially on the Ric! 
).
That said, I have been thinking about trying something different string-wise (30+ years? someone might accuse me of being set in my ways!). With the mind-numbing variety of strings out there it's very helpful to have a place to start.
Thanks for the input!
Mike
).That said, I have been thinking about trying something different string-wise (30+ years? someone might accuse me of being set in my ways!). With the mind-numbing variety of strings out there it's very helpful to have a place to start.
Thanks for the input!
Mike
Waking up an old thread, which has useful info but I am still confused about the which T-I Jazz rounds to buy that will not hurt the neck. Should I get the extra long JR364 (.043, .055, .075, .101 as the above poster says) or the long scale JR344 (which are .043, .051, .068, .089)? What I want is the Genesis/Yes Rick sound specifically. I have read many opinions. I am using the RickoSound split running into a 1975 Ampeg 320 to take advantage of the split EQ built into the amp and/or a 1980 Marshall JCM 800 for the "guitar" neck pickup I am being specific to hopefully get a specific answer. Side note - I need to replace the 3-way switch on the 4001 and possibly replace the original tone control caps, if the ESR meter says they're leaky. I have experience with electronics and don't mind a technical answer...much appreciated in any help supplied.
UPDATE - I read that the Rotosound RS66LC - 40-95 might be the one, and they're a lot cheaper...anyone try these on a Rick? Not going for a Beatles sound, going for the Yes/Genesis sound.
UPDATE - I read that the Rotosound RS66LC - 40-95 might be the one, and they're a lot cheaper...anyone try these on a Rick? Not going for a Beatles sound, going for the Yes/Genesis sound.
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I doubt that any of the TI Jazz Rounds would hurt the neck, but I would think the long scale to be a better fit than the extra long. The Ric is a bit on the shorter side than the average Fender-like instrument... not sure why someone would have picked extra long strings for it.
I've tried a variety of strings on my 4003, and the RS66LC set is sure one of my favorites.
