Ricks are great basses. The tone cuts through the mix, and they are very versatile. I am currently without one, but if the right deal came along, I wouldnt hesitate for a second to pick up another.
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What's the deal with Rics?
- Thread starter Gaolee
- Start date
I own a 2012 4003 love the looks and sound but I prefer a jazz neck.I would love to try other models but finding one is tuff around here.
The only thinner neck from a stock Ric would be to look for specific vintage models. There are reports of either the Blackstars or Shadows that had some of the most pencil-thin necks Ric ever made. Paul Boyer can advise on that one. And going back even further, into the early '70's & 60's, they had some super thin ones as well.
I don't own a Ric (yet), but I've played a few, and I love the sound. Great aggressiveness to it, but that can be dialed back, and you can get a nice big warm sound too. The only issue I've had is the necks. I like super shallow necks (think back to front), having become really used to my Fender AVRI 62s, which have the shallow vintage C profile. However, every Ric I've played has much more of a U shape to the neck, which I find pretty uncomfortable and really tires out my left hand. I know the profile changes from year to year, so I just need to keep searching, because really, they are pretty fantastic basses.
Very thin and super fast neck on my '86 4003, second place goes to my '72 4001 in my favorite neck category. There's just something special about that 4003.
I guess I would be comfortable playing 60's Rics. I have a 2010 4003 and find the neck quite comfy. Not overly thick front to back and not too thin.
This thread just confirms the Ric polarization, at least to me. Since I played one, I still don't really understand. It was its own thing, but still just a bass.
You have to get used to any bass. The ones I've owned/played sounded and felt no better or worse than any other competently built basses. They do look better than most though, unless they have dot inlays. I have never lost a limb due to the legendary razor sharp, surgical steel edges of the 4001/4003 models. I like the bridge and the pickup cover, so it's probably better not to listen to me anyway.
I own two: A '79 4001 and an '06 4003. Two very different beasts, but I love both. Bought the '06 new. The '79 I bought from a TBer as a reclamation project, as it had been mistreated by one or more of the previous owners. A couple hundred bucks and a little elbow grease, and the thing plays wonderfully.
i own both a 4003, and a 4004L. i love both, but there seem to be a lot more questions about the 4004. here's my take. when i got it, the neck was VERY fickle (2008) but it has finally settled down. i won't talk about the looks, but it has the hottest passive humbuckers i've ever played. just massive. bare bones controls, but that's all you need. shocking how much power it has considering how light it is. if you can find one, try one first, but it does the job for me, anywhere from blues, rock, to doom metal (pentagram, saint vitus etc...) the ricky sound is there, just that it's on steroids...gobs of bottom end.
I like them,and have owned a variety of them. I now have 2 4004's,both from the same '04 model year,and they are overall my favorite basses. I have had the already great sounding humbuckers wired for coil tapping,giving me the option of sounding more like a 4001. I also have a vintage (74) 4000,which after a lot of mods,plays the way i like. The deal for me is there are very few other basses that sound like a Ric. I used to own a bc rich eagle which was sort of close,and a viellette citron which was even a bit closer,but like i said,ain't nothin' like the real thing.....
I also tried some older Rics and didn't care for them,then came the new one a 4003 in midnight blue and really liked it,bought it about two weeks ago.Tried a used one that was very poorly set up with stickers all over it and in bad shape and they wanted more than a new one.
I have a love hate relationship with my 2011 Fireglo 4003. My first bass way back in the 80's was a 4003. Always regretted having to let it go so when the opportunity to get a RIC last summer during the blow out, I jumped on it.
First one was returned for a number of reasons (I could not try before I buy) and the 2nd one is still with me.
I have struggled with whether to keep it or sell it... love the look and the tone, but keeping it set up properly has been an on-going challenge.
Recently I decided to fish or cut bait with it... I had not used it or hardly ever picked it up in the last roughly 6 months, so I thought I'd give it one more go, before letting it go. It sounded great during band rehearsal and of course if looks good, so I am once again, working on stabilizing the set up to my liking.
They are not like other basses, IMHO and tinkering is just part of the experience!
(I know many here will tell you that they haven't had to touch theirs in years... to those folks I say, enjoy!)
Fishheadjoe
First one was returned for a number of reasons (I could not try before I buy) and the 2nd one is still with me.
I have struggled with whether to keep it or sell it... love the look and the tone, but keeping it set up properly has been an on-going challenge.
Recently I decided to fish or cut bait with it... I had not used it or hardly ever picked it up in the last roughly 6 months, so I thought I'd give it one more go, before letting it go. It sounded great during band rehearsal and of course if looks good, so I am once again, working on stabilizing the set up to my liking.
They are not like other basses, IMHO and tinkering is just part of the experience!
(I know many here will tell you that they haven't had to touch theirs in years... to those folks I say, enjoy!)
Fishheadjoe
I have a love hate relationship with my 2011 Fireglo 4003. My first bass way back in the 80's was a 4003. Always regretted having to let it go so when the opportunity to get a RIC last summer during the blow out, I jumped on it.
First one was returned for a number of reasons (I could not try before I buy) and the 2nd one is still with me.
I have struggled with whether to keep it or sell it... love the look and the tone, but keeping it set up properly has been an on-going challenge.
Recently I decided to fish or cut bait with it... I had not used it or hardly ever picked it up in the last roughly 6 months, so I thought I'd give it one more go, before letting it go. It sounded great during band rehearsal and of course if looks good, so I am once again, working on stabilizing the set up to my liking.
They are not like other basses, IMHO and tinkering is just part of the experience!
(I know many here will tell you that they haven't had to touch theirs in years... to those folks I say, enjoy!)
Fishheadjoe
I've been playing Rics now for nearly 20 years. I get mine set up once every few years. What problems are you experiencing with your setups?
got a new MF midblue ric and it is very well made. IMHO better than used rics from the last dcade plus.
Neck stability for one... it seems from day to day, the neck moves... I went for a period of about 6 weeks without the truss rod cover on it as I found myself adjusting the rods at least once a day.
Couple that with the fret job I had to have done to make the first five frets playable...
As my band plays in Eb, I have to set up the bass to that tuning. Should I have to tune it in standard E tuning, it will require a truss rod adjustment. If I lean back in my chair while playing the bass, the slight weight of my hand while in that position will pull the neck enough to bottom out the strings.
So, in essence, I have a unstable neck that I am hoping will settle with age.
Fishheadjoe
